A Condensed History
By: Matt Hanley
2006
Founding National Organization

The first national band service organization was founded in 1919 with the chartering of Kappa Kappa Psi. In the years between the two World Wars college bands in the United States underwent considerable changes and growth as a more people began attending college, more schools began offering programs in music and perhaps most importantly, the phenomena of college football underwent a massive expansion in popularity. During this period college marching bands and even many concert bands were all-white, all-male. However, by the beginning of the 1930’s a small revolution in the world of college bands was under way: concert bands were beginning to accept women.
In 1941 the United States joined the Second World War and many college age males either volunteered for or were drafted into the military and national services. With this many college bands saw a corresponding drop in enrollment and the door was finally opened to women. Starting in 1942 many college marching band programs finally allowed women into the band-proper in order to shore up numbers. In a short time the number of women participating in band programs skyrocketed, and a strong desire was growing for women to join in with men in service to the college band programs.
The first practical idea for establishment of a national band sorority to serve along with the National Fraternity was brought to the director of the Texas Tech bands program, D.O. Wiley in 1937 by three of his female students. These women were Wava Banes (Henry), Emily So Relle and Rose Nell Williams, and they would eventually become the mothers of the new organization. This discussion led to the formation of a local organization known as Tau Beta Sigma that worked unofficially alongside the local chapter of the national Kappa Kappa Psi organization. Tau Beta Sigma was to serve as an honorary service sorority, recognizing exceptional leadership but also serving as an opportunity to volunteer, educate and provide social opportunities for women in bands.
In June of 1943, bolstered by their increase in numbers due to the war, the ladies of Tau Beta Sigma approached the national council of Kappa Kappa Psi with the hopes of becoming an active fraternity chapter. Unfortunately, accepting the chapter would have required a complete revision of the fraternity’s all-male constitution. While not unwilling to do so, the fraternity could not hope to meet in the foreseeable future at the national level due to wartime travel restrictions. Instead it was suggested that the ladies form their own national sorority which would act as a sister organization to the national fraternity and would share its publications.
Immediately there were problems. Strict Texas state corporation laws made it very difficult to charter the new national organization, and in 1945 it was suggested that the Texas Tech chapter give up their Alpha Chapter hopes to the local group at Oklahoma A&M (today Oklahoma State) University where fewer legal obstacles occurred. Thus in January of 1946, the original Texas Tech chapter of Tau Beta Sigma gave up their name, Alpha status, jewelry and constitution to the Oklahoma A&M chapter in the name of the national foundation, accepting the status as Beta Chapter so that the national organization could be founded more quickly. On March 26, 1946 the Oklahoma A&M Alpha Chaper of Tau Beta Sigma received its charter, and on May 4 of that year the Alpha members traveled to Lubbock, Texas to install the founding Texas Tech chapter as the Beta Chapter. Tau Beta Sigma was officially born as a national organization.
New chapters sprung up around the country quickly as other local women’s band organizations applied for membership and were brought into the fold. Throughout the next thirty years the sorority expanded, and then fought valiantly for the right of women to regain their status as full band members that they had lost as soon as the war had ended and the soldiers returned home. They were finally rewarded when from 1971-1972 the college bands of the country finally opened their doors to both men and women. To this day Tau Beta Sigma continues to serve the bands of the United States, forwarding their original mission of service, leadership and comradery amongst those who share in the mission of forwarding band music at the collegiate level. They retain close ties to Kappa Kappa Psi and the two organizations share a national headquarters at Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, near the Oklahoma State campus where the sorority received its charter.

Band Service at the University of Minnesota

In the early days of the band, service and social activities were handled not by a specific group, but by the elected band president, secretary and treasurer. An informal social organization was founded by director Bert Rose in 1913 but this was primarily only for the purpose of socialization and not for service. The band was forever changed by the arrival of a vibrant young director named Michael Jalma in 1920. Jalma, fresh from directing army bands in France in World War One felt formation of an organization to foster service and fraternity outside the band was essential, and thus founded a social structure for a service and social organization known simply as the Band Social Organization (alternatively the Band Service Organization) or the BSO as it was generally called. All band members were part of this group.
Complementing the BSO was an honorary fraternity, Phi Sigma Phi, founded on February 22, 1922. This was a local organization and composed only of upperclassmen, designed to support plans for further advancement of the band. A sister sorority, Theta Nu, was founded during winter quarter of 1944 with the same purpose. Dolores Anderson was the first president of the band sorority at the U of M and Tau Beta Sigma owes her for its existence today. The focus of these organizations was service, though they also undertook social events alongside the BSO.
The aspirations for larger things caused Theta Nu to petition the national organization of Tau Beta Sigma and finally in 1952 Theta Nu the local organization was transformed into the 33rd Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, with the designator Alpha Iota. This was the founding of the organization we know today. Phi Sigma Phi considered but rejected a similar association with Kappa Kappa Psi and remained independent, finally falling inactive in 1965.
Unfortunately with the War in Vietnam and counter-culture movement in the 1960’s, membership in fraternal organizations was becoming less popular and membership in Phi Sig and Tau Beta waned. The Alpha Iota chapter of Tau Beta Sigma fell inactive in 1970 due to lack of interest. The BSO however remained active and strong, being less formal and somewhat more inclusive.
By the mid-1970’s the BSO’s membership was almost entirely marching band related, interest from the concert bands having waned. Noting this and the lack of support for the concert bands, in 1987-1988 director Barry Kopetz began work to get the Alpha Iota chapter reinstated. The chapter was formally reinstated on June 2, 1990 and sponsored by the North Dakota State chapter. Kappa Kappa Psi was founded with the demise of the BSO in 1991, and both chapters have been fully active, co-ed brother and sister organizations ever since, dedicated to the service of the University of Minnesota bands programs.

Tau Beta Sigma at the National Level

At the top of the Tau Beta Sigma organization is the National Council. The President is in charge of the National Sorority. The Vice-President for Colonization and Membership is in charge of monitoring current membership and bringing new chapters into the organization as well as reactivating older chapters. The Vice-President for Special Projects is in charge of organizing service projects at the national level and aiding local chapters in their execution. Vice-President for Communication and Recognition works with the national publications and manages communication between chapters and the national office. Finally Vice-President for Professional Relations manages the relationship between the sorority and various companies and professional groups. They are:

President: Kathy Godwin
VP for Colonization and Membership: Kimbi Sigle
VP for Special Projects: Dollie McDonald
VP for Communication and Recognition: Cindy Lasso
VP for Professional Relations: Dr. Greg Byrne

National Headquarters are at Stillwater Station in Stillwater, OK. They are shared with Kappa Kappa Psi.

The Board of Trustees works to serve the sorority in any way and monitors the conduct of the organization, ensuring that its goals and standards of practices are being met. It includes founder Wava Banes Henry and membership lists can be found at the Tau Beta website, http://www.tbsigma.org/boardoftrustees.html

District counselors are assigned as the liaisons between the national organization and the districts. There is one counselor for each district. The monitor district conduct, provide help when required and report back to the national organization. Wendy McCann is the Midwest District counselor.

Tau Beta Sigma at the District Level

The sorority is divided into six regional districts: Midwest, Northeast, North Central, Southeast, Southwest and Western. The U of M is located in the Midwest District. At the district level, officers are elected from the various chapters included in the district. District officers are current students and active chapter members. These are the President, VP for Colonization and Membership and VP for for Special Projects, which are described above, as well as the Secretary-Treasurer who manages district finances and takes meeting notes, and the counselor who is also discussed above.
The Midwest District encompasses Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Tau Beta Sigma at the Local Level

At the chapter level, the officer organization is somewhat different. The positions of President and Secretary-Treasurer are the same, but the Vice-President serves as primary educator and recruiter for new PM’s and runs meetings in the absence of the President. The Corresponding Secretary communicates with other chapters, the district and the national levels and provides articles for the publications put out by the organization. The Ritualist/Historian positions keeps track of the chapter history, the chapter events of the year and handles rituals at meetings.
Naturally at the chapter level, the focus of the officers is on the local organization and the locals bands rather than at the district or national levels. Any member with at least one semester of service in good-stead to the chapter can run for election to officer. The president must have been a member in good standing for an entire year.

TBS/KK? Publications

Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi have national and district publications which are meant to inform all members of what is occurring at the national and district levels. Chapters are encouraged to write in with updates of their own activities and with ideas for local or national efforts at forwarding support for their bands. These are valuable resources for such ideas as social events, fundraising, or merely keeping up with brothers and sisters at other schools. The National Publication is known as The Podium and is published bi-annually. The Midwest District Publication is known as Midwest Notes and is published quarterly.

Conventions

National and District conventions are held in order to give members opportunities to meet members from other chapters, to reconnect with our roots and to review and revise documents such as the constitution if such changes are deemed necessary. These conventions are excellent opportunities for networking beyond the local level and provide and chance for exchange of ideas, increase of contacts and most importantly, spreading the word about the band programs at the University of Minnesota. The National Convention is held every two years.

Tau Beta Sigma Mission Statement

Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority provides service to collegiate bands, encourages the advancement of women in the band profession, and promotes and enriches an appreciation of band music through recognition, leadership development, and education of its members.

Tau Beta Sigma Vision Statement

To create the pre-eminent organization to promote band music as an integral part of the American cultural experience; and, to promote enrichment of the human experience through participation in and exposure to collegiate bands; and, to recognize deserving women and their contributions to these goals.

Codes of Conduct

In order to remain full, active members in the organization, members must be a student at the University of Minnesota in good-standing and active in the band and music programs therein. Members who study abroad, take a semester off or are unable to fulfill their duties may become inactive members, losing their privileges of voting at meetings, but retaining the right to return to active membership when the opportunity permits and their status can be reevaluated.
Active members can be suspended or removed from membership by the chapter for conduct unbecoming of the chapter. Use of alcohol at official Tau Beta events or wearing Tau Beta apparel is strictly forbidden. This and drug use can lead to suspension or discharge from chapter membership. All members are expected to carry themselves with conduct befitting a member of an honorary society at all time. Just because one is not currently participating in a meeting or activity does not mean one is not representing the organization.
Hazing of any kind is not allowed and is also grounds for expulsion. Examples of hazing include paddling, tying members to trees, forcing members to consume live goldfish, or any activity in which the member is forced unwillingly to participate. Hazing is grounds for immediate expulsion and is not tolerated.

Symbols, Traditions and Songs

The official flower of Tau Beta Sigma is the American Beauty Red Rose. Tau Beta Sigma also recognizes two national songs as the official Songs of the Sorority, the Tau Beta Sigma Loyalty Song and the Tau Beta Sigma Hymn. Local chapters are encouraged but not required to have their own songs as well.
The Motto of Tau Beta Sigma is “For Better Bands.”
For further information on the organization, the reader is encouraged to visit the Tau Beta Sigma website: http://www.tbsigma.org/

And particularly to read the Chapter Operations Handbook (http://www.tbsigma.org/CD2005/TBSChOpsHandbook.pdf) which delves much more deeply into the roles, history and purpose of this great organization of which you will soon be a part. Congratulations and good luck!

In the Bonds,
Matthew Hanley
University of Minnesota Marching Band, 2000-2004
Tau Beta Sigma, 2002-2004
Alpha Iota Vice-President 2003-2004