book of records - Kansas State University

7.12 Book of Records
Although many questions had been answered in the questionnaire, the five minutes which Brother Rogers spent
before the business meeting of Alpha Tau Omega assembled in Congress did much to win favor for the local, Alpha
Theta Chi. Time and circumstances had prevented an elaborate program for Congress. However, a copy of the
Christmas issue of the Vintage and a copy of The Aggie Miners= Shovel (a paper published largely by Alpha Theta Chi
men while in the mines) did much to bring the delegates to think highly of the petitioning body. If any Brothers were
singled out who were greatly responsible for the granting of the charter of Kansas Delta Theta, Brother Rogers deserves
untold credit for his impression upon the Alpha Tau Omega Congress of 1919. His tactful organization and presentation
of material without a doubt decided the votes of many of the assembled delegates. In brief, his success was sufficient to
bring the call for a formal petition and a vote from the seventy-one chapters of ΑΤΩ.
The formal petition was sent out during February, 1920. Among the various letters of recommendation
contained therein, a noteworthy one is the one from Governor Allen of Kansas who wrote it because of the faithful work
which had been done by members of the chapter in the coal fields.
Of course, definite plans were followed in the efforts of petitioning, but no special campaign was inaugurated
save that of consistent and persevering labor. The local had taken the Greek name Alpha Theta Chi for the express
purpose of petitioning Alpha Tau Omega, and it was to this end that the energy was directed. Here again, Brother J. B.
Angle must be pointed to as a member of the local who persistently urged the chapter forward in its work. Other than the
efforts of Brother Angle and Brother Rogers, the campaign for Kansas Delta Theta was conducted by the entire active
chapter. Naturally, some men did more work than other; but the entire group was endowed with the spirit of developing
a chapter worthy of a new charter.
The goal was not reached without work, and it was an unusually happy group that received the news of the
granting of the charter. This news came by wire from Province Chief Weaverling and arrived on the evening of
Commencement Day, May 27, 1920:
TELEGRAM
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA 7:30 PM MAY 27, 1920
HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS. CHARTER SECURED. WILL WRITE FULLY.
R E WEAVERLING
PROVINCE CHIEF III
This news coming so late in the school year and after a large majority of the active members had gone home, it
was necessary to postpone the installation until the following fall.
Because this is as propitious a place as any, it will be mentioned here that previously to the petition made by
Alpha Theta Chi, two other local fraternities had at different times done some work towards petitioning Alpha Tau
Omega. The first of these was the Aztex fraternity, now Delta Tau Delta. This group was petitioning Alpha Tau Omega
and another national fraternity at the same time. Alpha Tau Omega learned of this double petitioning and henceforth
would have nothing to do with the Aztex. Later the Epsilon Epsilon Epsilon fraternity, now Sigma Phi Epsilon, decided
to petition Alpha Tau Omega. They notified Kansas Gamma Mu, requesting that they send a man to look them over.
Gamma Mu acted promptly, and when the delegate arrived in Manhattan, he called up the Tri-Epsilon house only to be
informed that the bunch was not as yet ready to be looked over. As a result, the petitioning of this local was cut short.
Alpha Theta Chi never petitioned or considered petitioning any other fraternity than Alpha Tau Omega.