book of records - Kansas State University

Book of Records 7.19
6. THE ALUMNI CORPORATIONS
(1919-Present)
The Alumni Association of Kansas Delta Theta Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega has served the chapter with
distinction for many years. It was before Alpha Theta Chi had submitted a formal petition to Alpha Tau Omega that a
group of enthusiastic alumni called themselves together at 12:30 P.M., November 20, 1919, and began activities which
finally established an association of alumni for Delta Theta. This particular night of organization was preceded by the
Homecoming football game with Oklahoma University and a real fraternity smoker. It was at the close of the smoker
that the idea prompted the alumni to band themselves together to work for a better fraternity chapter.
The officers elected at this time were only temporary and were to serve until a constitution could be formulated
and passed by the alumni members of the chapter. Brother P. J. Newman was elected Chairman and Brother Gabe
Sellers was elected Secretary-Treasurer. A committee was appointed to draft a constitution and present it at the next
annual meeting. This meeting was to have been the Homecoming of 1920, but installation by Alpha Tau Omega and a
confusion of football dates that fall made a meeting impossible.
Even though that year passed without an annual meeting of the association, the alumni kept on working under
the temporary officers. At the Homecoming of 1921, Brother Elmer D. McCollum was elected Chairman, Brother
Walter R. Horlacher Vice-Chairman and Brother Ray B. Watson Secretary-Treasurer. The new administration was
authorized to appoint a constitutional committee and submit the articles to the alumni for approval. This was done and
the organization began its work as a fully constituted body on March 4, 1922.
The alumni have always been the backbone of the chapter. As early as 1920, they solicited $100 from the
alumni members so that the chapter could own the Chapter House. Then in 1923, the chapter signed the ownership of
the house over to the alumni. The alumni then took care of the maintenance and improvements. With these new
business responsibilities, the Kansas Delta Theta Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega Alumni Association was
incorporated under the laws of the State of Kansas on October 25, 1927.
In the late 1920s, the Alumni Association realized the Chapter House was inadequate because it couldn=t hold
all of Delta Theta=s members. So they sold the house and rented a larger one in 1931. Then in 1941, with Steve
Delladio as Treasurer of the Alumni Association and Fred Klemp helping out, they raised funds to buy the house. They
also started a ABuck of the Month Club@ to refurnish the home.
During the 1930s, the Homecoming meeting was the highlight of the year. The alumni during these meetings
handled business matters and renewed fraternal friendships with the other alumni brothers. As a special innovation, they
also had invited guest speakers to add to the program. These speakers included Worthy Grand Chiefs Sidney B. Fithian
and Willard M. Benton. Fithian was the man who did much to bring the National Fraternity through the Depression
solvent and united.
Because of World War II, the house was sold in 1944. Then in 1947, Brother Delladio organized a fund raising
drive to acquire another Chapter House. The goal was reached with enthusiastic alumni. The Vintage proved very
helpful in rekindling interest lost during the War. In 1950, the chapter celebrated its 30th Anniversary with one of the
largest turnouts of the chapter=s history. In 1952, the alumni started having a spring meeting in addition to the regular
fall meeting.
Then in 1953, a committee was appointed to look into the possibility of enlarging the Chapter House. This
committee consisted of J. B. Angle, L. A. Laybourn, Fred Klemp and Hank Karns. It was decided to building an
addition to the house, which is discussed in a later chapter. It was also decided to divide the Alumni Association into
three units: the Alumni Association, the Delta Theta Chapter of Alpha Tau Omega Building Corporation and the Kansas
State Alpha Tau Omega Students= Aid Endowment Fund. The basic Alumni Association was retained to keep alumni
informed of Delta Theta events through the Vintage and its fall meetings are the traditional Alpha Tau reunions. It is
maintained through voluntary dues.