Changes

"An excellent chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma has been started here...They have the best wishes of the students..." So Mu Chapter was introduced to the world in the "Irvington Items" of the ''Indianapolis Journal'', Saturday, January 12, 1878. On January 2, Lillie Adams (Telfer) and Kate Hight came from Delta, Indiana University, to conduct the initiation at the home of Louise Landers (Neff), charter member of Mu. The initiates were students at Butler, then in Irvington, five miles east of downtown Indianapolis. The college had been in this "beautiful and healthful suburb" only three years. From the start this Kappa chapter was attached to a school which would continue to move and build new buildings as enrollment increased. Northwestern Christian University was granted a charter by the Indiana State legislature in 1850, the first to admit men and women of all races, with students permitted to choose their courses. By 1877, the student body had grown from 113 to 345, the town of Irvington had offered inducements of land and money, and building was begun. The name was changed to Butler University, honoring Ovid Butler, benefactor.  After World War I enrollment again increased and expansion was in order. Fairview Park was purchased in 1923 and classes opened in 1928 with an enrollment of 1500. In 1974 the official enrollment was 4363; the faculty, 275. About 1600 students live on campus in seven sorority houses, eight fraternity houses, and a men's and women's residence hall.  Mu gave the Fraternity two presidents, Tade Hartsuff (Kuhns) and Elizabeth Bogert Schofield, and Mu members, ardent supporters of Kappa policies, have been campus leaders in scholarship and activities.  Important in the lives of students in 1878 were the literary societies which studied the "arts of conversation, debating, and oratory." Mu meetings included literary programs and were held in members' homes or in dormitory rooms. Travel to meetings was by mule car and by foot, later by electric car.  In 1878 Tade Hartsuff (Kuhns) became the seventh initiate of Mu. When the 1881 Kappa Convention was held in Bloomington, Indiana, Mu was one of the nine chapters represented of the 17 then organized. ''The Golden Key'' later stated, "Tade Hartsuff...rose and presented the plan of the Grand Council. Debate ensued and the new scheme was adopted..." Tade had known that Phi Delta Theta had just changed to his form of government; she was anxious that Kappa be more efficient; she was prepared for discussion. It is not surprising that the vivacious Miss Hartsuff was elected the Fraternity's first grand president under the Grand Council System. Mu was also prepared to propose a Fraternity publication at the convention and Lou Landers (Neff) made the motion that a magazine be called ''The Golden Key''. She is listed as a member of the first staff. Tade Hartsuff, at 23, was reelected grand president in 1882. In 1884 ''The Golden Key'' reported, "Honor to our first president...as a wise and active rule." Eight chapters had been added and division into three provinces made during her term of office. Bona Thompson, an 1897 graduate, died in 1899 of typhoid fever, and in 1901 her parents donated funds for a library in Bona's memory. This library was a meeting and studying spot during all the Irvington years. It is now one of the Headquarters buildings of the Christian Church of Disciples of Christ and the United Christian Missionary Society.