Cross & Crescent

Size - About 85 chapters, making BKN the seventh or eighth largest national in the country. Continued additions of a few chapters each year would soon place it fifth or better. All sections of the country would be covered with the possible exception of the Northwest.

Members - Around 9,500, with the following states having over 400 members in each: Alabama, California, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The total would increase at a rate of about 1,000 each year.

Jewelry - Possibly a combination. The old of both orders would still be official for old members. The question of final designation of official jeweler could wait a couple of years.

Chapter names - To be arranged in order of installation in respective orders, and to be named after institutions in which they are located, perhaps.

Duplicate chapters - Are found at Alabama Tech., Birmingham, Southern California, Florida, Illinois, and Oregon State. These to be united under the supervision of local committees composed of members from both orders.

Dead chapters - Beta Kappa’s Wisconsin chapter would be replaced. Theta Kappa Nu may declare its chapters at Pittsburgh, Washington and Jefferson and Westminster inactive in June.

Magazine - Name (?). Combined circulation would be close to 10,000. A larger and better publication could put out at less cost than the present two. Perhaps five issues a year.

Finances - Would be more adequate with the result of additional efficiency of the central office, two traveling secretaries, etc. Combined incomes should run over $25,000 annually, with this gradually increasing from growing endowment and size.

National officers - Since their organization as nationals, both Beta Kappa and Theta Kappa Nu have always had mature and adequate leadership, with the result that their finances are sound, their policies are up to date, and many of the mistakes of older organizations have been avoided. Both are today very strong in practically all respects, and there is every reason to believe that they will continue to develop and grow as they have done in the past. This being the case, BKN should be able to pick experienced leaders from the two groups who would be able to carry on even more efficiently, and rapidly place it among the top five nationals in every thing else as well as size.

Principles - Much as the same at present. Both stress morals, scholarship, finances, reasonable participation in activities. Add patriotism and loyalty from Theta Kappa Nu and the development of the social graces from Beta Kappa, and you cover both.

Membership - Is limited to students of Ayrian extraction and American Indians in both fraternities. Faculty members can be elected in both orders, and neither have honorary members. In short, membership requirements are identical.

Final Merger Decision

The Cragin Collection of documents provides some remarkable insight into a little known episode in the history of Theta Kappa Nu Fraternity and also reflects the concerns that plagued many fraternity and sorority leaders during the Great Depression.

Clearly, survival of the organization under the stress of limited resources was a key concern of these leaders. But it is also clear that just “any old merger” would not work for them. Talks and plans for a merger must have weighed heavily on the minds and spirits of those who were loyal to their respective fraternities but who also saw the need to save something of the fraternity they loved by selecting an appropriate merger partner.

Other factors, such as the number of members, number of chapters, geographical location, leadership, and compatibility of beliefs and values played as much a role in this proposal as did financial stability.

All of these factors had a role to play in the eventual merger of Theta Kappa Nu with Lambda Chi Alpha in 1939. Having this small glimpse into the thinking of this unknown proposal writer also serves as a reminder of what it must have been like for great Theta Nus like Krenmyre, Anderson, Lybarger, and Derby to contemplate the fateful path to merger.

Fortunately, both fraternities had men who were sensitive to the feelings and needs of each group. This sense of brotherhood and mutual respect helped them to forge an incredible union that incorporated Theta Nu core values and beliefs into a new fraternal experience for future generations of Lambda Chis.

The Fate of Beta Kappa

Obviously, the merger of Beta Kappa and Theta Kappa Nu fraternities never took place. So, just what was the eventual fate of Beta Kappa Fraternity?

The 1991 edition of Baird’s Manual lists BK in its “Fraternities that are no more” section. After presenting the standard history of the fraternity it brings the story of Beta Kappa to an end with these words:

“Beta Kappa merged with Theta Chi in 1942. The mother chapter at Hamline became Beta Kappa chapter of Theta Chi. The Georgia Tech chapter became Beta Kappa Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha in 1942.”

Creation of Beta-Kappa Zeta

Beta-Kappa Zeta at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta has a history that goes back to 1927, with the formation of the Quota Club by J.M. Walker, A.C. Cline, and S.R. Perry. A short time after its formation the Quota Club petitioned the Georgia Tech Interfraternity Council for recognition as the Chi Beta Sigma local fraternity.

In November of 1928, Chi Beta Sigma requested a charter from Beta Kappa Fraternity. The charter was quickly granted and the local fraternity became Alpha Gamma chapter of Beta Kappa.

In 1942, Beta Kappa Fraternity merged with Theta Chi. Some members at the Georgia Tech chapter, however, declined membership in Theta Chi and instead formed Alpha Gamma local fraternity. After a short search for a new national home, Alpha Gamma was granted a charter by Lambda Chi Alpha. In recognition of its former status as a part of BK, the chapter was designated Beta-Kappa Zeta on October 18, 1942, a full 30 years ahead of time in the naming process — the only individual chapter to this day to be so honored.

Thus the stories of Beta Kappa Fraternity, the proposed Beta Kappa Nu Fraternity, Theta Kappa Nu, Theta Chi, and Lambda Chi Alpha all come together at Beta-Kappa Zeta at Georgia Tech.

*Note: A previous edition of Baird’s Manual erroneously claims that Beta Kappa was founded in 1898.