The History of Tau Kappa Epsilon International

        

TKE founding fathers (from left) C. Roy Atkinson, James C. McNutt, Joseph Lorenzo Settles, Owen I. Truit, and Clarence Arthur Mayer

Tau Kappa Epsilon (then know as the Knights of Classic Lore) was founded January 10th, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. TKE was founded in response to the snobby, elitist attitudes of other fraternities that were present at Illinois Wesleyan. According to the official TKE story:

The Founders of the Knights of Classic Lore desired an organization different from those represented by the existing fraternities. Their desire was to establish a fraternity in which the primary requisites for membership would be the personal worth and character of the individual rather than the wealth he possessed, the honors or titles he could display, or the rank he maintained on the social ladder. The Founders of the KCL had little regard for many of the common characteristics of fraternities at that time, including their usual snobbery and disdain for persons outside of a fraternity.

With these principles in mind, members from the Alpha Chapter visited other universities and on April 17th, 1909 Tau Kappa Epsilon offically became a national fraternity by installing the Beta Chapter at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.

Over the years Tau Kappa Epsilon has grown to be one of the largest and strongest fraternities in the world. TKE currently has more chapters than any other fraternity with chapters all across the U.S. and in Canada. TKE also has many distinguished alumni, including former President Ronald Reagan, NFL-Great Terry Bradshaw, and legendary entertainer Elvis Presley.

                                                       The Creed of TKE

•To Believe in love and loyalty to my College, my Fraternity, my Country, and my God;

•To Believe in the worthiness and dignity of my fellow man, and judge him solely upon his personal worth and character;

•To Believe with fidelity in the traditions and ideals of my Fraternity, and upon my sacred honor, to uphold them;

•To Believe in the constant search for truth, and through it, to seek the goal of wisdom;

•To Believe in the life based upon integrity, justice, sincerity, patience, moderation, culture, and challenge in order to serve as a responsible, mature member of society;

•To Believe in the cardinal principles of Love, Charity, and Esteem and to use them to guide my life;

•To Believe in my Fraternity as a brotherhood of gentlemen in perpetual quest of excellence as a way of life.

           This is the Creed of Tau Kappa Epsilon.