Theta Nu Epsilon Society - History of the Kansas State Chapter

The Theta Nu Epsilon Society.

The Chapters at Kansas State University.

There was more than one chapter at Kansas State University.

The first recorded mentions of a Kansas State chapter are from 1921, but it is suspected that the chapter dates to 1919. It was an illegitimate chapter, but was legitimized by the Milgram national. Having ceased to exist for some time, it was removed from chapter lists in 1925.

The Kansas Beta Chapter at Kansas State University.

This is the history of an illegitimate chapter.

There has been another chapter at Kansas State University, which is apparently a Society of 1870 type chapter, and probably was created in the 1940’s. It may designate itself the Kansas Beta. It probably is an adjunct of the nearby illegitimate chapter at Kansas University, (which would be Kansas Alpha). It has been equally notorious as its larger twin.

On May 19, 1960, the Board of Regents for both Kansas University and Kansas State University authorized the presidents of the respective institutions “to expel any student found to be a member of TNE or any similar organization not recognized and approved by that institution.” On September 23, 1960, Daniel Wesselowski, the President of the Chapter the previous Spring was advised of the action of the Board of Regents, and in November, the administration called each of the fraternity chapter Presidents into the offices and advised them of the action of the Board. There were several press releases during this period covering the actions of the Board of Regents and similar acts by the AAUP, and some other local groups.

Preprinted notecard left for KSU Dean Chester Peters
around 1964;—quality entertainment.

The 1960 actions were to no avail, as by 1963 the T.N.E. chapter was again in operation and engaged in such worthwhile activities as stealing the press run of the Kansas State Collegian, stamping “T.N.E. approved” on each copy, over the article censuring T.N.E., and returning the copies to their previous distribution points. This actually was mildly clever.

Through the mid sixties there is a pile of pamphlets and hand outs by the chapter, solely about booze and sex, usually on a very lame version of the sense of humor of a 60’s Playboy magazine. In fact, in 1965, the chapter sent in for a magazine subscription to Playboy in the name of James A. McCain, the President of Kansas State.—How they must have been pleased with themselves for thinking of that bold and original gesture.

As lame and pathetic the sense of humor of the Kansas State group was, the response of the administration was just as pathetic. In a three page detailed report, (prepared by the Dean’s office), of the snooping of two individuals after the Theta Nu Epsilon chapter. The administration intercepted a note inviting alumni to a homecoming reunion at the ‘Galaxy Club’, (no doubt a stylish night spot in Manhattan. —Manhattan, Kansas, anyway). From the Galaxy Club, there is a long tale of cars following cars across cornfields after cornfields, convoys of cars prowling theough the night, and even a brief interlude when our Dean-investigator blows a stop light in his righteous pursuit of the horrible Theta Nu Epsiloners. The rest of their adventures we need to quote at length :

...We were protected by the darkness and we were across the stream from the TNE group. But we were no more than about 30 feet from the bonfire that existed there. There were 10 initiates in all and they were asked to count off from time to time, so they would find if all 10 initiates were there or got lost in the dark. There was obscenity used and profane language. A tremendous amount of paddling took place. Brutal beating one might say. The young men were stripped to the waist. It appeared they had a sack or cloth around the bottom part of their body and they were beaten and harassed in a beastly fashion. They were called obscene names and a few of the names referred to were ________and ________. Other names also which I am not indicating at this particular moment. These men were observed by [Mr. Harold Kennedy] and myself for a goodly length of time. At about 5:30 in the morning, when the beatings and harassment were still going on, we left. They referred to the new initiates as “neo-brothers” and harrassed them continually. They were pushed into the water which in one spot was about three feet deep and in another area, it was just a crossing which was only 8 to 10 inches deep. I do not know if they were cut up or harassed at this location. We then came on back to town, and got back into town about five after six as the dawn was beginning to break when we left the initiation location.

In the morning at about 9:30 a.m., Harold Kennedy and I went back out to the location. Here we found a half gallon bottle of Old Crow completely empty. They had used Gallo red wine with the brand name of Ripple in their initiation. It appeared they had mixed the Old Crow or J & W, we saw two fifths of J & W and one broken bottle. It appeared they had used this to mix with the red wine for the individual to drink or drink straight. They had purchased $5.20 worth of meat, bread, cheese slices at the Quick Shop on K117 north for the function. The liquor was purchased from Delps in Aggieville. We found the TNE program that was distributed at the game, plus some tennis shoes, plus several broken birch paddles, one red gum paddle, some adhesive tape receptacles, a number of the “Ripple” bottles of red wine were not completely empty. In fact, one was completely full yet. The fire was still going when we were there and also discovered were a pair of tennis shoes and a red tip to some crutches. We are trying to trace this down, but we think ________ was the person involved here with these crutches. Pictures were taken of the place and then we returned to Manhattan.

Old Crow and Ripple... Yum.

This episode doesn’t require a lot of commentary. It is just abuse for abuse’s sake. It is just as squalid and seedy as it reads.

It seems that the best argument against Kansas State T.N.E. Chapter, and its three peers, is simply that it detracts from the reputation of the University and of the interstate reputation of Kansans as an intelligent and capable people. What Kansan would want to participate in something that is derogatory to Kansas?