Lambda Chapter History

Early History
Leadership, Here and Abroad
Awards
A New Home for HQ
Recent History
Continued Brotherhood

It Began in 1924... 

Early History
The history of the Lambda Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi spans over 85 years and is rich in traditions at the University of Arkansas. Our successes in expansion, national recognition, and service are unequaled in both quantity and quality. It is our greatest aspiration, to carry on the traditions of success and pride that our Lambda brothers began before us, so long ago.
On December 1, 1923, Joel Welborne Blake, a senior engineering major, wrote a letter to Scott P. Squyers, Grand President of Kappa Kappa Psi. The letter asked for information regarding the requirements of founding a chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at the University of Arkansas. On March 3, 1924, the local band club, Alpha Rho Beta, petitioned the national office, which was located in Oklahoma City, OK, at the time. Blake, a piccolo player in the University of Arkansas ROTC band, was the first to sign the petition.
Henry Doughty Tovey, Director of the Department of Music, composer of the Arkansas Alma Mater, and later honorary member of Lambda, wrote in the petition: “It gives me great pleasure to recommend the following young men who are in the University of Arkansas Band. I think there could be no mistake in granting these young men the charter they wish.” The petition also contained a list of the thirteen charter members of Lambda.
Through Blake’s hard work, the eleventh chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi was formed. The Lambda Chapter was installed at the University of Arkansas on June 5, 1924. Because of Joel Welborne Blake’s dedication, he is referred to as the father of the Lambda Chapter. The thirteen Charter members were:

1. Preston Loyce Hathcock
2. Orien Thurl Benbrook
3. Greer Nichols
4. Bruce Winfred Bennet
5. Joel Welborne Blake
6. Owen Cecil Mitchell (Director)
7. Neumon Leighton
8. Thomas Carter Douglass
9. Aubrey V. Baber
10. J. Walton Renner
11. Raymond A. Austin
12. Claude Herbert Sanford
13. Alfred H. Hathcock

At the time, Lambda served the forty‐two‐piece ROTC Band, which was also the University of Band. The band made three trips with the football team each year to Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Muskogee, OK. The band also participated in all the formalities of the Military Arts Department and furnished music for pageants and commencement exercises

Leadership, Here and Abroad
One of Lambda’s many successes is its contribution to leadership on both the district and national levels. In 1927, Addison L. Wall, President of Lambda and assistant band director, served as Grand Vice‐President under Grand President Bohumil Makovsky. At the 1967 National Convention Brother Richard Alan Young became the first Member‐at‐Large of the Grand Council. In 1971, former Lambda sponsor and honorary member Dr. Richard A. “Doc” Worthington climbed the executive ladder to the highest fraternal office, Grand President.

Awards
Lambda’s hard work in serving our band has led to a number of awards which fill us with pride even to this day. Lambda was selected as one of the Top Ten chapters in the nation during the 1965 - 1967 biennium and won the Founders Trophy at the 1967 national convention at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. The Founders Trophy was presented by Kappa Kappa Psi Founding Father William A. Scroggs to the outstanding chapter in the nation.
Lambda was once again in the Top Ten for the 1967‐1969 biennium and celebrated the Golden Anniversary of Kappa Kappa Psi by winning the Founders Trophy again at national convention in Stillwater, OK. Lambda became the only chapter to win it twice in succession. The chapter also won the 50th Anniversary Chapter Participation Award for having the largest number of registered members at the convention.
For the third biennium in a row, 1969‐1971, Lambda was selected as a Top Ten Chapter. At the national convention in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Lambda became the first and only chapter to win the Founders Trophy three bienniums in a row. It was at this time that Brother Eldon Janzen became the Director of Bands and Sponsor of Lambda at the University of Arkansas. Janzen would lead both the bands and Lambda to success over the next twenty‐five years.
Lambda was also honored with another Top Ten in the 1975‐1977 biennium, and made a good showing at national convention at UCLA.
Another award held in high regard is the National Office Leadership in Expansion Award, which the Lambda chapter won in conjunction with the Psi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. This award recognizes Lambda’s contributions to establishing new colonies that have in time grown into strong chapters. It is Lambda’s belief that every college band should have a strong Kappa Kappa Psi chapter. The Lambda Chapter has worked hard in establishing nine chapters to date, including almost all of the other chapters in Arkansas.

A New Home for HQ, a New Honor for an Alum
During the 1991 - 1993 biennium, an alumnus of the Lambda Chapter, Stanley Finck, ascended the ladder of Kappa Kappa Psi to become National President. It was at this time that Stillwater Station was acquired to house the National Headquarters. 1992 marked the election of Brother Michael Smith to Southwest District president, an office he held for two years. During these years, Lambda received the bid to publish the District newsletter, The New Alto. Due to the hard work of its members, Lambda was once again a Top Ten Chapter, being one of the Chapter Leadership Award Finalists for the fifth time in its history. At the 1993 Southwest District Convention in Houston, Lambda won the D.O. Wiley Outstanding Chapter Award, the first chapter from Arkansas to do so. Lambda also received a Superior Achievement Award, the Chapter Distinction Award, and the coveted Spirit Drum.

Recent History
Lambda was once again a Chapter Leadership Award Finalist for the sixth time in its history during the 1995 - 1997 biennium. Brother Robert Putman was elected to the office of Southwest District President in 1996. At the District conventions of 1996 and 1997, Lambda again won the Superior Achievement Award. At the 1997 National Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, Lambda won the J. Lee Burke Chapter Display Award; Brother Robert Putnam received the J. Lee Burke Student Achievement Award.
During the 1997 – 1999 biennium, Lambda for the seventh time was listed among the Chapter Leadership Award Finalists. Lambda and Psi hosted the 1998 Southwest District Convention, at which Lambda won the D.O. Wiley Outstanding Chapter Award and the Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma Southwest District Host Award. Former Lambda sponsor and Director of Bands Emeritus Eldon Janzen received the Distinguished Service to Music Medal.
In the 1999 - 2001 biennium, Lambda brought home the Steve Nelson History Award and the Superior Achievement Award at the 2001 Southwest District Convention in Lubbock, Texas. In conjunction with the Psi Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, Lambda won the Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma Southwest District Convention Best Overall Joint Display. At the 2001 National Convention in Corpus Christi, Lambda and Psi were part of the host chapter team. Together, Lambda and Psi brought home the Kappa Kappa Psi/ Tau Beta Sigma Host Chapter Award and the Fight song competition’s Most Spirited Award.
In the 2001‐2003 biennium, Lambda was once again named one of the Chapter Leadership Award Finalists. In 2002, Lambda received the Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma Southwest District Convention Best Overall Joint Display Award as well as the Kappa Kappa Psi Best Scrapbook Award. Lambda earned the Kappa Kappa Psi Service Certificate, and brought home from the 2003 Southwest District Convention the Spirit Stick, the D.O. Wiley Outstanding Chapter Award and the Steve Nelson History Award. At National in 2003, Lambda was awarded the Kappa Kappa Psi J. Lee Burke Chapter Display Award.

Continued Brotherhood, Leadership, and Excellence
The Brothers of Lambda have many fine accomplishments on the Chapter, District, and National levels of Kappa Kappa Psi. Numerous brothers of Lambda have been District and National Officers. Nine Men of Lambda have earned the Distinguished Service to Music Medal, two have received the Bohumil Makovsky Award, and one has received the J. Lee Burke Student Achievement Award. The brothers of Lambda continue to strive for the highest in service to and participation in the band program and in Kappa Kappa Psi.
The Lambda Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi has a heritage second to none in the nation. The members of Arkansas’ first chapter are very proud of Lambda’s traditions and accomplishments. Yet the primary goal of Lambda has never changed: the goal of service to the band. Of all of Lambda’s awards, praises, and outstanding brothers, none compare to the contributions that have made the Razorback Band Program one of the best in the nation. This is a tradition passed on every year to our new members. Our heritage and past form a strong base for the future of Lambda, a living tradition of striving for the highest.