book of records - Kansas State University

Book of Records 7.11
3. THE CAMPAIGN FOR ALPHA TAU OMEGA
(1919-1920)
Histories are generally made as a result of circumstances. If this were not true, Kansas Delta Theta of Alpha
Tau Omega might have been designated differently by the national fraternity. Had World War I been evaded, it might
have been proper to say that a charter would have been granted the local organization sooner than October 23, 1920.
Thus a circumstance delayed the petitioning by Alpha Theta Chi to Alpha Tau Omega until the fall semester of 1919.
When the old members of Alpha Theta Chi were discharged from the army in the spring of 1919 and again took
up their abode at the fraternity house, they started work and plans for Alpha Tau Omega. A visit by Province Chief
Ralph Weaverling finished the spring semester of that year so far as real activity was manifested, but this visit was a
stepping stone and a light which helped find the path leading to ΑΤΩ. From advice and counsel received at this time, it
was deemed best to postpone the petitioning until the ensuing fall. So it happened that the real progress of the petition of
Kansas Delta Theta began during the latter part of 1919 and the first part of 1920.
Shortly after the rushing season had ended in the fall of 1919, the local chapter appointed a committee
consisting of Elmer D. (Irish) McCollum, Walter R. (Walt) Horlacher and Walter W. (Dutch) Rodewald to draft a
petition to Alpha Tau Omega. In order to successfully compile this petition, additional information had to be secured
from Wylie B. Wendt of Kentucky Mu Iota Chapter, who was at that time connected with the Engineering faculty of K.
S. A. C. It was from an outline made by Brother Wendt that the real petition was written. No sooner had the informal
petition been written than the timely services of H. W. Spink (Minnesota Gamma Nu), Harold Simonds (Washington
Gamma Chi) and Ernest F. Stalcup (Kansas Gamma Mu) were offered. Upon the approval of the five nearest chapters of
Alpha Tau Omega being received, the formal and completed petition was designed.
All went well until Thanksgiving. But what should happen during this particular week but that fourteen
members of the local group volunteered for work in the coal fields to relieve the cold homes of Kansas. This took two of
the petitioning committee. One of the two was McCollum, who had certain information with him at the mines which
was needed to answer wires from the Province Chief regarding the sending of a delegate to the Cleveland Congress of
Alpha Tau Omega in 1919. Horlacher being the only member of the committee left at school and with only three or four
men left in the house, it seemed that Alpha Theta Chi had but small chance of completing the details of its petitioning.
Wires and telephone calls failed to bring McCollum from the coal fields. Fate held out its balance, the miners decided to
go to work and the volunteers returned to school, only to find that the President of the College had authorized Christmas
vacation a week early to escape the temperature condition of the buildings caused by the coal shortage. Another
disappointment! One of the committee returned to Manhattan and the other two home on a vacation. Wires and letters
came advising that a delegate be sent to Congress. The little group of active members, finally reaching Manhattan after
the strike had subsided, agreed that Brother McCollum should go to Cleveland to represent the petitioning local.
Preparations were made. Then what happened? The mumps, which was an absolutely debilitating disease at that time,
seized the delegate. The selection of an alternate was made when Walter J. Rogers returned to school somewhat early
and found McCollum bedfast. Brother Rogers took the next train to Cleveland.
Work had only begun. A letter arrived for the delegate to have a prospectus ready for Congress; but owing to
McCollum=s ill condition the letter was not taken from the Post Office until after Brother Rogers had left for Cleveland.
Wires were sent ahead to inform Rogers what was coming, and the committee mustered the entire chapter to secure data
for the prospectus and questionnaire. Work began at 1:00 P.M. and at 3:30 A.M. the following morning Brother
Horlacher finished the last of the typewritten manuscripts. During this short time, letters from all the fraternities and
sororities and the college faculty were secured. Never could better cooperation have been had on the part of the chapter
and those from whom information had been secured. As a reward for this night of work, the morning mail carried the
manuscripts to Congress and Brother Rogers secured them just in time to avert another crisis.