Phi Theta Kappa was established by the
presidents of the Missouri junior colleges for women in 1918. The
purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize and encourage scholarship
among associate degree students. To achieve this purpose, Phi Theta
Kappa provides opportunity for the development of leadership and
service, for an intellectual climate to exchange ideas and ideals, for
lively fellowship for scholars, and for stimulation of interest in
continuing academic excellence.
The honor society began with six charter
members under the name of Kappa Phi Omicron at Stephens College,
Columbia, Missouri, in 1910. Beta Chapter of Kappa Phi Omicron was
established at Lindenwood College, St. Charles, Missouri, in 1911. The
societies continued until the spring of 1918. By that time, honorary
groups had sprung up in many colleges.
At a meeting of the presidents of the
Missouri junior colleges for women in 1918, it was decided to organize a
new honorary society, chapters of which would have a common character,
standard, and similarity of organization.
In choosing the name, the committee was
influenced by the name of the prestigious liberal arts honorary society
for senior colleges, Phi Beta Kappa.
Accordingly, the name Phi Theta Kappa was chosen, and the Society
was incorporated in Missouri as a national organization.
The few years following 1918 saw an official
seal chosen, a charter drafted, song composed, and official pin
representative of the Society adopted.
For the first six
years, Phi Theta Kappa confined its activity to women’s junior
colleges, but in 1924 through constitutional amendment the field
of activity was enlarged to cover all junior colleges. In 1925,
Iota chapter at Synodical College, Fulton, Missouri, was added,
and 1926 marked a further expansion with the addition of Kappa,
Lambda, and Mu Chapters. These were the first coeducational colleges
granted a charter, and Mu Chapter, at Miami, Oklahoma, was the
first organized outside the state of Missouri.
By 1928, Phi Theta Kappa had grown to 14
chapters in six states. In that year a petition was drawn up by the Phi
Theta Kappa Grand Council to be submitted to the American Association of
Junior Colleges, asking that Phi Theta Kappa be recognized as the
national honor society for junior colleges. The AAJC appointed a
permanent standing committee on honor scholarship societies. This
committee recommended that because of Phi Theta Kappa's relatively large
membership, all honor scholarship societies then forming in institutions
which were members of the AAJC should apply for a charter of Phi Theta
Kappa.
Official recognition was given to Phi Theta
Kappa in 1929 by the American Association of Junior Colleges at the
annual meeting of the Association on November 18 and 19, in Atlantic
City, New Jersey.
