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| Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries |
Cage 321
Rho Epsilon Radio Fraternity Alpha Chapter
Records, 1924-1975
| Back to Finding Aids | |
| Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 Inquiries |
Cage 321
Rho Epsilon Radio Fraternity Alpha Chapter
Records, 1924-1975
The records of Rho Epsilon Radio Fraternity, Alpha Chapter, were deposited in the Washington State University Library in two installments, on April 4, 1976 and June 3, 1976 by Rick Maricle. These records were arranged and described by Roberta Stokes in August 1976. An addition to previous Rho Epsilon Radio Fraternity, Alpha Chapter, was donated to Washington State University Library in June, 1977 (77-21) and February, 1978 (77-21a). They were arranged and described in February, 1978 by Catherine Feher.
The first amateur radio group in the United States was organized in 1910 on the State College of Washington (now Washington State University) campus. In December 1911, this organization, the WSC Radio Club, founded Rho Epsilon as a national radio fraternity and became Alpha Chapter of that group. Although Rho Epsilon was incorporated in 1925, other chapters were not formed until the late 1930s, with the University of Washington's Beta Chapter receiving its charter in 1936. The remaining five chapters: Gamma, University of Idaho; Delta, University of Virginia; Epsilon, Illinois Institute of Technology; Zeta, Montana State College; and Eta, Tri-State College (Indiana), were established shortly after Beta Chapter, and all seven chapters continued in operation until the onset of World War II.
In December 1947 Homer J. Dana, one of the early members of the radio fraternity on the WSU campus and a research engineer, called a meeting for all those interested in reactivating Alpha Chapter. Alpha Chapter succeeded in regrouping late in 1948 and at that time corresponded with the other six chapters with the intention of reestablishing the national organization. Letters were exchanged on this topic, new groups wrote asking for information about Rho Epsilon, but the reactivation of the national fraternity did not take place.
The present location and even the existence of the national fraternity records is in doubt. Soon after the University of Washington's chapter was chartered, members of Beta Chapter were elected national fraternity officers and subsequently requested that all national records and materials be transferred from Pullman to the Seattle area. Apparently this transfer took place, for after the war the president of the reactivated Alpha Chapter wrote to Beta Chapter asking that these records be returned to Pullman. He was informed that Beta Chapter was defunct and that the records were no longer available.
According to the fraternity's constitution, the purpose of Rho Epsilon is "to encourage experimental radio activity among American college students; to foster orderly operation of radio stations; and to endeavor to obtain legislative protection for radio as an experimental science. Secondarily, to establish branches in American educational institutions under suitable conditions."
Today Alpha Chapter of Rho Epsilon is an active student organization on the Washington State University campus.
The records of Rho Epsilon, Alpha Chapter are arranged in nine series: Correspondence, Documents, Licensing Records, Financial Records, Minutes, Membership, Logs, Technical Materials, and Other Records. Where possible, records have been arranged chronologically within the series.
A tenth series has been added, consisting of a later donation of early materials from the founding of the club, circa 1924, to records of the present, ca. 1976. These are topically arranged, in a chronological order whenever possible, divided into Correspondence, Organizational Documents, Membership, Minutes, Technical Materials and Other Items.
CONTAINER LIST