LOOK BACK KAPPA HISTORY
“BY THE LATE 1940S, THE GRAND CHAPTER BEGAN TO ADDRESS COMPLAINTS FROM DELEGATES. LIKEWISE, CONCLAVE DELEGATE, CHAPTER, AND COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE INCREASED AS THE FRATERNITY GREW.”
By the early 1950s, the Grand Chapter authorized the creation of a National Conclave Guide as a reference manual for host chapters to adhere to a uniform standard. “Although we have held Grand Chapter Meetings for more than 40 years, host committees continue to make the same mistakes in planning Conclave entertainment. The fraternity has not provided a plan for their guidance. In order to put an end to this trial and error system, the following National Conclave Guide has been prepared …,” then Grand Pole- march Frank Summers stated. Even today, planning Grand Chap- ter Meetings involves the National Planning Committee and IHQ carefully creating the daily schedule of events years in advance, ensuring sufficient time and logistics for events in an effort to stay on time, and commu- nicating contingency plans when an event runs long or must be moved to a later date and/or time. KAPPA ALPHA PSI JOURNAL AND THE CONCLAVE Traditionally, the Kappa Alpha Psi Journal issue immediately preceding the upcoming Grand Chapter Meeting is devoted to the host chapter and host city. The pre-Conclave Journal issue allows the host chapter to feature its chapter, including publishing articles on its history, past and current members, and signature chapter events. The host chapter also solicits welcome letters from various state and local elected officials for publication in the pre-Conclave Journal issue. The host chapter and/or the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau typically feature
THE POST-CONCLAVE JOURNAL PROVIDES
• Recap and photos of the recently concluded Conclave, including activities, events, dignitaries, and attendees • Summary of business decision discussed and debated • Introduction of the newly elected Grand Polemarch, Grand Chapter Officers, and members of the Grand Board of Directors • Summary of national fraternity award presentations out-of-town Conclave attendees and their families. The earliest pre-Con- clave Kappa Alpha Psi Journal is the November 1926 issue, which focused on the host city of Washington, DC, the Washington (DC) Alumni and Xi Chap- ters before the 16th Grand Chapter Meeting held December 26-30, 1926. The post-Conclave Journal is the immediate proceeding issue after the conclusion of a Grand Chapter Meet- ing. The earliest post-Conclave Kappa Alpha Psi Journal is the January-Feb- ruary 1923 issue, which introduced the newly elected 4th Grand Polemarch, W. Ellis Stewart, displayed headshots
In the May-June 1961 Kappa Alpha Psi Journal issue, President John F. Kennedy congratulates Kappa Alpha Psi on it's 50th anniversary.
articles on the host city, city accommo- dations, and tourist attractions. The pre-Conclave Journal issues also operate as an ad book, where the host chapter solicits other chap- ters, provinces, individual members, NPHC organizations, and other civic organizations to purchase advertis- ing space. In the first five decades of pre-Conclave Journals , local businesses also purchased advertising space to promote their products and services to
WINTER 2024-2025 ♦ THE JOURNAL 35
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