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History of Kappa Sigma, March 20, 1972-February 11, 1973
(summarized from GA minutes and correspondence file)
by Joel Hahn

(Draft)

The April V.U. composers concert was canceled, due in part to uncooperative composers and in part to unpreparedness. "All the Rains," the piece composed for the chapter by Dr. Wienhorst and originally scheduled to be performed at that concert, was performed for him at chapter song rehearsal. He made the chapter promise that it would be publically performed in the fall.

Ritual was held on April 14, with Mark Rubbert included from the previous semester, bringing the number of new actives up to five.

Meal Plan ran out of money part way through April. Some money was borrowed from the general fund to keep the Meal Plan solvent through the end of the school year, and the Meal Plan steward considered (largely in jest) issuing ration cards. Weekend meals were cancelled, and only powdered milk was available. Clara Marquardt, the cook, was laid off for a couple weeks, because the chapter couldn't afford to pay her (or to buy food, for that matter). The brothers in the house subsided on what food was left in the house and cooked meals themselves. Soon, they were longing for Clara's return.

In a tradition started sometime in the late 1960's, the chapter still referred to Nationals as "The Great White Whale." While this was obviously intended to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek (if the analogy were continued, would that make the chapter the insane Captain Ahab?) it is also obvious from the fact that the chapter would routinely make such comments that there wasn't exactly a huge groundswell of good feeling toward the central offices of the national organization.

Another tradition that continued this year was the--usually friendly--rivalry between Kappa Sigma and the brothers of the Sigma Pi fraternity across the street. As recorded in the minutes, President Patterson even went so far as to admonish the actives to "be nice to the nice Sig Pi's across the street."

Fall Rush consisted of a supper, a music department kegger, a swimming party at the YMCA, and a roller skating party in Hobart. Eleven men received ballots, but only three of those--Dennis Perchak, Steve Cook, and Jim Jasper--pledged. After the pledge recital, there was some concern among the actives about the issue of art vs. entertainment in a pledge recital, but the pledge pieces of all three were accepted by the chapter. Ritual was held in mid-January, right in the middle of "Spring" Rush (which had actually started in December).

The chapter moved the weekly General Assembly to Sunday. There was a failed attempt in January to move it to Mondays.

In a talk with the music chairman in October, Dr. Wienhorst expressed his feeling that the chapter was not trying hard enough to put together a decent performance for the November open composition concert. After hearing about the discussion, the chapter agreed, and replaced the performance with a guest lecturer. The lecturer, Neely Bruce, an expert on 19th century music, was scheduled to talk in February, however, which left the joint Phi Mu Alpha-Sigma Alpha Iota Christmas caroling as the chapter's sole public musical effort in the fall semester.

In October, David Hawkins' parents kindly donated a refrigerator to the chapter.

The October issue of the Sinfonian included a description of Kappa Sigma's Spring 1972 V.U. composers concert. Which is pretty amazing, given that the concert never happened.

In November, David Potter stepped down as Historian, and Richard Heckmann stepped up to the plate.

A motion prohibiting smoking during General Assembly meetings was passed at the November 12 meeting. Brother Geffert celebrated the passage of this motion by lighting up; he was promptly fined $1.00. This led to a lengthy, heated discussion, which was eventually tabled.

Spring rush began December 1 with a music department kegger, then continued throughout the remainder of the month with caroling with SAI and a pizza party for actives, then-pledges, rushees, and everyone's dates. After Christmas break, there was a chapter smoker, a kegger and late-night jam session, a faculty-student smoker, a Sunday dinner, and a Valentine's Day party.

The chapter president, William Patterson, apparently took to occasionally lecturing the chapter on various topics during the year, which led to the secretary recording that "Patterson gave another of his now famous sermonettes."

There was apparently a bit of a verbal row at the end of the last General Assembly in January involving the Vice-President/Pledgemaster, Bryan Borg, which spilled over into the next meeting. More discussion was had as to whether the actives wanted Bryan to continue to attend Rush functions and hold the offices of Vice-President & Pledgemaster. Lengthy statements were made by the secretary, William Beermann, and music chairman, Greg Glisich, and a response was made by President Patterson. There was concern that differences between individuals might end up tearing the chapter apart. A motion to allow Bryan to continue to attend Rush functions & keep his offices passed with six in favor, four against, and three abstentions.

Any problems people might have had with the rushing process were smoothed over after that. Bryan instituted a "new bureaucracy for pledging," and four men pledged that semester: Robert Beicke, Craig Forwalter, Craig Kallendorf, and Eric Kuehner.

A joint Phi Mu Alpha-Sigma Alpha Iota Formal was held at Mara Haba at the Holiday Inn on Rte. 421.

Elections were held in late March.

President: Steven List
Vice President: Richard Heckmann
Secretary: Dennis Perchak
Treasurer: John Schoening
Warden: Guy Langvardt
Historian: Leonard Geffert
Alumni Secretary: William Beermann

House Manager: James Jasper
Meal Steward: Michael Friesen
Music Chairman: Bryan Borg
Rush-Social Chairman: Steven Cook

The chapter received five of the seven possible chapter citations for outstanding chapter conduct this year.

Respectfully submitted,
Joel Hahn