Archives West Finding Aid

The Phi Beta Kappa records have been arranged in three series: Correspondence, 1925-1977, Alphabetical Subject File, 1926-1980, and Member Cards, 1929-1976.

The first series, Correspondence, 1925-1977, contains both in-coming and out-going correspondence from members, officers, and others associated with Phi Beta Kappa at both the local (WSU Gamma Chapter) and national organization level. Included in the correspondence are letters from alumni, members and initiates concerning arrangements for initiation, election to membership, acceptances, and orders for certificates and keys. The Correspondence series is arranged in a single alphabetical/subject series; the subseries "General, 1925-1975" of 34 folders comprises the vast majority of the series and approximately one third of the total records of the WSU Phi Beta Kappa Chapter. Correspondence for the period 1928-1929 (folder 45) also contains minutes of the general meetings; additional correspondence may also be found in the Alphabetical Subject File folders 89-93, entitled "Minutes, Correspondence and Reports, 1961-1975." This division of minutes and correspondence reflects the original order of the records.

The Alphabetical Subject File, 1926-1980, the second series, consists of various materials used in the operation of the local Phi Beta Kappa chapter and its dealings with the national organization. Included in this series are such things as: address changes; committee work; annual reports; constitution and by-laws; delegate's manuals; directories; initiates, membership, and committee lists; minutes; and visiting scholar program materials. Committee work includes material from both Alumni and Scholarship Committees. The Alumni Committee material consists of lists of alumni being considered for membership; Scholarship Committee material includes financial statements, procedural and expense information. Annual reports were made to the National Phi Beta Kappa listing officers, members (new, alumni, honorary), deaths and total membership. Annual treasurer's reports are also in the records. Minutes are primarily of executive committee meetings with some general chapter meetings included. The visiting Scholar Program is sponsored by the National Phi Beta Kappa which annually selects a group of approximately ten scholars for a lecture circuit. Local chapters of Phi Beta Kappa may then select a particular lecturer and find that person to speak on campus. The Alphabetical Subject File, 1926-1980, is arranged in a single alphabetical subject series covering the period from 1926 through 1980, with the bulk of the material in the 1950s through the late 1970s.

The third series, Member Cards, 1929-1976, consists of cards for each member of the local organization and includes such information as member's name, major and minor areas of study, permanent address, date of graduation, and class at time of joining Phi Beta Kappa.