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Tau Kappa Epsilon

Tau Kappa Epsilon
TKE
The official coat of arms of Tau Kappa Epsilon
Founded January 10, 1899; 118 years ago (1899-01-10)
Illinois Wesleyan University
Type Secret/Social
Scope International
Motto "Better men for a better world"
Colors Cherry Red and Pearl Grey
Symbol Equilateral Triangle
Flower Red Carnation
Patron Greek divinity Apollo
Publication The Teke
Philanthropy St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Alzheimer's Association
Chapters 243 active
Members 11,877 collegiate
268,000 total lifetime
Headquarters 7439 Woodland Drive
Indianapolis, Indiana
USA
Homepage http://www.tke.org/

Tau Kappa Epsilon (ΤΚΕ or Teke, pronounced T-K-E or Tēk) is an international all-male secret and social college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters in the United States, Canada, and an affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC). As of Fall 2016 there were 243 active TKE chapters and colonies throughout the United States and Canada. In 1928, TKE became one of the first fraternities to abolish "hell week", instead replacing it with a secret initiation period.

On January 10, 1899, Charles Roy Atkinson, Clarence Arthur Mayer, James Carson McNutt, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, and Owen Ison Truitt met at 504 East Locust Street in Bloomington, Illinois to draw up the first constitution for a new fraternity at Illinois Wesleyan University. The purpose of the new organization was to be an "aid to college men in mental, moral and social development." The founders sought to be a different organization than the other fraternities at the time by establishing a fraternity where membership would be based on personal worth and character rather than wealth, rank, or honor. Mental development would be emphasized by the study of classic literature at weekly meetings, and thus the new fraternity became known as the Knights of Classic Lore. The first public announcement of the Knights of Classic Lore appeared in the February 1, 1899 issue of the Argus, which is the student publication of Illinois Wesleyan University.

During formation of the Knights of Classic Lore were trying to get the Illinois Epsilon chapter of Phi Delta Theta restored. Prominent PhiDelt alumnus Richard Henry Little became a persistent sponsor for the Knights to petition Phi Delta Theta for charter. The Knights first petitioned Phi Delta Theta at its 1902 convention in New York, but efforts were unsuccessful. After renting rooms at several locations beginning in the spring of 1899, the Knights of Classic Lore finally acquired its first fraternity house, known as The Wilder Mansion, in September 1902. Simultaneously with the acquisition of the new house, the Knights also adopted the name Tau Kappa Epsilon. The change in name was expected to create a better impression in future petitions to Phi Delta Theta. The second petition was presented at the Indianapolis convention of 1904, but it was withdrawn in an effort to gain unanimous support of all chapters in Phi Delta Theta's Zeta Province, which included Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. If this support was achieved, then charter would be granted to the group without any action from the convention. The Knights of Classic Lore gained the support of all Phi Delta Theta groups in the province, except for Wisconsin Alpha, Illinois Beta, and Missouri Alpha. The Knights in turn unsuccessfully presented the petition at the 1906 convention in Washington, D.C.. During the continuing struggle for acceptance from Phi Delta Theta, TKE continued to grow stronger in its own existence.


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