Finding aid for the Lone Star Fraternity Records

History of History

Lone Star Fraternity (Pi Kappa Epsilon) is the oldest local fraternity in the United States, and the only chapter in existence. It was founded in 1882 by William VanNess Yates at Buchtel College (now The University of Akron) in Akron, Ohio. Yates established the organization due to a feud between two already existing fraternal organizations at the college, Delta Tau Delta and Phi Delta Theta. The new organization offered an alternative to the two other fraternities on campus. Announcement of the new organization was made on January 18, 1882, with the first meeting being held on February 3rd of that year. The objective of the fraternity as stated by Yates was "the improvement of the individual members and the furtherance of good fellowship among the students at large."

Membership was scarce in the early days of the fraternity, but as enrollment increased at the university in the 1920s and 1930s, so did membership. Lone Star started holding many of the formal events typical of a fraternal organization in the 1920's, including dances, dinners, and outings. This became a very common way for the organization to reach out to the community. The fraternity is still an active organization at the University of Akron today. Notable alumni include Akron Mayor William T. Sawyer, UA President Hezzleton E. Simmons, UA professor Charles L. Bulger, Akron lawyers C. Blake McDowell and Bruce E. Bierce, Firestone President Lee R. Jackson, and Seiberling Rubber Vice President Harry P. Schrank. Information for the historical background was taken from "A Short History of Lone Star (Phi Kappa Epsilon)" by Robert E. Ryan, which can be found in this collection in Box 15.

Scope and Content

The Lone Star Fraternity has been an active organization on campus since 1882, and has produced a number of respected individuals honored by the university and the greater Akron area. The organization's records document the activities and history of the fraternity through meeting minutes, correspondence, scrapbooks, logbooks, photographs, publications, and financial records. Researchers interested Akron history, University of Akron history, or notable figures of the greater Akron area will find this collection useful.

Series I: Logbooks (1907-1973) Included in this series are the logbooks used by the brothers of the organization as a place for communication to leave notes, make announcements, and place reminders. The logbooks includes a near day-to-day record of the activities of the fraternity house. Each logbook usually covers a period of time that is less than a year. This series was ordered first because of the high request rate of the material.

Series II: Scrapbooks (1909-1957) Included in this series are the scrapbooks made by the brothers of the organization to save photographs and mementos of activities for each year of the fraternity. The scrapbooks cover one academic year.

Series III: Other Record Books (1897-1960) Included in this series are meeting minutes, financial records, membership reports, roll books, and due ledgers. The materials in this section are not consistent on a year by year basis.

Series IV: Publications and Other Miscellaneous (1891-2012) Included in this series are publications, photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, stocks and bonds, and miscellaneous items.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

Restrictions on Access

No restrictions on access; except not available through interlibrary loan. Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to reproduce or publish materials in this collection must be secured in writing from Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron.

University Photographs William T. Sawyer Family Papers

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Organizations/Corporations:

Preferred Citation

[Identification of Item], Lone Star Fraternity Records, Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio

Processing Information

Processed by: Zoe Orcutt, Student Assistant, and Mark Bloom.

Accruals

Ongoing.

Detailed Description of The Collection

Lone Star Fraternity Records 1891-2012