THE HISTORY OF KAPPA CHI
(1927 – 1956)

by

Leslie H. McKown

and

Edgar M. McKown

edited by

Richard A. M. Schilhavy (2004)

Chatper I

THE DOUBLE ALPHA CLUB

It began as a fellowship. A professor and his students found they got something from meeting, talking, praying, and planning together. Soon they felt the need of defining their purposes in setting up some ways of achieving them.

Thus it was that at a meeting in the home of Professor Howard F. Legg in Evansville, Indiana on December 2, 1927, they discussed the possibility of an organization. They appointed a committee composed of Herbert Wilson, Harvey Kieser and Roy Shrote to bring together suggestions for consideration at a later meeting.

The plan presented by the committee at a later meeting expresses succinctly the ideals which motivated them.

I. The name of the organization shall be the Clerical Club (the writing of the minutes indicates that the name was written in later).
II. Anyone to be eligible must be a student preacher having definite intention of entering the preaching ministry.
III. The object of this organization includes:

A. Genuinely Christian professional fellowship which is to include mutual and practical helpfullness and spiritual inter-stimulation.
B. Increasingly effective participation in Christian ministry.
C. Brotherly interest in young men considering the ministry as their life work.

IV. The means by which these objectives are to be achieved are:
A. Bi-weekly meetings wish:
i. Group devotions.
ii. Presentation of papers by members:
iii. Discussion upon topics of interest to ministers in particular.
iv. Informal exchange of experiences.
V. The officers of the organization shall be:
i. President
ii. Vice-President
iii. Secretary-Treasurer

These officers are to hold office for one year from the time of their election taking office after the election for the remainder of the meeting at which they are elected.

The committee presented other suggestions but these were the ones adopted by those who thereupon became the charter members of the Clerical Club.
The minutes are preserved as they were taken down in the meeting and the addition of words and the scratched out words give an insight into how the group worked.

They immediately elected the following officers: President W. F. Walters, Vice-President Herbert Wilson, and Secretary-Treasurer L. H. Terrell.

The charter members were: Lawrence Baker, A. L. Boren, E. A. Boston, Donald Boyd, Arthur Daes, Cassell Kaufman, Charles Kramer, Marshall Miller, Wayne Paulen, L. H. Terrell, W. F. Walters, and Herbert Wilson.

The first program committee included Amos Boren, Marshall Miller, and Roy Shrote whose name significantly does not appear amoung the charter members.

The minutes of the following meetings indicate that for years the group followed the plan for meetings outlined in the original statement. The minutes referred to the organization as the Preacher's Club for years, in spite of the adoption a litter later of a Greek letter name.

The name chosen in the January 3, 1928 meeting from a list of 5 suggested by the committee was Adelphoi Agapetoi taken from Philemon 16. The group thereupon became known as the Alpha Alpha Society. In the meetings from December 11, 1928 and after, it was being referred to as the Double Alpha Club. A part of the oral tradition is to the effect that Dean Charles E. Torbet announced in the Chapel a meeting of the Alfalfa Club. The meeting only reference to the incident in the minutes is an undated item: “Motion made to have Alpha Alpha pronounced correctly by the Dean.”

The boys set about to have the purposes of the Society carried out. An award of $10.00 by Harvey Kieser, the only senior, was made to the most useful member of the Preacher's Club. The qualifications for the most useful member were enumerated as follows:

1. Faithful discharge of duties in the Club:

1. Attendance at meetings.
2. Part in the program.
3. Faithful discharge of duties on committees.

2. Brotherliness in relation to other members.

3. Achievement in scholarship.

1. Considering the number of points made.
4. Loyal participation in student life:
1. Games.
2. Parties.
3. Orations and debates.
4. General mixing with the student body.
5. Loyal service of the church.
1. May be as a student paster, teacher Epworth League officer, or as as active worker in some church.

Not all was serious striving. There are evidences of good times in the early minutes and there are some instances of humor which was unintentional.

In the minutes of February 11, 1930 we read, “A suggestion was made that the scholarly standing of the members be presented to the club that the member can help each other. This suggestion was lost because of the lack of a motion.”

At the meeting on May 14, 1930, “Dr. Harper (Earl E. Harper, President of the College) raised some questions and discussed them about some things a preacher should and should not do. One of them was he should not each too much.” Immediately following in the minutes of the next meeting, “The Annual Double Alpha Banquet was held in the restroom of the College. Food was served by members of the Home Economics Club.” Students in a later generation require the explanation that the restroom was later called the women's lounge. This changes in nomenclature play tricks on us.

Some of the extra-curricular activities of the Club are indicated by the minutes of those early meetings. On March 12, 1929 Mr. Doren suggested that the Club plant a tree on the campus. Professor Legg suggested that the members of the Club clean out the brush along the old fence row between the Administration Building and the President's manse. This suggestion was accepted and the date set for March 29 A.M.

In the course of time certain customs and observances grew up. Although we do not know when it began, very early the initiation took the form of having the new member tell his life story, particularly as it related to his religious experience and his call to the ministry. This was kept up throughout the history of the Double Alpha Club. Early in its history the society began to hold Lenten Services. Later on this was discontinued in favor of holding Holy Week Services. Sometimes ministers in the city participated in there services but more often members of the Club led in worship and preached. Two or three would participate in each of these services. It was customary to have the seniors preach the sermons.

More than anything else the topics for the program give an indication of the purposes of the Club. Professor Legg participated using such subjects as, “The Preacher and His Own Personal Religion”, “How Does the Study of the Historical Jesus Affect my Personal Experience of the Presence of the Living Christ”, and “The Minister as a Theologian.”

Topics which were presented by members of the group follow:

Shall we Reprimand Others for What Loods to us to be Wrong?
Bumming From Yellowstone.
Retaining a Vital Spiritual Life in College.
Christian Attitude Toward Studies.
Christian Attitude Toward Campus Life.
The Church a Community Center.
What Makes a Christian College?

Students and faculty members often presented book reviews of what were then current books. It was not surprising to find that Theological Professors were on the program as there has been a long standing custom of having Theological Professors visit the campus to interview ministerial students as prospective students of the Seminary. Among those listed were Professor Harold Ehrensperger, then of Garrett Biblical Institute, Dr. Edgar S. Brightman of Boston University, and Dr. Gilbert of Drew University. Occasionally Bishop William F. Anderson spoke to the group. He was resident bishop of the area at the tome and President of the Board of Trustees of the College.

Other customs were followed. Letters were sent annually to alumni who went into the ministry. There was an annual Commencement Day banquet with alumni members present.

A Pin Committee was appointed in April 1933 and the pin which was designed was used until Double Alpha was superseded on the Evansville College campus by Kappa Chi in 1941.

The wives of the ministerial students formed an organization which they called Alpha Sigma.

 

CHAPTER II

THE FOUNDATION OF THE DOUBLE ALPHA-KAPPA CHI IDEA

It has been aid that an institution is the length of a shadow of a man. In the case of Double Alpha and its successor Kappa Chi this man was Howard F. Legg. It was he who sensed the needs and devised the means by which these needs could be met.

For 18 years Professor Legg has served as pastor of 5 different churches in New England. He became Professor of Bible and Philosophy at Evansville college in 1925. and later Dean of Men. He also was much interested in the students preparing for the ministry. Because of that interest he found himself a part of the fellowship which became the Double Alpha Club.

Professor Legg knew the fate of most human endeavors. What begins as a movement for spiritual purposes is likely to end as an organization for social purposes. That the purposes of the fellowship of the pre-theological students who met in his home in December 1927 might continue to be achieved he devised techniques guided by a few definite principles. The principles were stated by him on several occasions and the following statements are an attempt to express them in his own words.

1. Exclusive Uniqueness . The exclusive uniqueness of the Organization is inherent in its purpose of fellowship in preparing for life work in the full-time Christian ministry. That determines its membership. There is no electing of members—except by Christ. There is no choosing of members—except by Christ and the would be member. There is no black-balling. There is just on condition of membership—Christ-motivated dedication to a full-time Christian ministry as a life work. That makes the organization both exclusive and unique. There is no organization on the campus anything like it.


2. Singleness of Purpose. This determines and limits the activities of the fellowship. Its purpose is not to provide social life for its members (though incidentally its members have lots of fun together); they find their social life mainly elsewhere. It is not to provide athletic activity; that is found elsewhere. Kappa Chi members as individuals should enter into the social and athletic life of the campus and even into the politcal life. But Kappa Chi as an organization should not promote purely social affairs of purely athletic activities and should never get involved in campus politics. Its purpose also (and this may seem strange) is not primarily to provide religious fellowship for all the students on the campus. Though it will help other organizations to do so, in way that help train its members in Christian service.


3. No Reclusiveness. There must be no Holier-Than-Thou attitude toward other organizations, individuals, or activities on the campus; no monastic retreating; no pious withdrawal from other worthwhile campus life. On the contrary the Fellowship should stimulate its members as individuals to increased all-round participation in all worthy campus activities. Of course, this all-round participation in college affairs should not go to the limit of participating in the acceptance of low moral standards of life.

If the Fellowship is to be true to these three fundamental principles its character and purpose without departure or compromise, it will be necessary to work out techniques to implement them. Three such techniques are discussed below.

1. No Competition. no striving among the members to defeat one another. No striving by the organization to defeat any other organization. No competing with any other group or program for time or attention.

2. No Distractions. Every interfering distraction should be avoided as much as possible. The program and activities of the organization should be such that other legitimate student interest activities will not make it too difficult for the members to attend meetings and actively support the organization. This requires that the time of the meetings should be scheduled well in advance and be regular so that members can avoid conflicting appointments. The hour of meeting should not be set at the same time as that of any other group or program on the campus or in the community. This practically necessitates a meeting time between 5:30 and 7:30, either in the afternoon or in the morning. In this particular case it is well to take a cue from the luncheon clubs and make every regular meeting a supper meeting. The place of meeting also should be conducive to undivided attention to the purpose and program—a place roomy, comfortable, and quiet. This is the individual member's concern after the Fellowship has avoided all competition with other legitimate interests which might compete for his time and attention. Each member should resolve that he will allow no distraction to interfere with his loyal and faithful attendance and participation. He should put Kappa Chi at the very top of his extra-curricular interests. He should do this religiously, not alone for his own sake, but also for the sake of his brothers in Kappa Chi and for Christ's sake.

3. No Barriers. The Fellowship should not make anything in its membership or attendance or activities too difficult for any student minister to join, attend regularly, and participate loyally. This involves first of all the finances of the organization. Dues should be kept at an absolute minimum and possibly flexibly adjusted to the means of the members. Organizational expenses should be avoided at every point. Another consideration which is important under this head is that of initiation. It should be simple, sincere, meaningful, and dignified. It should resemble a church ministerial ordination service more than a fraternity initiation.

CHAPTER III

THE ORGANIZATION OF KAPPA CHI

In the Spring of 1936 Evansville College's President Earl E. Harper was elected President of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. President Harper had been closely related to Double Alpha at Evansville College and he was friendly to the idea of a similar organization among the pre-theological students at his new post of duty.

He took Professor Howard F. Legg to Simpson with him and Professor Legg began his duties in September 1936. It was to be expected that the presence of these two men on the campus of Simpson College would foster the same type of fellowship among the pre-ministerial students at Simpson as had previously been fostered at Evansville College. The students at Simpson College elected Ira B. Allen its first President and named its organization Kappa Chi. These greek letters are the initial letters of the Greek Words Kerukes Christou meaning Preachers of Christ.

Mr. Allen reorganized the purposes of the Evansville Doule Alpha Club and culminated his efforts by giving to the newly formed organization a constitution. He wrote that he had injured his arm and couldn't play football that Fall and therefore was able to give a good deal of time to the beginning of this new organization.

The idea spread to other colleges. In 1938 a chapter was formed at Morningside College, Sioux City Iowa. In 1941 a chapter was formed at Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota and another at Nebraska Wesleyan, Lincoln, Nebraska. In the same year the Double Alpha Club at Evansville College held its last meeting in May and organized as a chapter of Kappa Chi. Chapters were organized as follows: as Duke University, Durham North Carolina in 1943, at McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois in 1944, in Evanston Collegiate Institute (since Kendall College) in Evanston, Illinois in 1948. Also chapters were formed at Macalester College, St. Paul Minnesota in 1948, and at North Central College, Naperville, Illinois in the same year.

Chapters were organized in later years at Central College, Fayette, Missouri and at High Point College, High Point, North Carolina in 1951. 1954 saw the organization of a chapter at Kentucky Wesleyan College, Owensboro, Kentucky and Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, Ohio. A number of colleges reorganized their pre-theological groups into chapters of Kappa Chi in 1955, namely, Brevard Junior College, Brevard, North Carolina, Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, North Carolina and Centenary College, Shreveport, Louisiana. In the meantime pre-ministerial students at Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas and at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri joined the organization.

CHAPTER IV

THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

The Kappa Chi Chapter at Morningside College was very active in the Organization of a National Fraternity. The leaders in this Chapter convened a Constitutional Convention at which the National Organization was set up. The meeting was held at Morningside College in 1946.

It is significant that in the beginning Professor Howard Legg who was so active in the organization of the Chapters at Evansville and at Simpson College was reluctant to enter into the formation of a National Organization. His reason for doing so merits attention. He wrote:

“Neither Dr. Harper nor I ever undertook to promote a National Organization. The original promoters I believe were some student members at Morningside with the cooperation of student members at Nebraska Wesleyan and other local Kappa Chi Clubs which had sprung up spontaneously after the pattern of the Kappa Chi Club. During the years that Kappa Chi Clubs were multiplying, I personally was always glad to encourage the organization of a new local club, but when the movement toward a national organization began I was very fearful that that would destroy the very genius of the original Double Alpha and Kappa Chi idea and degenerate into nothing more than a national fraternity which all of the vicious elements inherent in such an organization. For that reason I persistently refrained from encouraging the formation of a national organization until I was invited with Dr. Harper to attend the convention at Morningside which had been called to launch the national organization with a new constitution. I attended and participated with the definite purpose of attempting to preserve and if possible embody the very spirit and genius of the original Double Alpha and Kappa Chi Clubs.” Dr. Legg further said, “Student leaders at Morningside and Nebraska had more faith than I in the possibility of creating a really worthwhile National Kappa Chi... The Convention wrote constitution in keeping with the spirit and purpose of the original Double Alpha and Kappa Chi groups.”

There is some question about the time of the meeting of the National Constitutional Convention at Morningside College. Professor Legg says it was in April 1946. Don LaSuer of Morningside College writing in January 14, 1946 says, “A few years ago a national interdenominational ministerial fellowship was organized with the purpose of recruiting college students for full-time Christian service and assisting them in every possible way toward the realization of their objectives.” Mr. LaSuer wrote these words in a letter related to announcing a national convention a, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, held February 28 to March 3, 1946. Don F. LaSuer was the acting president. It has not been possible for us to get any further details as to that convention.

The next convention was held at Evansville College on May 6 to 8, 1948. The President of National Kappa Chi at that time was David L. Swain. The features of that convention were addresses by the Reverend Amos L. Boren, at that time Pastor of Roberts Park Methodist Church, Indianapolis, Indiana and the Reverend Robert N. DuBose, Executive Secretary of the Commission on Christian Education of the Association of American Colleges. Two members of the Evansville College staff were pressed into service and addresses were given by President Lincoln Hale and Dean Edgar McKown. The purpose of this convention was obviously to get together for inspiration and to learn by discussion how the work of Kappa Chi was being carried on among the various chapters.

For some reason there was no national convention in 1950, but in 1951 a convention was called and a program arranged by Edwin McClure of Evansville College. This convention met May 4 and 5. The program was featured by addresses by the Reverend Nevin Danner who spoke on “Preaching Today” and “Preaching Tomorrow.”Mr. Danner was the Executive Secretary of the Evansville Council of Churches. Dr. Merle P. Culver, the Sponsor of the local Chapter at Evansville spoke on “Ambassadors for Christ.” A panel of students with the Reverend Philip W. Palmer, the Pastor of the First Community Church of Evansville discussed the subject, “Preparing to be Good ministers of Jesus Christ.” Dr. James E. Morlock, Dean of Men of Evansville College and Head of the Department of Sociology, gave an address on “Christianity and Personality.” Again, the obvious purpose was for inspiration and fellowship.

In 1952 the National Convention got back on the regular schedule of the even numbered years. It was held at Central College in Fayette, Missouri on May 17. The first constitution for the national group appears in our records at that time. To the purposes which were set out by Morningside College in 1941 were added two others. (1) To encourage and recruit Christian young people to enter full-time Christian service and (2) to unite into an national interdenominational Christian service fellowship undergraduate college students who feel called of Gd into full-time Christian work. Those assembled in the convention seemed to sense the need which was created by the fact that the chapters were widespread. Provision was for chapters which were near each other to get together perhaps in the alternate years for a convention. There was a provision that the faculty adviser be from the Chapter of the Secretary-Treasurer. Meredith Eller of Fayette College was elected National Kappa Chi Faculty Sponsor.

In 1954 the National Convention was held April 23 and 24 at Evansville College. The National President at that time was James Walters, a student of Evansville College. The program featured two addresses by Professor Howard F. Legg. These inspiring talks gave a reorientation into the ideals of Kappa Chi as they were realized in the early day of the Double Alpha Club and of the Kappa Chi society at Simpson College. Two addresses were also given by Chaplain Carl Scherzer of the Deaconess Hospital of Evansville. He spoke on “Crisis Situations and Stresses in Illness” and “Pastoral Car and Spiritual Stress.” A on act play, “Bread” by Fred Eastman, was presented. At this time, the delegates assembled felt that there should be some provision for more permanence in the organization and an amendment to the constitution provided that the National Faculty Sponsor be elected for a term of six years. E. M. McKown, Dean of Evansville College, was elected National Sponsor. Professor Howard F. Legg, who had been retired for some years, was elected Honorary National Faculty Sponsor.

In 1956 on April 13 and 14, National Kappa Chi met again in a convention at McKendree College, Levanon, Illinois. The President was Galen Hill of High Point College in North Carolina. The program committee had engaged the services of G. O. McCulloh who was Executive Secretary of the Department of Ministerial Education of The Methodist Church. However, it was impossible for him to appear and a shift was made in the program. E. M. McKown spoke on “The Purpose of Kappa Chi.” D. S. R. Smalley, Professor of Religion of McKendree College, spoke on “Winning Others to Christ.” At that time the convention adopted national projects. It was felt that a closer fellowship might grow up if the national organization had some projects which were carried out through the local chapters. It was decided that contributions would be given by the various local chapters to care for a leper child. Sixty dollars was suggested as a minimum and it was felt that if thirty dollars more could be raised an additional child might receive help. It was suggested also that a special project by the local chapters be carried out as follows: That each chapter might adopt some type of service to an institution of community, or an individual, or a group and make reports to the National Chairman of Special Projects.