Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Fraternity for College Band members is an organization operating exclusively in the field of the college and university bands, and for the following several purposes:

1. To promote the existence and welfare of the college and university bands and to cultivate at large a wholesome respect for their activities and achievements.
2. To honor outstanding band members through privilege of membership extended as a reward fro technical achievement and appreciation for the best in music.
3. To stimulate campus leadership and promulgate an uncompromising respect through the medium of the college band for gracious conduct, good taste, and unswerving loyalty.
4. To foster a close relationship between college bands and promote a high average of attainment by the performance of good music and selection of worthwhile projects.
5. To provide a pleasant and helpful social experience for all engaged in college band work and to cooperate with other musical organizations in any manner consistent with the purposes of the institution at which chapters are located
    

   What is Kappa Kappa Psi?

Kappa Kappa Psi operates primarily as a student service and leadership recognition society whose chief aim is to assist the Director of Bands in developing the leadership and enthusiasm that is required of his/her band. Our goals are to provide the band not only with organized and concentrated service activities, but to give our membership valid and wholesome experiences in organization, leadership and social contracts. The honorary nature of membership is based on our premise that "it is an honor to be selected to serve" this band, its department of music, its sponsoring institution, and the cause of band music in the nation's colleges and universities.

The Fraternity is presently located in over 150 colleges and universities. Since 1919 more than 50,000 interested bandmembers have devoted their efforts to strengthening their bands through group and individual service projects. The Fraternity's program of continued service to Music has attracted the attention of the best in American band tradition. We number among our ranks John Philip Sousa, Karl King, Frank Simon, Herbert L. Clarke, Harold Bachman, William D. Revelli and many other contemporary composers, conductors, and music educators.

Through its commissioning program, the Fraternity has presented such noted works as Francis McBeth's "The Seventh Seal", Claude T. Smith's "Symphony < for Band, and Fisher Tull's "Prelude & Double Fugue."

On the local level, chapter responsibilities include numerous concentrated service projects as well as providing the intangible items of morale, spirit, enthusiasm, atmosphere, and attitude within the band. As noted in the preamble of our Constitution and as charged in much of our Ritual, the cultivation and maintenance of an agreeable and enthusiastic attitude is mandatory for all our members, and this serves to foster the wholesome and cooperative spirit that each Director of Bands wants for their band.

The actual petitioning process and colonization period are designed to make sure that the student membership is ready to render valid service to your band, as well as for the Director and Administration to determine if this is the type of organization activity that is needed in the band program. There is a colonization period of one year in which we, the Director of Bands and the students, all have an opportunity to assess any programs the group undertakes. The services of the National Headquarters and any of the surrounding chapters are available to petitioning groups at all times for advice, suggestions and assistance during this period, to insure adherence to our goals.

The educational value to the student of participation in a smaller group's activities cannot be over-emphasized. Experience in planning, organizing, and carrying through projects to benefit the larger band organization are necessary if a well-rounded and responsible student leader is to be trained. The fraternal group as embodied by our active chapters, provides this needed training group for the student by establishing both worthy goals and worthwhile guideposts for a meaningful college experience.

Membership in Kappa Kappa Psi thus becomes an educational and service activity as well as a social one. And it is this kind of activity that enriches the band student's life and sharpens an appreciation for both the best in Music and what it takes to achieve it. It is to this end that our National Fraternity is dedicated, and we cordially invite your participation in this effort.

Founding

In the years that followed World War I, a movement developed among college and university bands, searching for some motivating force that would create a greater interest in band music. This movement sought expression in an effort to develop good will, fellowship and understanding among bands and their members, and to recognize the value of dedicated leadership. Seizing upon this idea, ten members of the Oklahoma A & M College (later to be known as the Oklahoma State University) Band, led by William A. Scroggs and their director, Bohumil Makovsky, drew up a plan for a national honorary society for college bandsmen.

Director Makovsky selected nine men to work with Scroggs to organize the first local club. These ten charter members were: A. Frank Martin, Raymond D Shannon, Clyde Haston, Clayton Soule, Carl Stevens, William Coppedge, Dick Hurst, Asher Hendrickson, and Iron H Nelson. Officers for the local club were elected and William Scroggs was selected as president.

With the local organization complete, a corporation was formed which petitioned the Oklahoma Corporation Commission for a charter. The charter was granted November 27, 1919, and "Kappa Kappa Psi, Honorary Fraternity for College Bandsmen," was established on the Oklahoma State University campus with the local group being known as the "Alpha Chapter."

From the National Website