Joseph L. Settles (1871–1943)
Organized the first meeting. He became a Methodist minister and later led the Los Angeles Rotary Club as executive secretary.
Resources
History of Tau Kappa Epsilon
From five students in Bloomington to more than 300,000 Tekes.
January 10, 1899
The Knights of Classic Lore
On a cold January night, Joseph L. Settles went to a room at 504 East Locust Street in Bloomington, Illinois, to discuss a new society at Illinois Wesleyan University. With James C. McNutt, Clarence A. Mayer, Owen I. Truitt and C. Roy Atkinson, he founded the Knights of Classic Lore, whose purpose was "to aid men in mental, moral, and social development for life."
The founders wanted membership to depend on a man's personal worth and character, not his wealth, titles or social rank. In 1902 the group adopted the Greek letters Tau Kappa Epsilon and rented the Wilder Mansion, the first fraternity house at Illinois Wesleyan.
The Founders
James C. McNutt (1878–1962)
A physician for more than 50 years who helped found two nursing schools. He was the last surviving Founder.
Clarence A. Mayer (1879–1960)
A gifted musician who co-founded the Springfield College of Music and Allied Arts and wrote the Teke Closing Ode.
Owen I. Truitt (1868–1929)
A Methodist minister in central Illinois, and the first Founder to pass into the Chapter Eternal.
C. Roy Atkinson (1877–1930)
The first president of the Knights of Classic Lore and a lifelong musician and choir leader in Bloomington.
Milestones
- 1907–1908
Wallace G. McCauley's speech "Opportunity Out of Defeat" convinces the chapter to stop petitioning Phi Delta Theta and become a national fraternity of its own. THE TEKE magazine debuts in January 1908. William Wilson writes the Declaration of Principles.
- 1909
The first Conclave meets February 17. Beta Chapter is installed at Millikin University on April 17.
- 1921–1926
Ten new chapters complete the first Greek alphabet, Alpha through Omega. The present Coat of Arms is adopted in 1926.
- 1949
The Golden Jubilee Conclave marks 50 years: 79 charters and nearly 16,000 initiates.
- 1958
Zeta-Iota Chapter at the University of Manitoba makes TKE international and the largest social fraternity in the world.
- 1972
Headquarters opens in Indianapolis. It later moves to its current home at 7439 Woodland Drive.
- 1990
The TKE Leadership Academy is established.
- 2010 / 2019
St. Jude becomes the primary philanthropy. TKE commits $10 million over 10 years in 2019.
- 2024
TKE celebrates its 125th anniversary and initiates its 300,000th member at Conclave.
Read the full history
The Teke Guide covers TKE's full history across 36 pages, era by era, with photos from every decade.
Get the Teke Guide