Skip to main content

Phi Kappa Phi records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MG 007

Content Description

The Records of Phi Kappa Phi span the years 1952 to 1986, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1960 to 1979. The papers include correspondence, national and local constitutions and by-laws, minutes of meetings, membership lists, banquet programs, financial records, society handbooks, newsletters, and journals.

Dates

  • Creation: 1952-1986

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

The National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi was established at the University of Maine, Orono, in 1897; it was incorporated May 17, 1972. It is unique among such organizations in that it recognizes outstanding scholastic attainments in all divisions of the university rather than restricting its membership to scholars in a specific area.

The University of Idaho chapter was established in May 1960. Although the idea of establishing a local chapter was first considered in 1952, it was not until 1958 that Donald Marshall, Associate Dean of Agriculture, approached several faculty members, including President Donald Theophilus, and gathered the information necessary to petition the national organization. There were twenty charter faculty members, with forty eight undergraduates and six graduate students initiated at the first meeting.

Students are chosen for membership in the society on the basis of both scholarship and character. No more than 10 percent of the senior class together with a smaller number of juniors and graduate students may be considered. Faculty members are selected on the basis of outstanding academic Records or significant accomplishments in their professional fields.

Extent

2 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The material in this record group was in two separate filing systems when received. The earlier material appeared to be in no discernible order, while the later material was in a straight alphabetical arrangement. Material in both sections was combined and sorted by type, thereby forming six series. Folders in each series were arranged chronologically.

The first series contains correspondence, both within the local chapter and with the national office. The "Chapter Officer Communications" folder contains a numbered newsletter of that name sent from the national office to local chapters.

The organizational features include the petition for establishing a local chapter, constitutions and by-laws, and minutes of local meetings. The third series, "Membership and Initiation," contains eligibility lists, membership lists--both computer generated from the national office and typed lists compiled by the local chapter, the membership signature book, procedures for initiation, lists of initiates, and programs and tickets for the initiation banquets.

The financial materials include the treasurer's account book, financial reports, and checkbooks. The fifth series includes brochures about the society, blank order forms and certificates, several applications for a national fellowship, and photographs taken at the 1974 banquet. The final series contains several editions of the national society's handbook, copies of its newsletter, and the Phi Kappa Phi Journal.

Computer generated membership lists were sent out frequently during the year; during processing it was decided to retain only one list per year, all others were discarded. Also discarded were bank statements, deposit slips, monthly lists of dues paid, and duplicate copies of printed material. In all the records were reduced by one cubic foot.

Title
Guide to Phi Kappa Phi records
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Judith Nielsen; updated by Sara Szobody.
Date
1989, 2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository