A LOOK BACK: KAPPA HISTORY
Left: 1974 Mu Chapter, Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq. 1983 Theta Chapter, navy blue Scroller shirt. 1988 Kappa Phi Chapter, green Army jacket, red hoodie.
tions of this manual published and none of them proposed “official” colors of the Scroller Club. In the 1970s, the fra- ternity initially provided white Scroller membership cards with red print to the Scrollers. From the 1980s through 1990, Scrollers were provided Scroller cards printed on green and white dot matrix computer paper. They were not an intentional correlation with “Scroller Club colors”, just as the 2 nd edition of The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi (grey and blue) and 1960s Kappa Alpha Psi mem- bership cards (blue) did not represent the colors of the fraternity. In the early 2000s, a fraternity parapher- nalia vendor launched a graphic design business. He was among several broth- ers who believed that green and white were official Scroller colors and designed artwork and Scroller Club paraphernalia in green and white. The online sales of these items inadvertently perpetuated this myth and other Kappa Alpha Psi vendors began to propagate the fable. This urban legend continues to be combated with the truth, but change has been difficult since it has become part of a celebrated subculture, exemplified as “throwback” apparel. Research has shown that Scrollers may have been the impetus behind the “Kappa cane”. The earliest verification of anyone associated with Kappa Alpha
Psi carrying canes were 1948 Scrollers of the Gamma Theta Chapter at Bethune-Cookman University. Several other photographs of Scrollers using canes as a prop have been discovered since then and the earliest photographs found of Kappa brothers carrying canes was sometime in the 1960s. It became a common practice for Scrollers (as well as other BGLO pledge clubs) to be seen walking in unison on campus, reciting fraternity history, songs and putting on shows. Scrollers were known on many campuses to carry red painted bricks and wear an oversized red wooden scroll around their necks which had each Scroller’s line number displayed on it. It was also a common practice for Scrollers to each create Kap- pa Alpha Psi Coat of Arms or replicas of the Kappa badge. Scrollers carried a red ink pen and notebooks where they recorded Kappa “material” passed on to them by their big brothers. It was also customary for some Scrollers to write the names and phone numbers of the visiting big brothers in their notebook. This practice reinforced the building of the bond of brotherhood beyond the Scroller’s matriculation period. Some chapters had their Scrollers to be highly recognized by them wearing History and Tradition
a shirt with the word “Scroller” ironed on the front in large block letters. The identity of Scroller Club members was well known on the campus and they were supported by fellow students dur- ing the course of their pledge period. It was also common for other fraternities and sororities to be pledging on campus at the same time and there was mutual camaraderie and jovial competition between the organizations. There was a general excitement and the interest was high on campus for the Scrollers to become members. Unlike now, Probate/ Scroller shows occurred during the Scroller’s pledge period prior to their initiation ceremony. There was no post- initiation observance. The End of an Era and a New Beginning Over a course of time, several chapter’s Scroller Clubs became engaged in activi- ties that were not congruent with the objectives of the Scroller Club, outlined by the Fraternity. As a result, Grand Polemarch Ullysses McBride charged the Council of Province Polemarchs with developing a new membership process to replace the Scroller Club. The initial effort known as “Two plus Two” reduced the process to four weeks: a two-week orientation and initiation component followed by a two-week post initiation component. The new pro-
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Publishing achievement for 105 years
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