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Our historian, Chuck Peyser, sent this to me on Sept. 3. I hope it helps answer the original question. ---Jono.
I can help you with the 11 founding chapters of Theta Kappa Nu.
Although all 11 were founders, the order of listing is not random, but
based on some historical sequence mostly known only to deceased members of
TKN. It did not involve the 4 founders . . . as Lybarger was from
Gettysburg, which is listed 11th. The one thing of which I am sure is
that the first chapter, Samford, is first because it contributed its local
initiation ritual almost intact to the new fraternity; indeed, it was only
a small modification from Phi Kappa Nu to Theta Kappa Nu as the central
secret motto.
In order:
Theta-Alpha; Phi Kappa Nu local became Alabama-Alpha; Samford Univ.
[Birmingham, AL]
Theta-Gamma; Tau Lambda Delta local became Florida-Alpha; Rollins Coll.
[Winter Park, FL]
Theta-Epsilon; Tau Lambda Delta local became Florida-Beta; Univ. of
Florida [Gainesville, FL]
Theta-Zeta; Kappa Kappa Kappa (sometimes Tri Kappa) local became
Indiana-Alpha; Hanover Coll. [Hanover, IN]
Theta-Iota; Kappa Delta Psi local became Iowa-Alpha; Iowa Wesleyan Coll.
[Mount Pleasant, IA]
Theta-Lambda; Sigma Delta Chi local became Iowa-Beta; Simpson Coll.
[Indianola, IA]
Theta-Beta; Celts Club and Phi Beta Omega locals became Kansas-Alpha;
Baker Univ. [Baldwin City, KS]
Theta-Sigma; Phi Alpha Sigma local became Missouri-Alpha; Drury Coll.
[Springfield, MO]
Theta-Phi; Tau Lambda Delta local became North Carolina-Alpha; North
Carolina State Univ. [Raleigh, NC]
Theta-Delta; Kappa Phi local became Oklahoma-Alpha; Oklahoma City Univ.
[Oklahoma City, OK]
Theta-Pi; Phi Sigma local became Pennsylvania-Alpha; Gettysburg Coll.
[Gettysburg, PA]
Two of these "Theta" Zeta designations are not used because there was
already a Lambda Chi Alpha chapter on campus. It was decided to assign the
Zeta designations ignoring that fact. But Florida has always been known as
Epsilon-Mu and NC State as Gamma-Upsilon.
You might note that the locals at Rollins, Florida, and NCState have
the same name. Each was founded with some degree of involvement of Dr.
Winslow Anderson, the first Grand Archon.
The Baker chapter died in 1934 with only 90 initiates . . . never
operated under the Lambda Chi name. Rollins and Iowa Wesleyan were
casualties of the early 1970s after initiating a bit over 500 each. Drury,
Hanover, and Simpson have each been very strong LCA chapters during my
memory (i.e., the last three decades). Oklahoma City has suffered due to
the very shaky finances of the school, which has almost closed on several
occasions. I'm not very familiar with the other four.
Although not a founding chapter (i.e., no representative at the
Springfield founding meeting in June 1924), the "Lambda Chi" local at
Westminster Coll. [Fulton, MO] came aboard so quickly that its TKN charter
as Missouri-Beta is dated October 11, 1924 . . . the date that TKN
officially began with a "badging out" day. It's an interesting story; as
the local's name suggests it was formed in order to become a chapter of
Lambda Chi Alpha . . . but LCA was not giving charters on small college
campuses at the time, so suggested both to the Westminster local and to
Theta Kappa Nu that the two get together, which they did. Thus Lambda Chi
Alpha international, in the persons of Bruce McIntosh and Linn Lightner,
was responsible for the first addition to the TKN chapter roll beyond the
11 founding chapters. It indicates a closeness that was present between
the two fraternities, which eventually led to the 1939 Union. Sad to say,
the LCA judgment was correct; Missouri-Beta of TKN died a slow death . . .
ceased operations in 1933 with only 84 initiates; it never functioned
under the name of LCA.
Z A X Chuck
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