Beta Kappa () was a Social Fraternity founded at Hamline University in 1901, which merged with Theta Chi in 1942.
Development
Beta Kappa was formed at Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota on with the name The Knights of Beta Omicron Sigma Kappa. Eventually this somewhat unwieldy name was colloquially shortened to Beta Kappa (date?), maturing into a local fraternity that continued for twenty-one years before beginning a period of rapid expansion.
Founders honored by the fraternity are
Daniel Paul Rader
Edward T. Marlatte
Albert T. Spencer
Charles H. Wallace
In 1922, Beta chapter at the University of Washington was formed, and in quick succession it established over 40 chapters with a total membership of over 5,000.
Traditions and Heritage
The fraternity magazine was The Journal of Beta Kappa
The Fraternity's colors were Purple and Gold. Its flower was the Red Templar Rose. The badge was in the shape of a diamond in black enamel, longer from top to bottom, with 24 pearls on its perimeter. It held a small, white circular disk in the center, on this a coiled serpent above a lamp and below were two crossed swords. On the sides of the disk were the Greek letters and .
The fraternity became a Junior Member of the NIC in , and a full member in . It continued as a member until the merger with Theta Chi in .
Merger
During the height of WWII the fraternity merged with Theta Chi, on with three exceptions released to join other national groups. The mother chapter at Hamline University was granted the chapter name, Beta Kappa chapter to honor its rank as a former Alpha chapter. The merger added 17 new chapters to Theta Chi, and two Beta Kappa chapters were merged into existing chapters.
Chapter List
The chapters of Beta Kappa were as follows. Chapters noted in bold were active at the time of the merger, with dormant chapters in italics. A few chapters that were active but did not merge (with ) are also in bold: