HISTORY

1867

  • Joseph Baldwin opens the North Missouri Normal School and Commercial College

1870

  • An act of Missouri’s General Assembly makes Baldwin’s school into the First District Normal School.

1919

  • The school’s name is changed to Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (the school is also called the Teachers College, and the Kirksville State Teachers College).

1925

  • 16 December Frank Reed Horton at Lafayette College, in Easton Pennsylvania starts the first chapter of Alpha Phi Omega.

1927

  • 17 October, the Founders of the Epsilon Chapter present a petition to the Faculty Council of Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College and to the National Organization of Alpha Phi Omega for a charter.
  • 13 December the 10 Founding Fathers are initiated in the then new Kirk Gym and the members elect Orval B. Craig as the first President.

1934-1939

  • Epsilon Chapter is not active, most likely due to the prevailing economic conditions that limited the number of people that were able to go to college.

1939

  • Spring, the Chapter is reactivated; the President is George Friedmeyer.

1941

  • 11 November first recorded drive for the Red Cross, $1210 donated.

1944-1946

  • Epsilon is again no longer active, apparently because of the lack of people on campus due to the fighting of World War II.

1946

  • Spring, Epsilon is reactivated, the President is Arthur S. Huff.

1946-1967

  • Epsilon runs several service projects. In Walter H. Ryle’s History of the Teacher’s College, there are several projects listed including “helping in campus beautification at Christmas-time by decorating and lighting one of the evergreen trees on the campus; helping the administration each quarter during registration; working with the bloodmobile; helping Blue Key to line up floats for the Homecoming parade; directing traffic at football games; ushering at assemblies and intercollegiate athletic games; helping in Red Cross drives; conducting fingerprinting projects on campus; sponsoring a fall camporee for the Scouts of the Thousand Hills District; acting to provide guides on Parent’s Day.” Ryle also adds that Epsilon “stands ready at all times to lend a helping hand.”
  • Epsilon is recognized in a personal letter from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover for their fingerprinting project.

1957

  • Epsilon hosts the first Ugly Man on Campus Competition at this institution.

1958

  • Epsilon presents a clock that will be used in Kirk Auditorium.

1962

  • Epsilon begins a long reign as the publisher and editor of the homecoming programs, this is a job that the Chapter fulfills well into the 1970’s.

1967

  • The name of the school changes to Northeast Missouri State College.

1972

  • Once again the school’s name is changed from Northeast Missouri State College to Northeast Missouri State University.

1973

  • Epsilon installs squirrel boxes on the University Quad, and is therefore responsible for the overpopulation of squirrels on the university campus. This also leads to a new breed of man eating squirrels

1975-1976

  • April is the first time for Epsilon at Camp Thunderbird, which has become the biggest event of every semester.

1976

  • A Little Sister program is started at Epsilon, with three young women in the first pledge class.

1977

  • Alpha Phi Omega decides to open its doors to women, and Mary Ann Wolf is activated as the first female member of Epsilon, and served as president of her pledge class.

1977

  • The Epsilon Chapter celebrates their fiftieth anniversary and a headstone is placed in the University’s Quad to memorialize the members of the Epsilon Chapter from 1927-1977

1979

  • The Family Flower concept is begun at Epsilon as the University encourages organizations on campus to “start some new traditions.”

1981

  • October the first Blue and Gold, chapter newsletter, appears and serves to the present day in that function at Epsilon.

1985

  • Northeast Missouri State University changes its mission from a regional school to the only statewide liberal arts public university in Missouri.

1994

  • Epsilon takes aboard 50 new pledges.

1995

  • The last living member of the Founding Fathers of EPSILON, Russell Murfin, dies.

1996

  • Hopefully for the last time Northeast Missouri State University changes its name to Truman State University
  • The first Pledge Class at Truman State University is initiated and activated.
  • Epsilon wins Outstanding Large Organization of the Year Award.

1997

  • Epsilon reaches the 150 member mark.
  • Epsilon runs the record setting Truman Blood Drive.
  • The First Annual Semi-Formal is held at the Newman Center.
  • The chapter participates in a limited fashion in the first National Service Week.
  • Epsilon wins the Outstanding Organization of the year.

1998

  • Wins the Region VIII Best Service Project Award for Camp Thunderbird.
  • The Campus Wide Service Week is begun at Truman under the guidance of Epsilon.
  • The chapter wins Outstanding Large Organization of the Year Award.
  • Epsilon finally reaches the 200 member plateau.
  • Truman President Jack Macgruder personally recruits Epsilon to provide Large Service projects for the campus.
  • Epsilon participates in National Service Week on a large-scale basis for the first time, having a project every day and raising a large sum of money for Cardinal’s Care (to help Mark McGwire’s foundation against child abuse) and for Victim Support Services of Kirksville.
  • The first transfer ceremony is performed welcoming Michelle Peppers, Mary Beth McCorkle, and Kim Deems into our Chapter.
  • Epsilon Chapter receives the Joe Scanlon Membership Award for the 1197-1998 school year.
  • Epsilon is awarded the H. Roe Bartle Chapter Award for the 1997-1998 school year.

1999

  • At Section 49 Conference, held at St. Louis University, Epsilon wins the Man-Mile Award, the Spirit Award, the Service Award, and the Roll Call Award.
  • Epsilon, along with Alpha Sigma Gamma, sponsors Eating Disorders Week on the campus of Truman State University.
  • 17 April- Epsilon Chapter hosts Boy Scout Merit Badge Day on campus.
  • Epsilon is awarded Outstanding Large Organization of the Year for the fourth year in a row.
  • Fall, Epsilon President Ann Chopin receives Outstanding President of the Year Award
  • With the help of Stephanie Schaller and Fundraising Chair Maggie Bauer, Epsilon helped raise a huge amount of money for Muscular Distrophy and even appeared on the Labor Day Telethon in Columbia, MO.
  • In a week devoted to service, the Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega prompted Truman President Jack Magruder to declare Nation Service Week campus-wide.
  • Epsilon re-sets the blood drive record at 519 units in the fall under Large Service Vice-President Vicki Ahn.

2000

  • At the Region VIII Conference in Oklahoma, Epsilon receives the Man Mile Award.

2002

  • Epsilon hosts the Region VIII Conference.
  • Epsilon celebrates its 75th anniversary.
  • Epsilon attends Camp Jo-Ota for the first time on November 1st under the Large Service Chair, Cancan Ma.
  • Epsilon was presented with the Good Neighbor award from the American Red Cross for excellence in the blood drives.
  • The chapter wins the Man Mile Award and the Historian Award at the National Conference in New Orleans.

2003

  • The Chapter participates in a week long array of Homecoming activities including volley ball, Scavenger Hunt, Banner, Street Graffiti, Philanthropy, Spirit, Flag Football, Trivial Pursuit, and Ultimate Frisbee competitions.  Epsilon won 2nd place Outstanding organization overall while winning numerous other awards.  Gabe Kennon, a member of and supported by Epsilon, won Homecoming King.

2004

  • Epsilon wins the Most Spirited Chapter Award at the Region VIII Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.
  • At the Section 49 Conference hosted by the Beta Psi Chapter in Cape Giradeau, Missouri, Epsilon wins the Man Mile Award and the Road Warriors Award.  Kristina Sis and Nick Harbison received the Section 49 RailRoaders Award[2].
  • Epsilon wins the fellowship challenge paddle from the Sigma Alpha Chapter.

2005

  • Epsilon hosts the 2005 Section 49 Conference April 8-9.
  • Lindsay Johnson becomes the new Head Advisor, and Stephen Hadwiger steps up as the new Scouting Advisor.
  • Revisions were made to the Risk Management Policy and related Bylaws.
  • Humane Society, Brashear Elementary after school program, weeding on campus, Adopt-A-Soldier, and Servin’ Saturday were added as regular service projects.
  • Epsilon wins Man Mile Award at the Region 8 Conference hosted by Delta Delta Chapter in St. Louis, Missouri.

2006

  • Epsilon wins the Man Mile Award at the Section 35 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Lindsay Johnson, Head Advisor, leaves Truman State to move back home to Nebraska.
  • Revisions were made to Early Alumni requirements in the Bylaws.
  • Epsilon wins Man Mile Award at the Section 49 Conference in Edwardsville, Illinois.
  • Epsilon places fourth overall in the Truman State Homecoming competition.

2007

  • Epsilon begins enforcing the suspension rules.
  • Unknown to the Chapter at the time, Epsilon holds its last Camp Jo-Ota.

2008

  • Camp Jo-Ota is moved to Camp T-Bird following a pricing disagreement.
  • Epsilon heads south over Spring Break to help build houses for hurricane victims.
  • Revisions to Chapter Bylaws are made following a difficult meeting over suspensions in December 2007.
  • Epsilon website is redesigned.
  • Jill and Matt Crowe become new advisors.

2009

  • Phil Slocumb becomes a new advisor
  • Advisor roles are discussed and new structure is implemented
  • Major bylaw revisions to reduce redundancy in the bylaws are made.
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