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Collection Overview
Title: Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society Records, 1912-2006
ID: WUA/05/wua00086
Primary Creator: Phi Beta Kappa Honorary Society - Washington University in St. Louis
Extent: 3.5 Cubic Feet
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into 2 series, and then arranged in alphabetical order.
Series 01: General Chapter Information, 1912 – 2006 Series 02: Membership Information, 1917 – 1993
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
This collection consists of correspondence, reports, bulletins, publications and membership manuals that chronicle the history of the Phi Beta Kappa Chapter at Washington University in St. Louis.
Collection Historical Note
Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest honorary society, founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. It one of the most prestigious honorary societies for the liberal arts in the United States.
Phi Beta Kappa was the earliest society to adopt Greek letters for a name. These are taken from the first letters of the Greek phrase Philosophia Biou Kubernetes, translated as The Love of Wisdom, the Helmsman of Life.
The goal of Phi Beta Kappa is to encourage humane learning, a goal which includes not merely superior achievement but also a broad range of interests in the liberal arts, depth of understanding, and a high regard for intellectual honesty and tolerance.
The Washington University Chapter (Beta of Missouri) was established in 1914. Each spring the chapter elects new undergraduate members from among students pursuing degrees in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Administrative Information
Repository:
WUA University Archives
Accruals:
Accruals are interfiled with the collection.
Access Restrictions:
Open
Use Restrictions:
Users of the collection must read and agree to abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the Materials Use Policies.
Providing access to materials does not constitute permission to publish or otherwise authorize use. All publication not covered by fair use or other exceptions is restricted to those who have permission of the copyright holder, which may or may not be Washington University.
If you wish to publish or license Special Collections materials, please contact Special Collections to inquire about copyright status at (314) 935-5495 or spec@wumail.wustl.edu. (Publish means quotation in whole or in part in seminar or term papers, theses or dissertations, journal articles, monographs, books, digital forms, photographs, images, dramatic presentations, transcriptions, or any other form prepared for a limited or general public.)
Acquisition Method:
This material was initially donated by Phi Beta Kappa Chapter to the University Archives in 1966 with additional material donated in 2011.
Preferred Citation:
[Item description]. From the [collection title, series, box, folder]. University Archives, Washington University in St. Louis.
Processing Information:
Processed by Jay Kempen and Leela Pandey in September 2005; Additional processing by Ashley Eckhardt in June 2011.
Finding Aid Revision History:
This finding aid was entered into Archon by Hannah Barg in June 2012.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: General Chapter Information, 1912 - 2006],
[
Series 2: Membership Information, 1917 - 1993],
[All]
- Series 1: General Chapter Information, 1912 - 2006

- Box 1

- Folder 1: Annals of Phi Beta Kappa, 1934

- Folder 2: Annual Reports, 1952 - 1999

- Folder 3: Chapter Bulletin, 1934 - 1935

- Folder 4: Committee Reports, 1918 - 1929, undated

- Folder 5: Constitution and By - Laws (Original), 1913

- Folder 6: Constitution and By - Laws, 1931 - 1949

- Folder 7: Constitution and By - Laws: Amendments, 1941 - 1974

- Folder 8: Correspondence, 1912 - 1913

- Folder 9: Correspondence, 1913 - 1914

- Folder 10: Correspondence, 1914 - 1915

- Folder 11: Correspondence, 1915 - 1916

- Folder 12: Correspondence, 1916 - 1917

- Folder 13: Correspondence, 1917 - 1918

- Folder 14: Correspondence, 1918 - 1919

- Folder 15: Correspondence, 1919 - 1920

- Folder 16: Correspondence, 1921 - 1922

- Folder 17: Correspondence, 1922 - 1923

- Folder 18: Correspondence, 1923 - 1924

- Folder 19: Correspondence, 1924 - 1925

- Folder 20: Correspondence, 1925 - 1926

- Folder 21: Correspondence, 1926 - 1927

- Folder 22: Correspondence, 1927 - 1928

- Folder 23: Correspondence, 1928 - 1929

- Folder 24: Correspondence, 1929 - 1930

- Folder 25: Correspondence, 1930 - 1931

- Folder 26: Correspondence, 1931 - 1932

- Folder 27: Correspondence, 1932 - 1933

- Folder 28: Correspondence, 1933 - 1934

- Folder 29: Correspondence, 1934 - 1935

- Folder 30: Correspondence, 1935 - 1936

- Folder 31: Correspondence, 1936 - 1937

- Folder 32: Correspondence, 1937 - 1938

- Folder 33: Correspondence, 1938 - 1939

- Folder 34: Correspondence, 1939 - 1940

- Folder 35: Correspondence, 1940 - 1941

- Folder 36: Correspondence, 1941 - 1942

- Folder 37: Correspondence, 1942 - 1943

- Folder 38: Correspondence, 1943 - 1944

- Folder 39: Correspondence, 1944 - 1945

- Folder 40: Correspondence, 1945 - 1946

- Folder 41: Correspondence, 1946 - 1947

- Folder 42: Correspondence, 1947 - 1948

- Folder 43: Correspondence, 1948 - 1949

- Folder 44: Correspondence, 1949 - 1950

- Folder 45: Correspondence, 1950 - 1951

- Folder 46: Correspondence, 1951 - 1952

- Box 2

- Folder 47: Correspondence, 1952 - 1953

- Folder 48: Correspondence, 1953 - 1954

- Folder 49: Correspondence, 1954 - 1955

- Folder 50: Correspondence, 1955 - 1956

- Folder 51: Correspondence (Folder 1), 1956 - 1957

- Folder 52: Correspondence (Folder 2), 1956 - 1957

- Folder 53: Correspondence, 1957 - 1958

- Folder 54: Correspondence, 1958 - 1959

- Folder 55: Correspondence, 1959 - 1960

- Folder 56: Correspondence, 1960 - 1961

- Folder 57: Correspondence, 1961 - 1962

- Folder 58: Delegate's Manual - United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, 1940

- Folder 59: Dues, 1957

- Folder 60: Engraved Printing Plate for Certificates, undated

- Folder 61: Essay Contest, 1941

- Folder 62: Essay Contest, 1942

- Folder 63: Faculty Members, 1958

- Folder 64: Free Lance - Vol. 4, No. 4, 1966

- Folder 65: Key Reporter, 1936 - 1940

- Folder 66: Key Reporter, , 1942 - 1958

- Folder 67: Key Reporter, 2006

- Folder 68: Minutes of Meetings, , 1913 - 1925

- Folder 69: Minutes of Meetings, , 1930 - 1940

- Folder 70: Officers' Manual (Folder 1), 1959 - 1964

- Folder 71: Officers' Manual (Folder 2), 1959 - 1964

- Folder 72: Original Phi Beta Kappa Records from 1776 to1781, 1919

- Folder 73: Phi Beta Kappa Associates - An Interpretation, 1940

- Folder 74: Phi Beta Kappa Bulletin, 1937 - 1956

- Folder 75: Phi Beta Kappa Bulletin, 1958 - 1959

- Folder 76: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 2, Nos. 1 - 4, 1913 - 1914

- Folder 77: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 2, Nos. 5 - 8, 1914 - 1915

- Folder 78: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 2, Nos. 9 - 12, 1915 - 1916

- Folder 79: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 3, Nos. 1 - 4, 1916 - 1917

- Folder 80: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 3, Nos. 5 - 8, 1917 - 1918

- Folder 81: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 3, Nos. 9 - 12, 1918 - 1919

- Box 3

- Folder 82: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 4, Nos. 1;3;5, 1919 - 1920

- Folder 83: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 4, Nos. 7 - 11, 1921 - 1922

- Folder 84: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 5, No. 6, 1921

- Folder 85: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 6, Nos. 3; 6; 9; 11; 12, 1926 - 1928

- Folder 86: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 7, Nos. 1 - 4, 1928

- Folder 87: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 7, Nos. 5 - 8, 1929 - 1930

- Folder 88: Phi Beta Kappa Key - Vol. 7, Nos. 9 - 12 and Final Number, 1930 - 1931

- Folder 89: Programs - Phi Beta Kappa Addresses, 1940 - 1947

- Folder 90: Reports to United Chapters, 1937 - 1951

- Folder 91: Society of the Sigma Xi - Scientific Research, 1947

- Folder 92: Society of America

- Folder 93: Words and Music by Robert Burton House - Phi Beta, 1959 Kappa Address, North Carolina

- Series 2: Membership Information, 1917 - 1993

- Box 1

- Folder 94: List of Members in the St. Louis Area, 1934

- Folder 95: Member Handbooks, circa 1928 - 1961

- Folder 96: Membership and Candidate Rosters, 1937 - 1943

- Folder 97: Registration Cards, 1973 - 1982

- Folder 98: Registry, 1941 - 1960

- Folder 99: Registry, 1963 - 1976

- Folder 100: Registry, 1977 - 1993

- Box 2

- Folder 101: Membership Cards, 1917 - 1972

Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: General Chapter Information, 1912 - 2006],
[
Series 2: Membership Information, 1917 - 1993],
[All]