***
Anonymous and Incomplete Chapter History
of 1963-64.
This exists in one handwritten version in
the "Chapter Histories" file, on lined paper in one stapled enclosure. After
the history proper there are a series of pages of a different paper with
headings referring to committees and other topics; the author seems to have
intended to write about them but never to have completed his work, which ends
in mid-sentence. [--Patrick Feaster]
Richard Kraemer was elected Kappa Sigma's
President at the annual elections in the spring of 1963. These elections
were held in the chapter "temporary" meeting quarters in the Brandt Hall
cafeteria. This election placed Kraemer into a situation in which he soon
found himself trying to lead a faltering group of Sinfonians on a number of
new and uncharted ventures, the most notable being the new idea of a Sinfonia
House. This project was to present Kappa Sigma with many numerous new
problems (which shall be discussed later at a later point in this
history); however, most of thse problems were all confronted with a
degree of efficacy that had hardly been known to the chapter prior to 1963.
The Kraemer administration was immediately
faced with a certain lack of experience. This lack of experience became the
most evident when the 1963-64 academic year began, and the work of organizing
the Sinfonia House at 605 Lincolnway became an obvious reality. The idea of
a permanent location at which virtually all of Kappa Sigma's affairs would be
held was a new idea, an idea which was not to be fully effected at once among
all of the active membership.
Mr. Kraemer also faced the prospect of dealing
with personalities and unsolved problems from the previous year. To be sure,
these were not to be of a small significance.
The shift from the leadership of Roger Maier
to Richard Kraemer also presented its problems. A definite contrast could be
seen between the manner in which Mr. Kraemer sought to lead the group, and
that which Mr. Maier had implemented. Mr. Kraemer had an increased interest
in the successful initiation and operation of the Sinfonia House, whereas the
previous administration seemed to view the entire idea with some reservation.
In all of this, Mr. Kraemer therefore was presented with the task of having
to unify and reorganize the entire Chapter around the new idea of a House.
However, insurmountable these various
problems tasks seemed to be for the Kraemer administration and for
Kappa Sigma in those fall days of 1963, it seems that the Chapter obviously
grew in stature as the time elapsed. This growth was to be seen both
from within, and also without. Externally there was a new approach
to the Chapters relationship with Valpo's student body and with the
university administration.
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
The area of committee activity was one which
held much potential for the Chapter in 1963-64. This potential was in the
fact that with any amount of perception and leadership, the Committee
Structure could provide a vital role in the operation of the Chapter.
Previously, committees had not attained any measure of autonomy, but rather
became virtually a rubber-stamp for the Executive Board.
To be sure, Mr. Kraemer visualized this area
as one of his most important chapter assets, and spent many hours in
attempting to prepare himself for the 1963-64 year by carefully placing (in
some cases with all due reserve) various persons in committee
positions which were most ideally suited for them. The entire idea was to
make the committee structure as a whole as effective and yet as flexible as
possible with the given manpower and abilities available.
OnceAgain, James Goff was appointed
chorus director chorus director (Ensemb to the Music Committee in the
position of Ensemble Coordinator. A change from the previous year was the
acceptance of the position of chorus director by William Kroeger. This
change was to attempt to bring a new vitality to the vital center of the
Chapter, the Chorus. Another addition, and one that did not get much
attention, was Robert Bashoor as Chapter Librarian under the Music Committee.
The Social Committee, also responsible for rush events, was headed by Ron
Franklin. Charles Keleman was appointed as head of the Radio Committee, and
it was intended that Sinfonia should be a bit more intense in this pursuit,
as it involved its external relations to the Campus. The usher committee was
headed by Fred Needham.
The publicity committee had Roger Giese as its
chairman. The pledge committee underwent a slight revision in that Earl
Martens was appointed both as chairman of the committee and as Pledgemaster.
A new committee was formed to begin the tedious job of House Affairs. This
Housing Committee was headed by William Erat.
As In the course of the of
events, it became necessary to replace certain people on these committees,
primarily due to a lack of responsibility. Alan Julseth replaced James Goff
as ensemble coordinator.
Other additions to the structure came in the
Enforcement Committee, headed by Richard Kraemer. The problems which faced
this committee shall be discussed later.
Bill Meissner was appointed to the Financial
Concerns Committee, which was responsible at first for a make-shift meal
plan, and then for the handling of the pop-machine which had been newly
acquired. Other notable projects of Mr. Meissner's undoubtedly
were justified under this appointment.
The final committee structure in outline
form:
Music Comm: Alan Julseth, Ensemble Coordinator
William Kroeger,
Chorus Director
Enforcement Comm: Richard Kraemer, Ch.
House Comm: William Erat, Ch.
Publicity Comm: Roger Giese, Ch.
Radio Comm: Charles Keleman, Ch.
Usher Comm: Fred Needham, Ch.
Pledge Comm: Earl Martens, Ch.
Social Comm: Ron Franklin, Ch.
Financial Concerns: William Meissner, Ch.
Meetings
The meetings of the 1963-64 year were held in
entirety at the Sinfonia House. There was a certain amount of trouble at the
beginning of the year in establishing a set meeting time. However, most of
the meetings were held at 9:30 or 10:00 on weeknights. The format of these
meetings eventually took a distinct fo pattern as established by Pres.
Kraemer. Along with Robert's Rules of order and ah definate [sic]
agenda, he attempted to bring an end to the long and ridiculous bull sessions
with which the year began. Some of these meetings ran upwards of
two and three hours in length, and the business actually contracted
achieved was out of proportion. The gamut of irrelevancy which was run
was soon to come to an end. be greatly limited
curtailed.
It is certain that President Kraemer was
sincere in his attempt to bring to Kappa Sigma a new standard of organization
and efficacy. However, at the beginning of the 1963-64 year, he attempted to
run the meetings with too great an ear to the majority (or what seemed to be
the majority, but was actually a [sic] "interest group" of sorts). This
sincere attempt on his part to hear all sides soon resulted in the long
meetings. It was obvious that restrictions had to be placed on various
orders of business, and that Robert's Rules of Order must by necessity be
utilized to a greater extent. It was to this end that he implemented the
idea of primary motions being required prior to each meeting in
written form, as well as committee reports.
As the year progressed, Mr. Kraemer gained
more respect from the group as a whole, and with the addition of new
organizational ideas such as those mentioned above, the efficacy of business
meetings began to improve greatly.
Radio Committee
Goff got The radio committee continued
to be part of the structure of Sinfonia during the 1963-64 year. Due to the
increased amount of responsibility placed on the entire chapter by the
acquisition of the new house, this aspect of Sinfonia did not receive the
necessary amount of attention necessary to make it a vital part of the
fraternity's campus activity.
Usher Committee
Needham!
Music Committee
Christmas Caroling
Rush and Pledging
SAI
Finances
New Secretary
Kasdorf to Giese
Spring Rush & Pledging
Honorés
Eifrig in spring.
Formal
Tiebels --
The House
Elections
Meetings
Rather loose and informal at beginning of
year, the Rich cracked down on bull session meetings.
Sinfonia's meetings had previously been held
in the Student union, or dorm cafeterias. With the start of the 1963-64
term, these meetings were held at 605 Lincolnway. The first meetings of the
year were typical of some of the
[document ends]
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