This history exists in one typewritten copy, misplaced for several years in a folder of officer's duty summaries from the 1980's & 90's. The page numbers of this history pick up where the compiled version of the 1960-62 history leaves off; it is obviously intended to be a direct continuation of that document. The authorship is anonymous; it may be Alan Julseth, but that is in question. The writing style seems to be the same as the earlier histories (which were signed by Julseth), but this history mentions that Julseth was studying abroad this year and also mentions eyewitness recollections by the author of the year's activities. It is more likely that it was actually written by either David Haas (historian, 1962-63) or Lloyd Gross (historian, 1963-64, and compiler of "A Referential History of the First Three Years of Kappa Sigma Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia").

The "Appendix A" which is referred to was already missing by 1993 at the latest--due to the nature of its contents, it was probably separated at some point from the general chapter histories and lost in a previous information purge. The "sub-lease" which is referred ti is located in the folder "605 Lincolnway Lease Negotiations" and is not reproduced here.
[Annotations written 2001 by Joel Hahn, '94.]

Kappa Sigma Chapter

1962-63

The fraternity under Roger Maier made significant gains in almost every sector of fraternity life. Roger was a strong leader, a man who demonstrated characteristics found only in a president well composed and self-confident in his duties. Furthermore, he was highly respected for his precision musicianship as a trumpet player, he found this an asset to his image as president of Kappa Sigma Chapter.

Roger had a unique ability to make things appear completely under control when in actuality they were on the brink of turmoil; consequently everyone felt things were better than they actually were. This was beneficial in most cases but detrimental in a few; there was always the possibility that trouble areas could be left unperceived until it was almost too late to alleviate the difficulty. Unsolved problems inherited from the preceeding [sic] year concerning lack of responsibility, interest, and enthusiasm continued to cling to the chapter, impeding progress and remaining an ever-present nuisance to a perplexed Maier administration. Furthermore, more difficulties were rising to the surface concerning the fraternity's relations with SAI; there had been a left over ambivalence among the members of Kappa Sigma Chapter concerning the members of SAI. A growing antagonism toward the women was to prevail throughout the entire year. Internal conflicts in the executive board concerning the nature and realizable quality of group musicianship were to open more wounds in a fraternity body that was already torn with lacerations. These and other disputes concerning the general administration of chapter activities were jeapardizing [sic] the spirit of the organization, dashing it to the ground before it had a chance to reach the first stages of maturity.

Mr. Maier had problems on his hands when he took over the presidency of Kappa Sigma Chapter. The etnire chapter under his leadership met the challenge before them; they were able to surmount most of their difficulties to the end that they became a music fraternity in a truer sense than ever before.

Committee Structure

As far as can be ascertained, the chapter was organized in a somewhat loose fashion in the fall of 1962 but in a manner more practical than the committee structure of 1961-62 called for with its unwieldy concentration of responsibility in the persons of the program committee. The program committee was again broken down into its constituent parts and separated into several committee areas with different committee chairmen responsible only to the executive board and the deliberative assembly--and not to an intervening program committee chairman as well.

James Goff was elected chorus director in the preceeding [sic] spring and appointed music chairmen [sic] as well for the new year. The social and rush subcommittees were combined under the heading of the new social committee; the social committee chairman appointed by the president was Ron Franklin. The radio subcommittee chairman became the radio committee chairman in the person of Rudy Hirschmann who had returned in the fall from his year of study in Germany. The usher chairman appointed by the president was Richard Kraemer.

The pledge and ritual committees remained the same in form as those in the previous year; Ken Lundberg acted as chairman of the pledge committee and pledgemaster, Richard Kraemer as chairman of the ritual committee. A new recording committee was instituted in the October 2 meeting with Rudy Hirschmann acting as chairman; the duties of the new committee prescribed by the chapter involved the responsibility of tape-recording concerts and recitals sponsored by the music department.

The following is the committee structure in outline form:

Meetings

The meetings for the 1962-63 school year were held every Wednesday at the Union at 12:30 P.M.; in the second semester they were held during the evening meal on Wednesdays at Brandt Hall's cafeteria. The format for meetings remained similar to that used in the preceeding [sic] year. Meetings were run more efficiently due to the fact that President Maier wielded a heavy gavel, almost to the point of suppressing the freedom of the deliberative assembly. In fact, the membership came dangerously near the point of becoming a puppet legislature early in the year; the assembly seemed to be passing and rejecting proposals as they appeared to affect the whims of the president-- and let it be said that for the most part his opinions were among the wisest. The assembly did what they perceived Maier wanted and little else; when members spoke on issues the president openly reacted, and they took note of his reaction.

But this was almost a necessity under the circumstance. If it was to take coercion on the part of the president to being a legislative body from self-contradiction and confusion to consistancy and efficiency, then it had to be done. Irrelevancies were still thrown out in discussion; and many members still voted for or against proposals for tenuous reasons indicative of very little clear-cut thinking on their part. When irrelevant considerations were brought out in discussion, President Maier would interrupt the speaker telling him that his words were not pertinent to the core of the discussion, or he would just mumble, "No-no."

The whole situation is difficult for the historian to evaluate. One thing is certain: Roger Maier had a nose for parliamentary order and precedence; he seldom permitted an out-of-order motion to reach discussion. Most of the deliberative assembly of which he was chairman had not yet experienced a meeting well-organized under parliamentary procedure as outlined in the Robert's Rules of Order. They had a tendency to regard chapter meetings as bull sessions to let off steam and to let their opinions be heard whenever and wherever possible, even if they had no bearing on the question placed on the floor for deliberation. Roger Maier attempted to lead the legislative body to a higher degree of efficiency and maturity; by the spring of 1963 an inexperienced legislative body begane to feel the first marks of maturity, ever so slightly and in a limited sense--they still had much to learn. The executive board for the 1962-63 school year is to be commended and remembered for its attempts to achieve solutions to the problems reflecte din the weekly business meetings.

Radio Committee

Rudy Hirschmann organized the radio committee in a manner similar to that of his predecessor, Alan Julseth. One slight but significant change was made: the resposibility for broadcasting radio shows was delegated in a less voluntary and more obligatory manner. Hirschmann kept a list of all members who were taking charge of radio shows; those who were not became objects of Mr. Hirschmann's pressure and persuasion even and especially during the course of fraternity meetings. The chapter's "dead wood" became exposed to group pressure in consequence, and a more concentrated effort to increase participation in fraternity affairs resulted.

A change in policy concerning SAI and the radio show took place in the 1962-63 school year. SAI was refused permission by Kappa Sigma Chapter to take any of the radio programs scheduled for the chapter in the near school year due to an inconsistancy in its willingness to take the responsibility of radio programs during the previous spring. The entire programing [sic] schedule was to [sic] Kappa Sigma's from start to finish. This ultimatum did not lie very well among the members of SAI; but not much was said between the two executive boards concerning the matter.

The programs were similar in kind to those categorically defined in the previous school year. The highlight of the broadcasting season occurred with the broadcast of a special Christmas show on December 9, the Sunday before Christmas vacation. In addition to Christmas carols the show included a Christmas message by O.P. Kretzmann, the president of Valparaiso University, who occupied the same booth with the announcers from Kappa Sigma, Roger Maier and Jim Kasdorf. Also included in the program was the presentation of three recorded plays by the Speech and Drama Department.

Usher Committee

Richard Kraemer took over the responsibility of the usher committee and immediately revised the manner in which ushers were to be scheduled. Mrs. Nickel had been complaining about the fact that Kappa Sigma Chapter had been remiss in its usher responsibilities. As in the case of the radio committee and in a more drastic manner, the elements of dead weight in the chapter were shaken-up by an obligatory system of ushering; this was the only answer to a problem in which there were not only members who refused to volunteer but also members who were delinquent once they had volunteered. Each person was requested to usher the same number of times according to the schedule set-up by Kraemer at the beginning of the semester. If a person could not usher at that time he was scheduled to do so, he was made responsible to find his own subsitute from among the brothers. Furthermore, it was instituted that one person would be designated in charge of each usher crew that was assigned and that he and all others would have their names turned in to Mrs. Nickel at least three days prior to each usher date; this arrangement was made by negotiations between the userh chairman and Mrs. Nickel.

With the exception of the first usher date, the system worked efficiently to the satisfaction of Kappa Sigma Chapter and of Mrs. Nickel. Usher dates included the following: the Heiler Concert in October; the homecoming Wind Ensemble Concert; the second Wind Ensemble Concert; four performances of the opera, Barber of Seville; the Chapter Choir's performance of the Passion of St. Matthew by Bach, and the Intercollegiate Band Festival. A total of twenty persons were needed for the Intercollegiate Band Festival held April 26-28; the men set-up the chairs and stands at the Union for practice on Friday and at the Chapel for performance on Sunday; furthermore, there were men working on Saturday at registration, in the evening for entertainment, and on Sunday to usher for the perfomance. Four men served as hosts to two choirs on April 19 and 20 for the weekend of the Valparaiso University Church Music Seminar; the two choirs: Concordia Teacher's College Choir, River Forest, and Concordia Senior College Cantata Singers, Fort Wayne.

Music Committee

Kappa Sigma Chapter had been tormented by continual procrastination during its first full year as a fraternity, especially with respect to its vital function in concert performance. The chapter under the administration of Roger Maier brought about a decisive improvement--concerts and special engagements materialized without the continual cancellations so characteristic of the previous year's activity. This is not to say that there was no attempt at postponement. Jim Goff, music chairman, made an attempt to cancel almost every Phi Mu Alpha concert scheduled on the music calendar because he felt the group was not prepared in each instance--and he was right. But in each case Mrs. Nickel, secretary of the Music Department, refused his request because of the ruling made by the department that nothing could be cancelled once it was scheduled on the music calendar. This forced the chapter to meets its commitments for better or for worse. It is in the opinion of this writer that it was for the betterment of the chapter; it was perhaps the greatest single factor that served to break the fraternity of its dilatory actions.

There was only one reason for the attempted delays. As was intimated in the previous paragraph every concert of the year was only half-way prepared. Before the chapter could polish-off anything either instrumentally or vocally, it was forced to perform in concert under its schedule obligations. Performances by the men lacked that added touch that makes all the difference between a qualitative performance and one tainted with mediocrity; there were few exceptions to the above. Reasons why are several in kind.

A rather obvious excuse for the imperfections of concert performances is that the chapter attempted to do more than it could handle at that stage of its development. Three formal concerts, other engagements, ushering dates, rush schedules, radio shows--all served to fill an overcrowded schedule for the young fraternity. There simply as [sic] not enough time for the group to prepare adequately considering its limitations in experienced personnel; furthermore, everyone had academic responsibilities to meet.

Another causal factor to the problem of concert performance was provided by inexperience in the music committee. Jim Goff had been appointed a committee of one serving as both chorus director and music chairman; his appointment had been made mainly because he had done a respectable job as co- ordinator of the pledge recital for his pledge class in the previous spring. During the 1962-63 school year Jim evidenced a peculiar knack at co-ordinating good programs on paper incorporating quality musical compositions and a good balance between ensemble and solo work in both voice and instrumental music. But the mechanics involved between theory and practice were too much for Mr. Goff to handle. It is not altogether certain that he should have been expected to do so; he should have had help with his duties in the form of a music committee appointed by action of the executive board. He was expected to check-up continually concerning the progress each man was making on his respective part on the concert program; in conjunction with his he was expected to contact all accompianists and assign them their parts; he was expected to see that that [sic] programs for the concert were printed in time; and he was expected to regulate all the basic technicalities in concert such as time lapse between numbers, the change in location of the piano, harpsichord, or music stands, etc. It is agreed that these responsibilities were an unusually heavy burden for one man; nevertheless, Jim was congnizant of the nature and scope of his duties and scarcely accomplished them with a degree of perfection. The one exception concerned programs: both for the Fall Musicale and for the spring Lenten Concert Jim organized respectable printed programs complete with program notes.

Mr. Goff as choir director was a victim of circumstances and inexperience. He didn't have as much experience in conducting; the male chorus quickly perceived this, and seeds of dissension were sown from the outset. At first the men tried to work with Mr. Goff; but with each of his mistakes came a growing spontaneous doubt concerning his competency at conducting. In footnote to this it must be noted that not all rehearsal problems are to be attributed to Mr. Goff; inconsistant attendance on the part of a few encumbered the group with an unnecessary repetition of sectional rehearsals at a time in the schedule when all should have known their parts.

Everyone kept their patience with Jim, but not without a bit of grumbling--everyone, that is, except Dave Eifert who became particularly outspoken and frequently stormed out of the 6:15 rehearsals on Wednesday nights or he would just stand silent throughout the rehearsals glaring at Mr. Goff and refusing to sing a note. Mr. Goff improved somewhat; the sympathies of the chapter were with Mr. Goff as Mr. Eifert continued to throw tantrums and lash out at the entire chapter questioning the musicianship of every member in the group. This was to lead to the ultimate alienation and expulsion of Dave Eifert from the chapter in the spring of 1963.

The male chorus performed for the Valparaiso University Women's Guild National Convention on September 29, 1962; they sang for the 11:15 Sunday Services at Immanuel Lutheran Church both on October 14 and 28; and the entire chapter performed for its first formal concert of the year in Gloria Christi Chapel on November 20. Programs from performances can be found in the pages immediately following this section of the chapter history. In addition, the chorus sang a program of Christmas carols on December 7 at the Norman Beatty Hospital in the ward for senile oldsters.

Christmas Caroling

Christmas brought a second consecutive year of Christmas caroling and all its attendant merriment. The members and pledges dressed up in long mufflers and gloves and were accompanied by candle lanterns and torches provided by Bill Wessler and Roger Maier; Mr. Goff directed the group wearing a long orange and black stripped [sic] muffler cap that kept flopping in his face whenever he directed.

They caroled at all the women's dorms, Deaconness Hall, and Sheele Hall. Furthermore, they cut across the fields of snow between the union and O.P.'s house and caroled to a Dr. Kretzmann surrounded by young ladies sitting by the fireside in his living room. (The young ladies from Altruria Hall had won the privilege of an evening with O.P. in a Sultan Sale sponsored by the Student Senate on Homecoming Weekend in the fall.) Dr. Kretzmann expressed his gratitude and told the membership to come again the following year for a longer stay when they wouldn't be horning in on his good pleasure with the young ladies. The caroling group tasted the contents of Dr. Nickel's private library (a liquour [sic] cabinet giving all the outward appearances of an enclosed book shelf), tasted the concents of Prof. Kroeger's hot buttered rum, and finally the contents of the overly-spiked eggnog of Dr. Powell. They ended the evening singing, "Deck the Falls with Jows of Molly."

Rush and Pledging

Eleven names were submitted to the executive board for purposes of rushing in the fall rush program: Don Hoirup, Earl Martens, Terry Bernhardt, Roger Giese, Pete Racquet, Harvey Cox, Frank Kroston, Wayne Leupold, Robert Meyer, Bill Hovey, and Matt Earle. The first smoker was held on Sunday, Spetember 30, 1962, at 8:00 P. M. in the Union, six of those who were invited to rush were present (the first six persons listed above). The second smoker was held at the Union on October 7 at 8:00 P. M. Both smokers had been card playing, cigarette-smoking events with refreshments. The last rush event was a date party in rooms A and B of the Union on Sunday, October 14 from 8:00 to 10:00 P. M. Ron Franklin had decorated the room in fine taste for an autumn dance party; corn shocks, a corn stack, gourds, and candelit tables added that touch which was needed to convert a bleak room in the Union to a room warm and conductive to date situations among good friends.

Pledge invitations were voted on in a brief meeting of the active membership late that same night; those invited to pledge were requested to return their acceptance by noon the next day, October 15. There were five returns, and the following were inducted into pledgeship on October 17:

Dr. Eifrig was approached to become a chapter honorary that semester, but he refused.

The pledge period lasted for three months, and the class performed its pledge recital on January 11, 1963. The recital was highlighted by a solo by Don Hoirup; the pledge chorus was accompanied by active Phil Seyer. No program of the recital is available. The pledge project was to be the furnishing of a room in Kinsey Hall for the chapter; a room was not acquired, and the project did not materialize.

The pledge class was initiated under the new ceremony adopted by the fraternity in the fall of 1962 (see Appendix A). The cast for the new ceremony was

The adoption of the new ritual form (written by Richard Kraemer) in the early fall, Dave Eifert resigned from his position as ritual chairman, although he still consented to ..... ..... ..... .....; Richard Kraemer was appointed the new ritual chairman, directed the ritual for the initiation of the Fall Pledge Class, and continued at this post for the entire year.

Membership

Several changes in the status of the fraternity's members occurred during the fall of 1962. Joseph McCall had not replied in the previous spring to a request that he submit a letter seeking transfer to alumni status. Discussion concerning this silence on his part took place in the meeting of October 10; it was not determined what action should be taken. Discussion was tabled twice in succeeding meetings, and it was not decided to place him on alumni status with or without his concent until the spring semester chapter report was completed. The active membership had seriously considered a suspension or expulsion of Mr. McCall but decided to the negative for diplomatic and political reasons considering Mr. McCall's position as a faculty member of Valparaiso University's Music Department.

Alan Julseth left Valpo's campus to study in Germany for one year at Freiburg and was therefore placed in inactive staus because of his leave-of-absense. Rudy Hirschmann returned from Göttingen and was placed back on active member status.

Ted Mesh missed practically every meeting, rehearsal and function of the fraternity in the previous spring. He sent a letter to the executive board on September 4 asking that his membership be completely terminated. In compliance with his wishes and under the jurisdiction of the chapter by-law passed in the previous spring that three unexcused absences in a roll constitutes suspension, the chapter suspended and furthermore expelled Mr. Mesh in the meeting of October 10.

John Friedman was transferred to inactive status due to a leg injury and duties that demanded his attention as Vice-president of the Student Senate. Bob Douglas was transferred to inactive status because he had left school to work. Dave Eifert and John Tews were both expelled from the chapter in the spring. (See Expulsion File)

SAI

Perhaps the most fitting introduction to the subject of relations between SAI and Phi Mu Alpha during the year 1962-1963 can be provided in the form of a quote; it is from a letter sent to Dave Eifert from Roger Maier which was written on the back of the fraternity questionnaire sent out that summer prior to the beginning of school. Roger writes: "We are going to have trouble with SAI next year because L. Melinate [sic] and L. Kraft--the cyanide sisters--are going to be running their show."--and again in a letter from Maier on June 20: "Also we should think about what we can do with SAI if anything--Lucy Melinat is going to be President next year and you know how she can get sometimes. I don't look forward to a very profitable year with them but we will have to wait and see and make the most out of it."

The year was not too "profitable" with them as could be predicted from the prospectus offered by President Maier. Some of it was due to personality clashes between the two executive boards. Most of it was due to Miss Melinate's [sic] unflinching hold to SAI's glorious past of exclusive supremacy in the music department which was in danger of being overthrown by the men of Kappa Sigma, and in fact practically speaking had been overthrown in just two and a half years.

SAI did usher for the fall musicale as well as the spring American Musicale. Also Kappa Sigma Chapter and SAI did manage to get together on a social basis on December 5 at 8:30 at the home of Dr. Oliver Graebner. The Graebner's were Roger Maier's uncle and aunt; furthermore, Mrs. Graebner was a patron of SAI. The event was a Christmas party. Whether it was because of the season or the fireside refreshments of spiked egg nog and cookies, I cannot tell, the party had an atmosphere of frivolity and cordiality of a new high for SAI-Phi Mu Alpha relations. But unfortunately for the most part, the prevelant [sic] state of relations was one strained almost to the breaking point.

Finances

The budget for the 1962-1963 fraternity year was set in the previous spring at $396.00. There had to be additional assessments in the spring of 1963 because it was found that the budget was not adequate to fit the needs of the chapter. This was due to a large extent to the fact that monies were not carefully handled under proper budget headings for the separate committees. Committees did not keep a record of their designated budget; both the music and social committees overstepped their budget sooner than expected. Furthermore, money was appropriated for items not included in the budget; the cost of installing two chapter honoraries in the spring (somewhere between $80 and $100) was not included in the budget. To complicate matters that which was included in the budget was in at least one case denied in preference to extra-budgetary concerts: the spring convention fee of $25.00 was not paid; the tab had to be picked up by the chapter in the following year when its budget had not called for such an appropriation. (No one was aware until the following year that the convention tax had not been paid in the spring). One further item left for the following year and not specifically included in the budget was the cost of flowers for the triple-pinning ceremony in May, 1963. The problem of members remiss in their payment of dues was met with the same measure adopted the previous year: a time limit was set and a $5.00 fine levied to those not meeting the deadline without sufficient reasons.

Spring Semester

The spring semester brought little change in procedures. A new ticket chairman, Roger Giese, was made responsible for ticket distribution and collection for the St. Matthew Passion and the opera. A publicity committee of two was established to gain better publicity coverage for concerts and other events: Bill Wessler, Roger Giese. Dave Schmidt was added to the social committee for work on the formal.

New Secretary

Dave Eifert resigned his position as secretary for obvious reasons. In addition to his conflicts with the chorus director, Mr. Goff, he continued to question the chapter's progress to the point of ridicule. This was a little more than the chapter could take with its past already permeated with negativity. Mr. Eifert's approach to the situation was not at all helpful; he said nothing of which the chapter was not already aware--his actions only made the situation worse.

Some pledges from the fall pledge class said that they were both shocked and perplexed to see Dave storm out of a rehearsal. The whole incident did nothing to bolster their fraternal spirit in this impressionable period of pledgeship.

So Dave Eifert resigned his executive position--his reasons were that academic work and the opera were taking up his time. The fraternity knew differently. No one was very sorry to see him go inactive that semester; most of the members were relieved. With his exit came a release of tension in the brotherhood.

After further inquiry that semester it was found that Mr. Eifert had decided to terminate his relations with Kappa Sigma Chapter and wrote a letter to this effect. At the encouragement of Mr. Maier and Mr. Lundberg, the president and vice-president, Dave Eifert was promptly expelled from the chapter in May.

The new secretary who served from February 20, 1963 to the end of the semester was Jim Kasdorf.

Spring Rush and Pledging

The spring rush took place in Februrary; information concerning exact dates is not available-- there are no secretarial minutes in the files for either the months of January or February. This was the transition period between Eifert and Kasdorf. I can trust only my vague recollection concerning the first two rush parties and on my own certainty concertning the third party. The first two rush parties were smokers held in the Union--smokers similar to those held in prior rush schedules. The third rush party was a date party at Hilltop House, a university owned co-op, at the time located at 818 Union. The party was held in the basement which had been decorated as a rustic but quaitn French Latin Quarter hideway. Bill Wessler had acquired original paintings and chalk drawings from Mr. Elder of the Art Department; these were hund [sic] in appropriate locations around a candle-lit room. The party was chaperoned by Norm Hannewald as well as Dr. and Mrs. Nickel all of whom joined in the festivities. The most comically matched couple for the evening was Ken Lundberg and SAI's L. Melinat. Jim Kasdorf, who had not acquired a date for the party, still attended the party in a clerical collar blessing everyone with his Roman Missal and pater nosters.

The results of the spring rush: the largest pledge class in Kappa Sigma's history:

The pledge period was very long, one marked with a few conflicts between actives and pledges. Ken Lundberg, pledgemaster, did not like the choice of music made by the pledge class and ran into conflict almost at the outset; the music was changed with much reluctance and some hurt feelings in the pledge class. A second difficulty was incurred with the "blackball" that took place at the very end of the pledge period. George Weller was blackballed because of his nonchalant attitude--and total lack of enthusiasm for the fraternity and its objectives. It took only five to blackball him; six members voted to terminate his relations with the chapter.

Extreme repercussions from the pledge class did occur as a result of the action of the actives. Emergency meetings of the pledge class were called. Threats were leveled and challenges hurled. The main reasons that the pledge class challeneged the decision of the active membership can be stated thusly:

Mr. Weller, in the opinion of the pledges, had made a valid contribution to the pledge program; in fact, on the day when rumors of a blackball were spread Mr. Weller finished drawing the plans for the pledge project (a 1½ by 2½ ft. board with the fraternity crest set in relief). The second objection raised by the pledge class: executive board knowing he was blackballed let him finish the plans before they informed him of his status in the evening.

The executive board's reaction: the fraternity's right to blackball could not be questioned on these grounds or any others similarly stated. The pledge class must not question the action of the fraternity with these irrelevant considerations.

Reply of the pledge class: You blackball Weller and the whole pledge class will de-pledge.

I was at Hilltop House on that evening. Most of the members of Kappa Sigma Chapter lived there including Roger Maier. Weller was in residence there. I witnessed an angry Roger Maier, his face flushed with indignation, and an equally stubborn and obnoxious Bill Meissner, the president of the pledge class. They had argued for some time in Meissner's apartment at 810 Monroe Street.

Results of the dispute: Weller was blackballed; the pledge class went active. But some strong- minded members of the pledge class never forgave the active membership for their action. "Remember George Weller" was a cry that threatened to widen a clearage in the brotherhood of Kappa Sigma chapter. Some of the pledges sought to set this example as a precedent for future action whereby they might reek [sic] revenge. Whatever the effects of the Weller case, it is certain fro the viewpoint of this writer that the whole incident was distorted out of rational proportions. The sooner it would be forgotten, the better for all concerned.

The pledge period was marked by usher assignments filled by members of the pledge class and requirements that the little brother meet with his big brother weekly. The pledges performed their pledge recital on March 31 and were initated by ritual following the recital. A copy of the pledge recital can be found following this section. The ritual team was different from that team which served the first semester:

On May 15, Dr. O. P. Kretzmann and Dr. Richard Wienhorst were formally inducted into honorary membership in the Kappa Sigma Chapter by a private ceremony of installation that took place in Dr. Kretzmann's office. Those present were Dr. Newman Powell, the executive board of the 1962-63 fraternity year headed by Roger Maier, and the new executive board for the coming year headed by Richard Kraemer. President Kretzmann stated that this was the first student organization on campus that he considered joining in all his some twenty years as president of Valparaiso University. Dr. Wienhorst expressed his thanks in a less grandiose manner peculiar only to Dr. Wienhorst. Those conferring the honors felt more honored than those being honored.

Music Committee

Jim Goff remained both the chorus director and the music chairman during most of the spring semester. In the meeting of February 27 he was given assistance in his duties as music chairman; Phil Seyer and Don Hoirup were appointed to the music committee. Mr. Goff's responsibilities were actually too great for one person, as has been stated before; it is doubtful, however, that Mr. Seyer and Mr. Hoirup did much to lend him assistance.

Formal concerts were generally as insecure as the November concert of the previous semester. Any critic would have been hard put to grade these events for over-all effect. There was a strange incongruity; the performances of Professor Kroeger on piano and Roger Maier on trumpet were almost beyond reproach, especially when compared to some of the performances of other instrumentalists. The greatest obstacle to finesse in concert performance was the contagious panic which spread through the chapter the week before every concert date. Mr. Goff was again attempting cancellations, and if not cancellations, cuts from the programs. He cut two numbers from the program that involved the male chorus on the day of the American Musicale leaving the group with but one number to sing, "A Nun Takes the Vale." He had to cut another ensemble number from the program because he had forgotten to give Professor Kroeger the continuo part in time; furthermore the group had not had a sufficient number of rehearsals together.

Not all of the problems incurred before performances were the fault of the music committee that spring. The publicity committee was unable to distribute adequate publicity for the Lenten Concert. No one took the responsibility to get programs printed for the American Musicale; Roger Maier had to announce the entire program.

The following are the events of the semester: in addition to the Lenten Concert of March 21 and the American Musicale of April 23, the members sane some madrigals for the Valparaiso University Guild meeting of the local guild on the evening of March 5 at West Hall of the Union. SAI was also scheduled to perform, or as one person put it, "Lucy Melinat and her SAI girls." Miss Melinat took up three quarters of the performance time playing her recorder for one section and her violin in a violin duet with Miss Kraft in the other section; she directed the SAI women's chorus to complete the program for SAI and Miss Melinat.

The chapter also sang a near duplicate of the Lenter [sic] Concert for the Northshort Valparaiso University Guild at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Evanston, Illinois, on May 5. They received $50.00 plus meal and transportation costs. Mr. Lundberg conducted the chorus; he had taken over conducting responsibilities from Mr. Goff by vote of the deliberative assembly. He had been asked to resign because of the growing hostility which had grown between him and the male chorus. Mr. Goff responded with dignity and left his position peaceably. It was regrettable that the problem had been left to continue for so long both to the frustration of Mr. Goff and of the fraternity.

Mr. Lundberg also conducted the chorus for a chapel service in May and for the triple pinning ceremony of Terry Bernhardt and Beth Orling, Earl Martens and Elise Hoermann, and Phil Seyer and Louise Kraft. The pinning ceremony took place on May 15 at pinning lake; the pinning ceremony was the setting for the world premiere of the new pinning song written by Phil Seyer which can be found in the chapter's music library.

Formal

The first spring formal for Kappa Sigma Chapter was held on May 3, 1963. A quote from the minutes of March 6 will give the reader some knowledge of the initial indecision which occurred:

(Available halls) "Golden Arrow $75, Pavillion in Gary $82, Gary Hotel, Panelled Room Whiting Hotel at $50... Motion made and passed, 'If we have a formal to have it on 3 May.' 'That we have a formal.' 'The attempt be made to find a hall at no cost.' Withdrawn: 'That the fraternity take measures to avoid trouble.' Passed: 'That drinking of alcoholic beverages be permitted, subject to building rules.'"

The Midway Ballroom at Cedar Lake was finally secured for $70 (price included hat checker and use of a bar with private liquors brought in from the outside with no check for identification concerning drinking age.) Roger Maier was a member of the band for the forma, "The Kasuals." Roger volunteered his services for nothing thereby reducing the rent of the band to $70. Formal favors (sugar sacks engraved with the fraternity signature to be worn as a beach garment) were bought at a cost of $49. We paid a student bartender $5.00 for mixing drinkgs from bottles with our names written on them and bought $5.00 worth of the mix to be used by everyone.

The formal was a success for the fraternity; all seemed to be relaxed an in high spirits (some of the high spirit, of course, was due to the liquid refreshment.) Dr. and Mrs. Powell and Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt (Dave's parents) chaperoned. Terry Bernhardt and Beth Orling were pinned that evening; the announcement was made to that effect by the president. Congratulations were extended to Ron Franklin and Dave Schmidt for a job well done.

Beer and Happy Times

Many times during the year the group got together at Bill Wessler's home for beer parties--at the condemnation of Dave Eifert who accused the organization of going the route of all social fraternities. On the contrary, the group needed something to cemet it together socially and fraternally. Without the beer parties, the formal, festivities at Christmas time, and the growing rapport emerging from other corners of fraternity life, it is inconceivable that the group could have become as closely knit as it became that crucial year under Roger Maier. The seeds of fraternity spirit were beginning to sprout into seedlings of brotherhood; it was a good thing for the actives to experience after so long a struggle for identity.

The parties were fun, plain and simply put. The brothers would drift from the den to the kitchen to the living room, playing the piano or just plain shooting the bull (and a lot of that was done.) Terry Bernhardt spent a memorable night at the Wessler home sitting in a chair, his face flushed with laughter after only two cans of beer; in fact, he just continued laughing as we put him to bed. Ron Franklin had a leg injury as he went skipping out the front door only to catch his foot in a shallow hole; he spent the next weekend at the dance on crutches. Yes, these were great times!

The House

The controversial issue of the semester concerned the acquisition of a fraternity house. Such an undertaking had been seriously considered the charter year, talked about the second year, and now once again seriously discussed. Hill-top House was considered and dropped when it was heard that it would no longer be rented to students for a co-op house.

After a two month debate and much deliberation concerning the financial obligations of those not living in the house during the coming year, it was decided to lease a house in a special meeting in May held in the balcony of the Chapel. (The meeting happened to be called in the Chapel location because the men had just finished a rehearsal there to sing for Chapel Services on the following Wednesday.) The house under consideration was that owned by Delta Theta Alpha located at 605 Lincolnway; the house was being leased at that time by Pi Kappa Alpha who was holding the lease for one more year but had no use for the house--they had just completed a new annex that they needed to occupy. Both Roger Maier and president-elect Richard Kraemer spoke to the group at that meeting in May at the Chapel asking for a definite and final decision from the chapter; both extolled the virtues of having a house asserting that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages. Kraemer stressed that the house would be a failure if group unity would not swing behind the proposal whole-heartedly.

On May 8, 1963, Richard Kraemer was appointed chairman of a committee comprised of Earl Martens, Bill Erat, and Bill Meissner established to check into leasing negotiations and to draw up a house budget to be included in the general budget for 1963-64. In the first week of June, Richard Kraemer, Earl Martens, Jim Kasdorf, and Gerry Tietje (officers for the 1963-64 school year) signed a sub-lease from Pi Kappa Alpha for the house owned by Delta Theta Phi ocated [sic] at 605 Lincolnway. An outline of the house budget, the general fraternity budget, and the conditions of the lease will be given in the next section of the history for 1963-64--a copy of the sub-lease will follow that section. Also, all matters pertaining to the house that occurred during the summer of 1963 will be discussed at the beginning of the next section of the chapter history.

Elections

A nominating committee consisting of Bernhardt, Hirschmann, Lundberg, Gross, Maier, Haas, Martens, and Kasdorf drew up a slate of candidates which was voted on in the meeting of May 1. Although some nominations were received from the floor, the slate from the nominating committee was elected:

Summary

The year was a productive one for Kappa Sigma Chapter. Some potentialities were realized. Activities were expanded, and committee responsibilities became more complex--it is not by mistake or longwindedness that this is the longest section in the chapter history to date; more was accomplished this year than in either of the two previous years. Growth was so apparent that there was an optimism found in the chapter for the first time in its history. And it was not a "cock-eyed" optimism. Too many scratches and scars had occurred for the fraternity to imagine itself moving into a fairyland of unreality where everything comes up roses. The men of Kappa Sigma Chapter were slowly but definitely learning from their past mistakes; no real growth could have occurred without the type of learning process that experience gave them.

Mistakes still permeated the chapter from executive board to the weakest link in the committee structure; but mistakes were of a more gentle variety, easier to take and more conducive to constructive outgrowth. Yet, the chapter could never have been satisfied with these errors if it was to realize a fuller potential. It was a time to move positively in the light of what the chapter had become, not in fear of which it might become.

During the last meeting under the heading of new business before the installation of officers Richard Kraemer moved the unanimous adoption of a resolution thanking Dave Haas, Rudy Hirschmann, Ken Lundberg, and Roger Maier for their unfailing zeal for the chapter's program since their charter year in 1962. Special gratitude was extended to Roger Maier and Ken Lundberg for the inestimable contribution to Kappa Sigma's development in their capacities as the first two presidents of the chapter. This resolution was but a small token of the gratitude which the chapter could not fully articulate at that moment. Their real gratitude could not be found on a paper of written resolve; it was found in the hearts and minds of those Sinfonians present. It lives in the fond memories of alumni who struggled through those first years, who endured through the moments of frustration as well as the moments of returning rewards. The resolution was passed with a standing ovation of resounding unaninimity. [sic] A brotherhood was in the making.