Tau Chapter was founded at Lasell Seminary in Auburndale, Massachusetts in either June 1881 or in the Fall of 1881. Expense and lack of enthusiasm prevented the development of Tau Chapter and the Chapter was closed by 1882.
Initiates 6 (as of 1882)
Lasell was the last seminary in which the Fraternity placed a charter. Tau, so briefly there, was the first chapter east of Ohio. It is listed in the 1881 Convention and in the minutes of a number of chapters. Its forfeited charter is in the Fraternity archives.
Epsilon, the Grand Chapter at that time, had granted the Tau charter. The 1880-1881 annual report lists the charter members and notes, “This chapter was established in June 1881 by Gamma Chapter” (renamed Beta Gamma). Charter member Carrie Wallace Hussey wrote in 1898, “ … while I was at school (we) thought it would be nice to start such a club … The constitution of one of the Ohio chapters was sent to us and two or three pins … just to see the design … I have always felt guilty that … we let the matter drop … .” Jessie MacMillan wrote in 1908, “My remembrance … is rather vague … I do not recall being initiated.” Grace Fribley Pennell wrote, “Expense and lack of enthusiasm … prevented the development of Tau Chapter … after two meetings, the charter was returned to Delaware, Ohio.”
At the 1882 General Convention, it was voted to recall the charter. The members were to wear their pins and remain Kappa Kappa Gammas, so the names on the charter are in the Kappa directory and Tau is recognized as having existed.
The previous information was excerpted from The History of Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, 1870-1976.
