Founded June 9, 1924 Scope National | Type Social Fraternity Symbol Syriac numeral eleven | |
Motto Vir Quisque Vir Est
(Every man a man) Colors Argent Sable
Crimson | ||
Theta Kappa Nu (ΘΚΝ) Fraternity was founded on June 9, 1924 when delegates from eleven local fraternities in nine different states united to form the new fraternity. The meeting took place in Springfield, Missouri. Theta Kappa Nu became the fastest growing fraternity ever, chartering forty chapters with almost 2,500 initiates by the close of 1926.
Most of Theta Kappa Nu’s chapters had been previously established at small, private colleges as local fraternities. The fraternity placed great emphasis on academics, offering graduate scholarships throughout its history, even during dire financial crises.
The Great Depression hit small colleges, and thus Theta Kappa Nu, very hard. Expansion nearly ceased and chapters began closing in the early 1930s. By the end of the decade fraternity leaders realized that a merger with another fraternity was needed to continue.
Throughout its lifetime, leaders of Theta Kappa Nu had established numerous friendships with those of Lambda Chi Alpha, which had preferred chapters at larger institutions. Initial informal talks quickly led to a formal merger committee. In 1939, Lambda Chi Alpha merged with the Theta Kappa Nu Fraternity in what was regarded as the largest fraternity merger. The ceremony was held at the Howard College, now Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, chapter of Theta Kappa Nu, where the documents were signed.
The union of Lambda Chi Alpha and Theta Kappa Nu was the largest ever in fraternity history, resulting in 105 active chapters and over 27,000 initiates. Theta Kappa Nu’s heritage entered that of the united fraternity with additions to the coat of arms, the white tudor rose as the fraternity flower, a new pledge pin design, a new pledge ceremony (a condensed version of Theta Kappa Nu’s ritual), and the Latin open motto Vir Quisque Vir, or “Every man a man.” It also brought talented leadership to Lambda Chi Alpha that helped steer the united fraternity through the very end of the Depression Era and World War II.
Chapters
The following chapter list is taken from VIR QUISQUE VIR EST (1936/37), the pledge manual of Theta Kappa Nu. It is augmented with the chapter designation assigned by Lambda Chi Alpha at the time of the union in 1939. Where chapters of both fraternities had been chartered at a single institution, the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter designation was retained by the merged chapter and the Theta Kappa Nu designation was reserved in honor of the former chapter. Added to the 1937 list is the Mississippi State chapter, chartered at the last Grand Chapter one day before the merger with Lambda Chi Alpha took effect.