Theta Kappa Psi Medical Fraternity, Incorporated, () is a North American professional medical fraternity. As of 2023, it operates as an independent local fraternity with one active chapter.
History
Kappa Psi
The Society of
Kappa Psi
Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated, () is the largest professional pharmaceutical fraternity in the world with more than 6,000 student members and more than 87,000 alumni members. It was founded in 1879 at Russell Military Academ ...
was founded on May 30, 1879, at the
Russell Military Academy, a prep school in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
. The founder was F. Harvey Smith. The second chapter was established at the
Cheshire Military Academy in
Cheshire, Connecticut
Cheshire ( ), formerly known as New Cheshire Parish, is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Cheshire was 28,733. The center of population of Connecticut is located in Cheshir ...
on November 30, 1879. A third chapter was established at
Hillhouse High School
James Hillhouse High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in New Haven, Connecticut. It serves grades 9–12.
James Hillhouse High School is the oldest public high school in New Haven, and is part of the New Haven Public Scho ...
in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134 ...
on October 7, 1894. All three prep school chapters had dissolved by the mid-1890s.
The Society Kappa Psi was reorganized into
Kappa Psi
Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated, () is the largest professional pharmaceutical fraternity in the world with more than 6,000 student members and more than 87,000 alumni members. It was founded in 1879 at Russell Military Academ ...
Fraternity on November 18, 1898, at the School of Medicine at the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
by former members of the Society of Kappa Psi. Leaders of this reorganization effort, now with a collegiate focus, were:
Kappa Psi started as a medical and pharmaceutical fraternity with chapters chartered in both medical and pharmacy schools and colleges.
[Bailey, Harold J., Ed. ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities''. Fifteenth Edition (1949). pp 561-562] The fraternity absorbed the
Delta Omicron Alpha
Delta Omicron Alpha ( ) was an American medical fraternity that operated from 1907 to 1917. This national professional fraternity was established at Tulane University and merged with Kappa Psi in 1917.
History
Delta Omicron Alpha was establis ...
medical fraternity on November 17, 1917.
On January 26, 1918, the fraternity absorbed the small national
Phi Delta Medical Fraternity, adding eleven active chapters.
Theta Kappa Psi
At the 1924 Grand Council convention of Kappa Psi, the decision was made to separate the fraternity into two separate entities: one fraternity for medicine and one fraternity for pharmacy. The split was effective on January 15, 1925. The pharmacy fraternity retained the Greek name Kappa Psi, and the medical fraternity became Theta Kappa Psi.
The fraternities both used May 30, 1879, as their date of founding.
The new fraternity assumed the name of Theta Kappa Psi Medical Fraternity, believing that the addition of the Greek letter Theta greatly enhanced its ritualistic significance. It adopted a constitution, ritual, coat of arms, insignia, badge, and pledge button. Its new constitution gave the national president the title of Grand Prytan, the national vice-president the title of Grand Vice-Prytan, and the Grand Secretary and Treasurer the titles of Grand Recorder and Bursar. The fraternity's quarterly journal was ''The Messenger''.
Theta Kappa Psi Medical Fraternity began with 32 chapters. Four of these 32 chapters included both medical and pharmacy students. Nine of its 32 chapters were inactive. Within a short time, the revised ritual and constitution, along with the necessary forms, records, and updated charters were issued to the chapters.
Initially, the fraternity found progress very difficult since there were at least five strong national medical fraternities as competition. Also, many of the strong leaders of Kappa Psi were associated with pharmacy schools and had remained with the original fraternity.
The first officers of Theta Kappa Psi Medical Fraternity were:
*
Ralph C. Williams, Grand Prytan
* Jabex H. Elliott, Grand Vice-Prytan
* A. Richard Bliss, Jr., Grand Recorder and Bursar
* Victor J. Anderson, Grand Registrar, and Editor
* Thomas Benton Sellers, Grand Counselor
Incorporation papers were filed for Theta Kappa Psi by Dr. M.I. Samuels, ''Delta chapter'', Wilmington, Delaware; Dr. C. J. Harbordt, ''Epsilon chapter'', Dover, Delaware; and W.O. Klienstuber, ''Beta Eta chapter'', Wilmington, Delaware, on May 6, 1926. The incorporation was completed on May 7, 1926.
Following the reorganization, the ''Delta chapter'' struggled. The chapter depended upon transfers from other schools instead of working for themselves. The chapter also lacked leadership. It was necessary to withdraw the charter in 1930. ''Delta'' had furnished more Grand Officers than any other chapter and had always been the leader among chapters.
The zenith of Theta Kappa Psi Medical Fraternity was in 1933. The national officers were Grand Prytan R.C. Williams; Grand Vice-Prytan J.H. Elliott; and Grand Recorder and Bursar A.G. Engelbach. With their leadership, the fraternity was weathering the
Great Depression and had 35 collegiate and 25 graduate chapters. The year ended with an international convention in
Atlantic City, New Jersey on December 27 through December 29, 1933.
Between 1935 and 1940, Theta Kappa Psi lost eleven chapters. By 1940, the fraternity had dropped to sixth place among national medical fraternities in the number of undergraduate chapters. The problems confronting Theta Kappa Psi were not unique, for two other national medical fraternities, Phi Alpha Sigma, and Alpha Mu Pi Omega also disappeared during the period. When
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
ended in 1945, Theta Kappa Psi comprised only twelve collegiate chapters.
In 1955, R.C. Williams chartered ''Mu Upsilon chapter'' in Miami, the first new collegiate chapter granted since 1944. ''Beta Epsilon chapter'' at
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
was reactivated. The apparent rebirth of Theta Kappa Psi, however, was short-lived. By the fall of 1959, Theta Kappa Psi's chapter roll had dropped to six. Several frustrated national officers began negotiations with representatives of
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
Medical Fraternity for a merger.
Merger with Phi Beta Pi
The last national convention of Theta Kappa Psi convened on March 11, 1961, at the
McAllister Hotel
The McAllister Hotel was a ten-story high-rise hotel in Downtown Miami, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alab ...
in Miami, Florida. During the meeting, a motion was made to merge with
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
Medical Fraternity and the motion passed. Theta Kappa Psi Fraternity, as a distinct national entity, passed into history.
Theta Kappa Psi was officially invited to merge with
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
upon the condition that Theta Kappa Psi would surrender its name, rolls, and treasury to the national
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Chapters would be allowed to add the prefix Theta to their chapter designation. These conditions were accepted. Both fraternities were allowed to maintain certain of their original identification features.
The two Texas chapters of Theta Kappa Psi—''Beta Phi chapter'' in Galveston and ''Psi chapter'' in Dallas—did not accept the merger.
The thought of sacrificing the fraternity's name, history, and tradition was considered untenable to them. In the wake of this disgruntlement, the two Texas chapters and the ''Gamma Tau chapter'' at the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.[Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...](_blank)
concerning the use of the name, caused no meetings
n support of the possible schismto be held after 1962.
The surviving chapters of Theta Kappa Psi followed diverse courses. ''Beta Epsilon chapter'' at Ohio State University continued as an independent local fraternity until 1964 when poor finances caused it to fold. ''Psi chapter'' at the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern or UTSW) is a public academic health science center in Dallas, Texas. With approximately 18,800 employees, more than 2,900 full-time faculty, and nearly 4 million outpatient vi ...
pledged members until 1968 as a local independent fraternity. ''Gamma Tau chapter'' at the University of Manitoba continued as an independent local fraternity until it became inactive in 1968. ''Beta Eta chapter'' at
Jefferson Medical College
Thomas Jefferson University is a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. To signify its heritage, the unive ...
in Philadelphia was an active chapter in
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
until 1966. At that time, the chapter lost all formal structure when it allowed non-members to live in its fraternity house.
In the 1960s, the ''Beta Phi chapter'' at the
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is a public academic health science center in Galveston, Texas. It is part of the University of Texas System. UTMB includes the oldest medical school in Texas, and has about 11,000 employees. In Febr ...
emerged as the largest medical fraternity chapter in the nation with 130 members; it was operating as a local independent fraternity. The ritual, revised from the previous national initiation ceremony, was strictly followed. ''Gamma Kappa chapter'' at the
Medical College of Georgia
The Medical College of Georgia (often referred to as MCG) is the flagship medical school of the University System of Georgia, the state's only public medical school, and one of the top 10 largest medical schools in the United States. Established ...
affiliated with
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
after the merger. In the 1960s, this chapter was extremely successful and built a new fraternity house in 1966. Although listed as a chapter of
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
, the group considered itself a member of Theta Kappa Psi.
In the spring of 1992, the merger of
Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi () medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College.
History
Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical ...
and Theta Kappa Psi was dissolved. At the time of closing, there were nine active chapters in existence. Of the 59 chapters installed by Theta Kappa Psi, the ''Gamma Kappa chapter'' at the Medical College of Georgia was the last to remain active.
Symbols
Theta Kappa Psi adopted a new coat of arms, insignia, badge, and pledge button. The badge and coat of arms were designed by Richard Bliss. The badge is a black enamel shield with a raised gold caduceceus at its center.
Above the caduceceus are the Greek leltters .
At each of the three corners of the shield, there is a small emerald; the border of the badge may be jeweled.
The insignia and pledge button were designed by R.C. Williams.
The fraternity's colors are gold and green.
Its flower is the red rose.
Chapters
The fraternity had both collegiate and graduate chapters.
Following is a list of Theta Kappa Psi collegiate chapters.
Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in ''italic''.
See also
*
Professional fraternities and sororities
Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of profess ...
*
List of Kappa Psi chapters
Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity, Incorporated is a Professional fraternity, professional pharmaceutical Fraternities and Sororities, fraternity.
Academic chapters
Following is a list of the original collegiate chapters of the Society Kappa P ...
Notes
References
{{Professional Fraternities
Defunct fraternities and sororities
Phi Beta Pi
Student organizations established in 1879
Former members of Professional Fraternity Association
1879 establishments in Connecticut
Professional medical fraternities and sororities in the United States