Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
CT 19
Bundy, Murray Wright, 1891-1989
Phi Beta Kappa Gamma Chapter, Washington State University, Oral History
1982
0.1 Linear feet of shelf space
1 box
Oral history interviews (audiocassettes) about the Gamma of
Washington Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Washington State University.
(MASC STAFF USE) Range 3-4
Collection materials are inEnglish
Phi Beta Kappa began with a small gathering of students on December 5, 1776, at the
College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The aims of the then secret
society were to promote friendship, morality, and learning among the students. Five
of these original members decided on the design for the Phi Beta Kappa medal (or
key) which has been retained to this day. In 1778 members opened the way to election
of nonstudents to the Society, i.e. graduates and others known as alumni and
honorary members. The "secret" side of the Society came to an end in 1831 when the
Phi Beta Kappa branch at Harvard declared that this policy was unsuitable and
abolished it.
The attempt to establish a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Washington State University
(then State College of Washington) was begun on March 12, 1925, when the school was
visited by the National Secretary of Phi Beta Kappa, Dr. Oscar M. Voorhees. Faculty
members Fermen L. Pickett, Frederich D. Heald, and Olaf P. Jenkins arranged for a
meeting between Voorhees and all local Phi Beta Kappa members. It was then that a
goal for establishment of an official chapter by 1928 was set. The charter was
granted by the National Council meeting at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware,
Ohio, in September of 1928. The formal dedication of the Gamma Chapter of Washington
State was held on April 6, 1929, and was presided over by Voorhees. The first
officers elected were: President, Alfred A. Cleveland; Vice-President, Fermen L.
Pickett; Secretary, Helen M. Richardson; and Treasurer, Mrs. William C. Kruegel.
These four, plus Thomas M. Raysor and J. Horace Nunemaker, made up the original
Executive Committee.
Since that time, Phi Beta Kappa has grown along with Washington State University and
continues to promote academic achievement on campus.
The audiocassettes comprise two interviews of Murray Bundy, conducted one week apart in
January 1980 by Margot Knight. They are an oral history of the Gamma of Washington Chapter of Phi
Beta Kappa at Washington State University.
This collection is open and available for research use.
Copyright restrictions apply.
[Item description]
Phi Beta Kappa Gamma Chapter, Washington State University, Oral History, 1982 (CT 19)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
The audiocassettes were transferred to the Archives by Margot Knight in 1981
(MS.1981.24).
These recordings were abstracted in 1985 by Carmen E. Petersen.
Phi Beta Kappa Gamma Chapter, Washington State University, Records, 1925-1980 (Cage 446)
Preliminary Guide to the Phi Beta Kappa Gamma Chapter, Washington State University, Records, circa 1969-1990 (MSSM 011)
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
Bundy, Murray Wright, 1891-1989
Knight, Margot H.
Phi Beta Kappa. Gamma of Washington Chapter (State College of Washington)
Phi Beta Kappa. Gamma of Washington Chapter (Washington State University)
Learned institutions and societies -- Washington (State) -- Pullman -- History
Universities and colleges -- Washington (State) -- Pullman -- Societies, etc.
Greek letter societies -- Washington (State) -- Pullman -- History
Oral Histories
Colleges and Universities
Washington (State)
Series 19/1: Murray Bundy, Ph.D. 1928-56 WSU
English professor, English Dept. Head. Three time Phi Beta Kappa President,
1980-1985
Birthdate of Interviewee: 1891
Geographical Areas Covered: Pullman, WA and Moscow, ID
Interviewer: Margot H. Knight
Location of Interview: Pullman, WA for Phi Beta Kappa
Date of Interview: January 8, 1980
Length of Interview: 65 minutes
Abstractor: Carmen E. Petersen
Date of Abstraction: 19 Feb. 1985
Release: Yes
Restrictions: No
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 0-1
He first came to WSU in 1928--he came just
too late to become a charter member of the Gamma Chapter although he was
associated with them.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 1-7
There were some problems associated with
the forming of the chapter. University of Idaho and the University of
Washington were sponsors for WSU. The University of Idaho opposed WSU's
chapter and were not invited to WSU's first PBK Banquet. His story of
speaking at a recent U of I PBK Banquet. Story of a meeting with George
Vernon Miller in later years.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 7-14
He gets a copy of Oscar Voorhees' letter
about U of I not receiving an invitation. Bundy says that Oscar Voorhees
wrote a letter after he returned from Washington, D.C. on Washington,
D.C. st even though it is dated April 6. Story of secretary being ill
and hence unable to issue invitations was not true. Bundy tells the
story of his late-night argument over the phone with President E. O.
Holland over issuing an invitation to someone at the U of I. Bundy
assured Holland that a person friendly to WSU would be asked to give the
greeting. He personally went to U of I to ask Dean Eldridge to speak at
the WSU banquet.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 14-17
There are discrepancies in Voorhees'
letter. Bundy thinks they are due to honest errors on Voorhees'
part.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 17-18
Problems getting a charter because the
State College of Washington was an agricultural school.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 18-23
Story of how he saved the WSU PBK charter
from being lifted. During the 30s he visited Dr. Northrop, the President
of the National PBK and found out that they were considering lifting
WSU's charter because of misuse of honorary memberships. He assured
Northrop that it would not happen. It was fortunate that he was there.
He spoke to a few members when he returned to insure that, indeed,
misuse of honorary memberships would not become a problem.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 23-25
Does not know about the problems with
California and Whitman over candidate selection in 1927. Talks a bit
more about the later problems with U of I and Voorhees.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 25-28
Reminiscences of the first banquet. "A
pretty speech for a cow college."
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 28-29
He declined the Vice-Presidency in 1928.
He also declined to be Secretary in 1929. He later became President
three times. He didn't particularly like his work on the committee to
choose alumni members.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 29-30
He is opposed to the notion that,
"election is almost exclusively based on a record of high scholarship."
He thinks this is not in keeping with the original criteria for
membership.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 0-1
A bit about the early history of
PBK--early records in Williamsburg.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 1-10
Shimer, the National Secretary visited WSU
in 1936. Shimer visited during the Student Strike--Bundy talks about the
origins of the Strike. Students objected to Administration interference
in their out-of-class lives. The conception of "alma mater." PBK was
untouched by the strike. He doesn't remember any concern about Shimer
visiting during that time.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 10-15
He gets a book which shows pictures of
Shimer and Voorhees. (The History of Phi Beta Kappa by Oscar Voorhees)
Story of meeting Hastings and Gould at the Minneapolis
Triennial.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 15-20
He served on the committee for the F. F.
Potter Scholarship Fund. Talks about Potter, a teacher of philosophy and
Greek. Doesn't recall exact beginning of Potter Fund. He could always
"joyfully disagree" with Potter.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 20-22
The American Scholar, the National PBK
magazine. Does not recall anything about the PBK Defense Fund in
1940.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 22-25
Does not recall the controversy over the
PBK Keys being confused with the President's Keys. Tells the history of
the PBK Key.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 25-30
He feels there has been an indifference to
PBK on the WSU campus unlike the attitude at his alma mater, Cornell.
PBK used to mean more when there were less students elected. Nobody
stands out anymore. The further East one goes, the more prestige
attached to PBK.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 30-35
The Bundy Report--this concerned the 2/3
or 3/4 liberal arts requirement for PBK candidacy. The difficulty
determining what is or is not a liberal arts course. He has always been
"strenuously for the 3/4 law." The controversy is still going
on.
Series 19/2: Murray Bundy, Ph.D. 1928-56 WSU
English professor, English Dept. Head. Three time Phi Beta Kappa President,
1980-1985
Birthdate of Interviewee: 1891
Geographical Areas Covered: Pullman, WA and Moscow, ID
Interviewer: Margot H. Knight
Location of Interview: Pullman, WA for Phi Beta Kappa
Date of Interview: January 15, 1980
Length of Interview: 58 minutes
Abstractor: Carmen E. Petersen
Date of Abstraction: 19 Feb. 1985
Release: Yes
Restrictions: No
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 0-4
More about the 2/3, 3/4 controversy. He
says he did not propose the PBK Lectureships. Does not recall any of the
speakers that came.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 4-7
More about the Minneapolis Triennial in
1955. He attended another Triennial in Burlington but he paid his own
way. Was appointed second delegate. The relationship of the events at
the Triennial and the day-to-day operations at the various chapters. The
Williamsburg Triennial and the Bicentennial coincided. The Triennials
were a reminder of the identity of PBK. "The greatest aggregation of men
to be found in Who's Who." He shows me a copy of the article in the N.
Y. Times about the Williamsburg Triennial which featured him. We look at
some pictures.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 7-15
There were always problems in getting a
quorum for PBK meetings. There is a problem now in getting faculty
members to participate in PBK because many feel that WSU elects too many
to membership. His own feelings about membership numbers. Berkeley has
elected 1400 over 3 years which he feels is too many. Grade inflation
has contributed to the problem.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 15-21
He talks about the job of preparing the
lists of eligible candidates. The problem of seeking courses to get high
grades. Now it is necessary to get permission in order to examine
students' transcripts.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 21-23
In the 70s several candidates publicly
refused membership during award ceremonies. This had happened once in
the 40s when a man was proud of the fact that he had turned down
membership. This prompted a resolution that the members would not be
announced until written acceptances had been received.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 23-24
Generally a handful of faculty members
have kept the Gamma Chapter alive.
1, Side A
Minutes (approx.): 24-30
They always arranged their banquet at a
time when the National PBK Scholars were coming here to
lecture.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 0-10
Story of getting John Trevor, an oriental
Archaeologist for a speaker a few years ago. Another speech by a man
named Jones on philosophy was fascinating. Names other good speakers.
The history of the PBK Oration. "The American Scholar" speech. He has
attended all the banquets. Years ago they gave up wearing
tuxedos.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 10-15
Differences between attitude towards PBK
in the East and the West. Names the early PBK Chapters in western United
States. He thinks students think of it as just another honorary opinion.
He feels that more advertising on the campus would improve the opinion
of PBK.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 15-17
Edward R. Murrow was made an honorary
member. At the time Murrow was here, PBK did not take Speech
Majors.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 17-23
He thinks that more universities in the
West should be urged to form PBK Chapters. Would like to see the wearing
of the vest and key return to restore interest and prestige to WSU
PBK.
1, Side B
Minutes (approx.): 23-28
He regards PBK as the, "outstanding honor
he received as a student." Ella Clark, a former professor, made a great
contribution to the Gamma Chapter.