Theta Kappa Nu () fraternity was an American national collegiate fraternity founded in 1924 by delegates from eleven local fraternities.
[Shepard, Francis W., ed. (1927)]
''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (11th ed.)
Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 220 – via Google Books. It merged with
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly referred to as Lambda Chi, is a fraternities and sororities, collegiate fraternity in North America. With over 300,000 initiates as of 2024, it is the third-largest social fraternity in the world by number of initia ...
in .
History
Winslow S. Anderson, a faculty member of
Rollins College
Rollins College is a Liberal arts college, private liberal arts college in Winter Park, Florida. It was founded in November 1885 and has about 30 undergraduate majors and several master's programs. Florida's fourth oldest post-secondary institut ...
and founder of Tau Lambda local fraternity, had an idea for a new national fraternity to expand to large universities and small colleges in 1921.
[Lybarger, Donald Fisher (1930). ]
Vir Quisque vir est; the pledge manual of Theta kappa nu fraternity
'. Cleveland: Theta Kappa Nu, p. 48 – via Hathi Trust.
In 1924, he found three like-minded men, Otho Robert McAtee of
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...
, Jerry Homer Krenmyre, vice president of
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan University was a private university in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States. It was Iowa's first co-educational institution of higher learning and the oldest of its type west of the Mississippi River. The institution was affiliated ...
, and Donald Fisher Lybarger, an attorney and founder of
Phi Sigma.
These men were members of three different local fraternities.
Theta Kappa Nu
fraternity
A fraternity (; whence, "wikt:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular ...
was founded when delegates from eleven local fraternities from nine different states united to form the new fraternity.
The organizing meeting took place in
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...
on June 9, 1924.
The organizations included:
* Kappa Delta Psi at
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan University was a private university in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States. It was Iowa's first co-educational institution of higher learning and the oldest of its type west of the Mississippi River. The institution was affiliated ...
* Kappa Phi at
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and docto ...
* Phi Alpha Sigma at
Drury College
* Phi Beta Omega at
Baker University
* Phi Kappa Nu at
Howard College
* Phi Sigma at
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1832, the campus is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Gettysburg College has about ...
* Sigma Delta Chi at
Simplson College
* Tau Lambda at
Rollins College
Rollins College is a Liberal arts college, private liberal arts college in Winter Park, Florida. It was founded in November 1885 and has about 30 undergraduate majors and several master's programs. Florida's fourth oldest post-secondary institut ...
, the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
, and
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...
* Tri Kappa at
Hanover College
Hanover College is a private college in Hanover, Indiana, United States, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Founded in 1827 by Reverend John Finley Crowe, it is Indiana's oldest private college. The Hanover athletic teams participat ...
The representatives from the various organizations became the charter members of Theta Kappa Nu.
The charter members were:
Anderson was selected as the fraternity's Grand Archon (chairman), McAttee was the Grand Scribe (secretary), Lybarder was the Grand Treasurer, and Krenmyre was the Grand Oracle.
[Lybarger, Donald Fisher (1930). ]
Vir Quisque vir est; the pledge manual of Theta kappa nu fraternity
'. Cleveland: Theta Kappa Nu, p. 50 – via Hathi Trust. Anderson, Krenmyre, Lybarger, and McAtee drafted its constitution, ritual, and business system.
On October 11, 1924, where the local chapters officially changed their names with an installation ceremony, along with a "badging out ceremony" held where members received their Theta Kappa Nu badge.
[Lybarger, Donald Fisher (1930). ]
Vir Quisque vir est; the pledge manual of Theta kappa nu fraternity
'. Cleveland: Theta Kappa Nu, p. 53 – via Hathi Trust. In the meantime, the first charter was granted to ''Missouri Beta'' at
Westminster College on October 6, 1924.
Theta Kappa Nu had, over its first decade, become the fastest-growing fraternity until that time, chartering forty chapters with almost 2,500 initiates by the close of 1926.
[Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran, editors. (May 2, 2023)]
Theta Kappa Nu
.
Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities
'. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed August 4, 2023. Most of Theta Kappa Nu's chapters were established at small,
private colleges as local fraternities.
The fraternity placed great emphasis on
academics, offering graduate
scholarship
A scholarship is a form of Student financial aid, financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, athleti ...
s throughout its history, even during dire financial crises.
[Shepard, Francis W., ed. (1927). ]
Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities
' (11th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 222 – via Google Books. Its quarterly magazine was ''The Theta News''.
Its headquarters were in
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
.
The
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
significantly impacted the small colleges where most Theta Kappa Nu chapters were located.
Expansion nearly ceased and chapters began closing in the early 1930s.
The Grand Council reduced membership fees in 1933 and 1935 with hopes of maintaining its membership, covering the reduction in income from its "permanent fund".
Over seven years, the fraternity's permanent fund was reduced from $28,500 to $12,200.
By the end of the decade, fraternity leaders realized that a merger with another fraternity was necessary to continue solvency.
Merger with Lambda Chi Alpha
On September 1, 1939, Lambda Chi Alpha merged with the Theta Kappa Nu in what was regarded as the largest fraternity merger to date. Theta Kappa Nu's heritage entered that of the united fraternity with additions to the
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
, the white
tudor rose, the
pledge pin design (now the associate member pin) , a pledge ceremony which is a condensed version of Theta Kappa Nu's ritual, and the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
open motto ''Vir Quisque Vir'', or "Every man a man". It also brought an infusion of leadership to Lambda Chi Alpha that helped steer the united fraternity through the end of the Depression Era and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
Symbols

The fraternity's colors were argent, sable, and crimson.
Its flower was the white Tudor rose.
Its motto was ''Vir Quisque Vir Est'' or "Every man is a man".
Its flag featured three horizontal stripes–white on top, crimson in the center, and black on the bottom–with gold letters on top, diagonally from upper left to bottom right.
The Theta Kappa Nu badge consisted of three equilateral triangles that were joined at their top, underneath a fourth triangle.
The triangles are filled with black enamel and have one of the Greek letters , , or in gold on the outer triangles.
The inner triangle features a Tudor rose and a mystical symbol.
The badge can be jeweled with pearls and diamonds.
The fraternity's pledge pin was a silver circle with four raised black enameled triangles, separated by crossed silver bars.
The fraternity also had a recognition pin for alumni and active members; it was a small coat of arms in either silver or gold.
The coat of arms featured a shield with eleven chevrons in argent and sable, with a red inescutcheon in the center.
[Lybarger, Donald Fisher (1930). ]
Vir Quisque vir est; the pledge manual of Theta kappa nu fraternity
'. Cleveland: Theta Kappa Nu. p. 91 – via Hathi Trust. Above, is a red lion rampant holding a white rose. Benneath the shield, is a scroll with the motto ''Vir Quisque Vir Est.
'' It was designed by
Emily Helen Butterfield.
Chapters
Alumni clubs
Theta Kappa Nu had alumni clubs in Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; DeMoines, Iowa; Indianapolis, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles, California; New York City, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; Richmond, Virginia; St. Louis, Missouri; Shreveport, Louisiana; Springfield, Missouri; and, Washington, D.C.
Notable members
*
Ernest R. Breech (''Missouri Alpha''), business executive with
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
and
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles ...
*
Forrest C. Donnell
Forrest Carl Donnell (August 20, 1884March 3, 1980) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senate, United States senator and the List of governors of Missouri, 40th governor of Missouri.
Early life
Donnell was bor ...
,
Governor of Missouri
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
and
United States Senator
The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress.
Party affiliation
Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...
*
Jimmy Doolittle
James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his raid on Japan during World War II, known as the Doolittle Raid in his honor. He ma ...
(''California Alpha'') United States Air Force general and
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...
recipient
*
Dabbs Greer
Robert William "Dabbs" Greer (April 2, 1917 – April 28, 2007) was an American character actor in film and television for over 60 years. Greer appeared in nearly 100 film roles and in nearly 600 television episodes of various series. He pl ...
, flm character actor
*
Amos W. Jackson, judge on the
Indiana Supreme Court
The Indiana Supreme Court, established by Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution, is the highest judicial authority in the state of Indiana. Located in Indianapolis, the Court's chambers are in the north wing of the Indiana Statehouse.
In Dec ...
*
Abe Mickal
Ibrahim Khalil "Abe" Mickal (June 15, 1913 – September 20, 2001) was a Lebanese-American college football player and a doctor. He played as a Halfback (American football), halfback for the LSU Tigers football team of Louisiana State Universit ...
, football player
*
James Tilghman Lloyd,
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
*
Edwin Markham, poet
*
George S. Sexton, president of Centenary College of Louisiana
*
Joseph Truskowski, college athlete and head baseball coach at
Iowa State and
Wayne State
*
Means Wilkinson, (''Arkansas Alpha''), Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives
* John H. Wood, president of
Culver–Stockton College["Academic Freedom and Tenure." ''Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors (1915–1955)'' 21, no. 8 (1935): 592–595. ]
See also
*
List of social fraternities
Social, collegiate, or general fraternities in the North American fraternity system are those that do not promote a particular profession, as professional fraternities do, or discipline, such as service fraternities. Instead, their primary purp ...
References
External links
ΘΚΝ HistoryUnion of ΘΚΝ and ΛΧΑTheta Kappa Nu's Fifth Grand ChapterLambda Chi Alpha Samford University{{North American Interfraternity Conference
1924 establishments in Missouri
Lambda Chi Alpha
Student societies in the United States
1939 disestablishments in Alabama
Student organizations established in 1924
Defunct former members of the North American Interfraternity Conference
Merged fraternities and sororities