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History:
During the spring semester of 1969, Randy Kohlenburg approached several
members of the band with the idea of a band fraternity and sorority.
The organizations that he had in mind were Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta
Sigma. Literature was gathered about these two organizations but
action was held until the next year.
During the 1969-1970 school year the question arose from time to time,
and interest increased among the students. Late in the spring of
1970, the initial formations of the local fraternity Phi Theta Psi were
made. The fraternity's first formal meeting was held in May of 1970.
At this meeting, officers were elected and committees were set up for the
next year. This was done with Director Roy Norton as the sponsor.
By September of 1970, committees were formed to complete the petition for
national affiliation with Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Theta Psi began its quest
to become a colony of Kappa Kappa Psi.
On November 1, 1970, the University of Texas chapter, Alpha Tau, of Kappa
Kappa Psi came to Texas Lutheran College to discuss a chapter of Kappa
Kappa Psi at Texas Lutheran College. The first pledge season of Phi
Theta Psi was started in 1971. On March 21, 1971, Phi Theta Psi was
installed as the Zeta Gamma Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. Charter Members
were Craig Hunt, President, Robert Fiat, James Goldapp, Ernest Gonzales,
Russel Koehler, Michael Peters, and Juan Carlos Ruiz. Roy Norton
was the sponsor.
Over the next many years of the fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi provided many
services to the band and built strong relationships between the brothers
and its Tau Beta Sigma sisters. Kappa Kappa Psi also provided campus
and community support. In 1972, when floods struck the New Braunfels-Seguin
are, Kappa Kappa Psi volunteered its time for flood relief work.
On the campus the fraternity promoted spirit by marching around campus
with a drum line and put posters around campus to support the school.
During the 1972-1973 school year the fraternity was even presented with
the Outstanding Spirit award. During this same year Zeta Gamma chapter
brought home the District VI Spirit Drum for the chapter with the most
spirit.
By the 1992-1993 school year Kappa Kappa Psi had begun to dwindle on numbers.
Graduations and transfers at the end of the year did even more damage to
our numbers. At the beginning of the 1993-1994 school year, only
one member, Kendall Prinz, of Kappa Kappa Psi, Zeta Gamma was still active.
Under encouragement from band director Douglas Bakenhus, Prinz did not
give up. He submitted chapter and member dues for himself and kept
the spirit of Kappa Kappa Psi alive on the Texas Lutheran College.
During the spring semester, Prinz was aided by a transfer student and a
strong pledge class. This group of people began the rebuilding of
the chapter.
Over the next two years, these members along with new pledges continued
the work of rebuilding. it was during this time that Zeta Gamma acquire
the position of Mid-Texas Symphony stage managers as a fund-raiser.
This fund-raiser made the chapter one of the most funded chapters in the
district and gave the fraternity a much needed source of income to finance
the many projects to be done.
As the school changed its name from Texas Lutheran College to Texas Lutheran
University during the 1996-1997 school year, the chapter flourished.
Zeta Gamma eased its restrictions on women joining the fraternity.
Many goals were set and accomplished and service to the band returned to
the forefront of the fraternity. The chapter continued to grow in
strength and number.
It was also during this school year that our chapter held its first fall
Membership Education Season in many years. Members of the fall Membership
Education Season along with those that joined Kappa Kappa Psi at Texas
Lutheran University that spring nearly doubled the size of the chapter.
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