KS Gamma Origin Story:

A Failed Merger

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Summary of A Failed Merger

Professor Oakes reports that he and some others would like to start a Tau Beta Pi chapter at Manhattan. He was at Oklahoma University when their chapter was installed on April 3rd, 1926, and says that conditions are quite similar at KSAC. He and others are under the impression that the Sigma Tau-Tau Beta Pi merger of 1928 will be successful, and ergo, it may be pointless to pursue a chapter, but he wants to verify to be sure. Matthews is glad to hear from Oakes and assures him that the merger will be a success, so there's no need to petition for a chapter.

Correspondents

Herbert L. Oakes (OK-A 1926), Professor of Civil Engineering, KSAC
Robert Clayton Matthews (IL-A 1902), 1st Secretary-Treasurer of Tau Beta Pi

January 17th, 1928

Prof. Herbert Oakes informs Matthews of precedent for Tau Beta Pi

Professor Oakes starts off by recalling his last interaction with Secretary-Treasurer Matthews, which was during the installation of Oklahoma Alpha, two years prior. Oakes reports that he is teaching in the Civil Engineering Dept. at Kansas State College, where there exists a "fine field" for a Tau Beta Pi chapter.

He says that faculty support for Tau Beta Pi is not strong, and that most of the students are not aware of it, as was the case at Oklahoma University before their chapter began. The Mu Chapter of Sigma Tau had been established on their campus for some time, much like the Epsilon Chapter at KSC. Dean Seaton, a charter member of the Epsilon Chapter, asked Oakes to reach out to Matthews in the unlikely case that the Tau Beta Pi-Sigma Tau merger would not succeed.

See the letter & transcript

Dear Mr. Matthews: It has been about two years since I have bothered you about the establishment of a new chapter of Tau Beta Pi. About that time, you remember, you came out to Oklahoma University and installed Chapter Alpha of Oklahoma. I hope that that chapter has fulfilled your expectations and that you will be inclined to consider another probable attempt on my part to petition, or rather help a student organization petition.

I am now teaching in the Civil Engineering Department of Kansas State College, and it seems to me that this school presents a very fine field for a chapter of Tau Beta Pi.

There are at present approximately 930 students enrolled in the Engineering Division, which includes nine departments; namely, Agricultural Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Architecture, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Landscape Architecture and Mechanical Engineering. This institution has been long established and graduates a high type of student, as is evidenced by the prominent positions held by its graduates in this state and elsewhere.

Sentiment in favor of petitioning Tau Beta Pi is not strong on the campus among the faculty members. As to the students, most of them do not know of Tau Beta Pi. The situation is somewhat the same as that which existed at Oklahoma University at the time the petitioning body was organized there. Sigma Tau has been on the campus for a number of years, and is firmly established.

Dean Seaton is of the opinion that a merger of Sigma Tau and Tau Beta Pi will soon be effected and thinks that it would be lost motion to start petitioning now. He has asked me, however, to inquire about this and says that in case a merger is not probable, that he and the heads of the departments will consider the matter of encouraging the organizing of a petitioning group here.

May I ask you to give me your frank opinion about the probability of a merger of the two organizations, and the desirability of my attempting to organize a petitioning body on this campus.

If you wish more information concerning this school and the situation here, I shall be glad to furnish it. With kindest personal regards, I am, Yours very truly, Herbert L. Oakes

January 23rd, 1928

Matthews assures Oakes that the Sigma Tau merger will succeed

Matthews starts his response by telling of his recent meeting with Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Tau officials in Chicago, Illinois. He reports that the group reached unanimous agreement on all points of the merger, and that the last two Tau Beta Pi Conventions approved of the idea. The merger then, would only be a question of when, not if. Matthews implies that there is no material reason to begin pursuing a chapter, as the Epsilon Chapter would soon be converted to a Tau Beta Pi chapter once the merger was officially approved. He also discusses how Oklahoma Alpha was doing at the time.

Of course, the first national merger did not work out as planned. Matthews was right though; about it being a matter of time.

See the letter & transcript

My dear Hub: The Sigma Tau merger will very likely be approved next fall. Moore, Higbie, and myself, met with Davidson and Sjogren in Chicago on December 27 and had no trouble in agreeing on all points concerning the merger. The last two conventions have approved the idea, so that the merger will likely be only a question of time, in which case we will take over the Sigma Tau chapters.

I am certainly glad to hear from you. I thought you went to Oxford. Oklahoma Alpha has been like many others. When the main guy left the chapter went blooey, but with the assistance of the Dean and other faculty men we had little difficulty in straightening them out.

I wish I could see you again and if you stay out in Kansas long enough I probably shall, as the Sigma Tau chapters will be formally installed into Tau Beta Pi when the time comes. If I do not see you soon, here's luck! With very best regards, I am as always, most fraternally yours, Secretary-Treasurer.

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