Tau Kappa Epsilon
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Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE, pronounced T-K-E or "Teke", as in teak wood) is a college fraternity with chapters in the USA and Canada, and was founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. TKE has been the largest social fraternity in the world by number of chapters since 1961. TKE's five Founders were Charles Roy Atkinson, Clarence Arthur Mayer, James Carson McNutt, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, and Owen Ison Truitt.
TKE was originally named the Knights of Classic Lore with the goal of establishing a fraternity where membership is based on personal worth and character rather than rank, wealth, or honor.
As of December 2005, Tau Kappa Epsilon had 274 active collegiate chapters and colonies throughout the United States and Canada making it the largest college fraternity worldwide by number of chapters.
TKE maintains a confederation with the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent (WSC), part of the German Student Corps, a federation of Germany's traditional university corporations, whose roots date back to the 15th century.
Symbols and traditions
The TKE Coat-of-Arms is a shield of a Norman form, upon which has a bend with five equilateral triangles, surmounting a scroll bearing the initial letters of the secret motto in Greek, and surrmounted by a skull, or death's head, three-quarters profile. This assemblage is done on the official colors, cherry and grey, properly mantled. Its connotation, or meaning, is also revealed by the initiation ritual.The Coat-of-Arms may be used only by official members of the Fraternity on stationary, jewelry, and other personal effects. It is used by the Fraternity upon its official stationary, membership certificates, and other documents. Modified slightly several times during the early years of Tau Kappa Epsilon, the present Coat-of-Arms, adopted in 1926, was designed by Dr. Carlton B. Pierce and Ms. Emily Butterfield.
| Prytanis: | President |
|---|---|
| Epiprytanis: | Vice-President |
| Grammateus: | Secretary |
| Crysophylos: | Treasurer |
| Histor: | Historian |
| Hypophetes: | Chaplain |
| Pylortes: | Sgt. at Arms |
| Hegemon: | Educator |
| The red carnation is the flower of the fraternity. From this flower the color for our coat-of-arms, flag, and other symbols. Red carnations are also worn during initiations and at TKE banquets. The Red Carnation Ball is a dance that many chapters celebrate, and is named after the flower. The patron is Apollo, and is one of the most important Olympian divinities. The Grecian god of music, culture, and the ideals toward which all Tekes must constantly be striving. Typifying the finest development of manhood, the selection of Apollo is most appropriate. The official membership badge, made of either white or Roman gold and adorned with three white pearls, is by far the most important item of TKE insignia in general use. Only this badge may be worn by undergraduate members. Jeweled badges, crown set with pearls, diamonds, rubies or emeralds, according to choice, may be worn by alumni members. Frequently the standard membership badge is used as a token of engagement. Miniature badges are also available for mothers, sisters, or for engagement purposes. The TKE 'badge of gold', unique in its design and distinctiveness, has never been changed since its adoption. The meaning and connotations of the badge are revealed to members during initiation. The present design of the TKE flag, as adopted at the 1961 Conclave, features five voided triangles, in cherry red, on a gray bend surmounting a red field. Due to its patterning after the shield of the fraternity Coat-of-Arms, the flag is readily associated with Tau Kappa Epsilon. Individual chapters may also purchase and use pennants and wall banners of various designs. These usually employ the name or Greek letters of the fraternity and chapter, and may incorporate the basic TKE insignia. TKE insignia must be purchased from the Offices of the Grand Chapter. The Horse ShoeIn April of 1921 members of the Fraternity at The Ohio State University made their way to the Conclave in Madison, Wisconsin. At the conclusion of the vote granting their charter as Omicron Chapter, one of the members pulled from his pants pocket a rusty horseshoe which the fraters had picked up along the way. Believing that the horseshoe had granted the chapter good luck, the tradition began to pass the horseshoe down to each chapter. The original horseshoe was lost during WWII at the Alpha-Chi Chapter (it was replaced with a new horseshoe to continue the tradition). In mid-1995, the original horseshoe was discovered by Past Grand Prytanis Rodney Williams among some artifacts belonging to Alpha-Chi Chapter, which had been held for years by a charter member of the chapter. At the 49th Biennial Conclave, the original TKE horseshoe from Omicron Chapter was displayed, and the story behind its loss explained. International officers
Notable alumniGovernment
Business and industry
Education
Athletics
Entertainment
Military and NASA
Philanthropic, literary, and religious
Chapters and coloniesSee List of chapters and colonies of Tau Kappa Epsilon for links and informationExternal links
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