Chapter History
The Epsilon-Sigma Chapter of Kappa Sigma traces its origins to the end of World War II, when the newly enacted "G.I. Bill" began to provide a college education for unheard of numbers of American men. Because of the huge influx of male college students, the University of Florida in Gainesville (which in 1905 had been deemed the State's public college for men) found itself no longer able to accommodate all of those seeking higher education. So, as a solution, the legislature of the State of Florida re-organized its public university system in 1947 to make both the University of Florida in Gainesville and the Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee co-educational institutions. The name of the school in Tallahassee was therefore changed to reflect this re-organization and became The Florida State University. Once again, as in times prior to 1905 (the university in Tallahassee had previously served as a Seminary, a military academy, and a co-ed college before becoming the single-sex Florida State College for Women), men shared the Tallahassee campus with their female counterparts.

However, the re-organization of Florida's universities also saw an influx of many male students who had previously studied elsewhere and were now continuing their education at FSU. Such was the case with Five Initiated Brothers of Kappa Sigma who had transferred from different schools and had suddenly found themselves studying together in Tallahassee. But, due to its 42-year history as a female institution, FSU had never seen the establishment of a Kappa Sigma chapter. This unfortunately meant that there was no chapter with which the Five Brothers could affiliate.

Not dismayed by this circumstance, and determined to continue the work of the Order, the Five set about bringing Kappa Sigma to the Florida State University. And like the Five Friends and Brothers of 1869, their work was cut out for them. At the time the Kappa Sigma Fraternity had no structured colony system whereby new chapters could be easily established. Instead, the Five Brothers had to prove that the newly-constituted FSU had the necessary raw materials to make a good chapter.

To do this, the Five followed the example of McCormick and Friends, gathering together men of sturdy character that could be trusted with the responsibility of Brotherhood. With sixteen other men who had pledged their support, the Five Brothers established a "local" FSU fraternity on February 17, 1949 and called it Kappa Kappa. However, the Kappa Kappa Fraternity (whose original charter still hangs in the Epsilon-Sigma house) was modeled closely after Kappa Sigma with the intention that, one day, it would be absorbed by the larger Fraternity.

The new Kappa Kappa, 21 men strong, set about its task with earnestness. The fraternity even obtained use of a house on Soupe Street at the old Dale Mabry Air Field (near the area where Pensacola St. currently intersects with Appleyard Dr.). And the members were determined to prove to Kappa Sigma's Supreme Executive Committee (SEC) that they were worthy of being named a bona fide Kappa Sigma chapter.

Impressed with its initial strength, Kappa Kappa was approached by the expanding Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and was given the opportunity to become an instant chapter of that organization. Though tempted with the possibility of so-quickly becoming associated with a national fraternity, the Kappa Kappa men ultimately decided that this offer was a distraction from their over-arching goal. They instead held their original course and continued to prove their worthiness to the more prestigious Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Before long, Kappa Kappa's discipline had earned them the highest fraternity GPA on FSU's campus (for three consecutive semesters) as well as acclaimed leadership positions in campus sports teams and other university activities. Finally, after two years of hard work, and through the faithful lobbying efforts of FSU professor and Brother, Angus Laird, the SEC saw fit to grant Kappa Kappa status as a chapter of Kappa Sigma. On June 9th and 10th, 1951, the Kappa Kappa Fraternity was chartered and installed as the Epsilon-Sigma Chapter of Kappa Sigma. The well-deserved celebration went on for days.

With all Brothers initiated and Epsilon-Sigma functioning as a Kappa Sigma chapter, proper officers were needed. The chapter's first Executive Committee (EC) elected in 1951 was as follows: Steven Edwards, Jr. - Grand Master, Ken Weed - Grand Procurator, Walker Wood - Grand Master of Ceremonies, and Jack Blackburn - Grand Scribe.

The newly-initiated Brothers also found that their small house on Soupe Street had become inadequate to support a growing chapter. So, not long after Epsilon Sigma was chartered in 1951, another house and the land on which it stood were purchased for the chapter by a wealthy alumnus of Kappa Sigma. This new site was 112 South Woodward Avenue, which would eventually become the center of FSU's campus.

However, as the chapter continued to expand, the Brothers found that even this second house was too small to accommodate their needs. So, fund-raising began in order to build a new and larger house on the same property. By 1954, enough money had been saved to demolish the existing house and begin construction on a new building- The ground breaking ceremony took place on March 10, 1954 with FSU President Doak Campbell (namesake of the FSU stadium) in attendance.

The new house was designed especially for a Kappa Sigma chapter by alumnus Brother Dick Wycke, a specialized architect. But its special design took longer to complete than a normal house, and there were certain delays -- e.g. when the builders struck hard clay while doing excavation for the basement.

Finally, though, after much care, the new house was completed in December 1955. It included many modem amenities that were rare for a fraternity house of the day, such as air conditioning and a dedicated bar room. In fact, after construction, the house was celebrated by Kappa Sigma's Caduceus magazine as being a marvel of modem chapter house architecture. However, the house also included many symbolic reminders of Kappa Sigma's history. These included a Jacob's Ladder staircase, 12 entryways - five of them commemorating the Five Friends and Brothers, a bar room dubbed Ambroselli's, and a serpentine wall of bricks in the bar room.

The chapter’s house at 112 South Woodward Avenue continued to serve as the location for the Kappa Sigma Fraternity for the next 48 years. However, in the early twenty-first century, plans were revealed for a new undertaking on the part of Florida State University’s Greek Community- Heritage Grove. Heritage Grove was designed as a luxurious apartment complex to be occupied primarily by Greeks. The chapter decided to move to Heritage Grove for two main reasons: to improve the living conditions of individual brothers and to help foster a greater sense of communication and brotherhood with other fraternities. The chapter is also provided with a central building with which to conduct chapter and hold fellowship events. Epsilon Sigma decided to reside at the fourth building at Heritage Grove, 1912. It was in the fall of 2004 that Kappa Sigma officially moved in, leaving the house at South Woodward Avenue vacant. In the fall of 2006, this house was purchased by Florida State University. In the current school year, 1912 is the home for 30 brothers, and it will be host to many more as the years go by.

Chapter history updated by Jake Whealdon, written by Alumnus Advisor Michael Pilver ('97) based on research by Brother Stuart Pettis.

Currently, Kappa Sigma has over 250 Active Chapters and over 200,000 Active Undergraduates and Alumni worldwide. Kappa Sigma has the best scholarship opportunities of any fraternity in the world.