Student Life: Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society, Theta Chapter Records, 1927-2003, n.d. | Oberlin College Archives
The Theta Chapter of the honorary national musical fraternity. Pi Kappa Lambda, was established at Oberlin College in 1926-1927. It was the eighth chapter of the national organization which was founded in 1918 at Northwestern University. Its purpose remains the promotion of musical education and excellence in performance and composition. The motto of the Theta Chapter is "Try To Grasp Things Beautiful." Students who are chosen for this honor must have a qualifying grade point average. This average varies slightly through the years or "floats" depending on the strength of the graduating class. Approximately 18 students are added each year to the membership rolls.
In the 1930's, Oberlin's Theta Chapter established a Scholarship and Loan Fund, from which loans could be made to needy students of high scholastic standing. Over the years, Theta Chapter has presented numerous informal addresses by member and invited guests artists to perform throughout each season.
PRESIDENTS
1929 Arthur E. Heacox
1931 James H. Hall
1933 Laurel Yeamans
1936 Gladys F. Moore
1938 Gladys F. Moore
1939 Gladys F. Moore
1940 Josephine B. Lythe
1941 Josephine B. Lythe
1942 George E. Waln
1943 George E. Waln
1944 George O. Lillich
1945 George O. Lillich
1946 Robert A. Melcher
1947 Robert A. Melcher
1948 Robert A. Melcher
1950 David E. Moyer
1951 Clifford A. Cook
1952 Clifford A. Cook
1953 Fenner Douglass
1954 Fenner Douglass
1956 John Elvin
1957 Lucy Lewis
1958 Lucy Lewis
1959 Freeman Koberstein
1960 Freeman Koberstein
1961 Inda Howland
1964 William Richardson
1965 Garth Peacock
1966 Garth Peacock
1967 Robert Drummond
1969 Miles Mauney
1970 Miles Mauney
1971 Haskell L. Thomson
1972 Haskell L. Thomson
1973 Haskell L. Thomson
1974 Robert A. Melcher
1975 Robert A. Melcher
1976 Martha A. Stacy
1977 Martha A. Stacy
1978 Priscilla Smith
1979 Priscilla Smith
1980 Miles Mauney
1981 Miles Mauney
1982 Freeman Koberstein
1983 Freeman Koberstein
1984 Francis S. Walker
1985 Francis S. Walker
1986 Garth Peacock
1987 Gil Miranda
1988 Gil Miranda
1990 Norman Fischer
1991 Norman Fischer
1992 Joseph Schwartz
1993 Joseph Schwartz
The records of Pi Kappa Lambda, Theta Chapter, document the membership, programs, and governance of this honorary national musical fraternity from its establishment in 1927. The collection provides documentation concerning the history and operation of the national organization of Pi Kappa Lambda. The collection contains documentation concerning the work of the various presidents since 1961, including elections, correspondence, and honor recipients. The Administrative Series (Series 1) contains membership, financial, newsletters, and program files. Of particular interest is an historical booklet that covers twenty years of the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda (1918-1937). Also included in this series are handbooks for the national organization and the its chapters.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Administrative Files, 1927-1985, n.d. (1.63 l.f)
This series is divided into six subseries: correspondence, treasurer's records, booklets and pamphlets, membership records, newsletters, and program files documenting Pi Kappa Lambda over the period of the 1930's to the present. Also includes card files of the membership. . A historical booklet covering the national organization and the various chapters from 1918 to 1937 is contained in this series.
Series 2. Indexed Files, 1927-1962 (1.20 l.f)
File series maintained by separate Theta Chapter members c. (1927-62). Two of the file units contain documents relating to Oberlin's Theta Chapter and a third file is related to the business of the National Chapter, Pi Kappa Lambda. Series includes the following titles: by-laws, convention information, meeting minutes, initiation of members, and other related files
Series 3. President's Files, 1961-1986 (0.8 l.f.)
These files primarily consist of information pertaining to the work of the Theta Chapter presidents and the various information each one of them collected each year. This is a chronological file. The earliest folders are dated from 1961 and the recent are dated up to 1986. The scope of materials ranges from election information and ballots, to correspondence, notices, and honor recipients. The presidents and other officers are listed in the luncheon programs for the years 1929 through 1985.
Files received from Ellen Sayles, 1926-2003, n.d. (1.2 l.f.) [2007/013] (unprocessed)
This unprocessed accession holds 29 folders arranged in alphabetical order, covering a large date span of 1926 to 2003.