HISTORY OF CIRCLE K - THE BEGINNING |
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| Circle K International was originally founded in 1933 by the Pullman, WA Kiwanis Club as a fraternity at Washington State University with the letters Kappa Iota Phi. The original fraternity house,which no longer stands, was located near the intersection of Campus and Maple streets. |
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Eleven years later in 1947, Donald T. Forsythe, Trustee of Kiwanis International,
aided in transitioning Circle K from a fraternity to a service-oriented
organization which now consists of both college men and women. That year, during
September, the first Circle K club similar to our present day organization, was
chartered at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois.
For two years, the Carthage College Circle K Club existed alone. But on March 26, 1949, the University of Western Ontario became the second Circle K Club to charter. Carthage College and the University of Western Ontario were soon joined by the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute on May 13, 1949. Circle K gained momentum and grew rapidly throughout the United States; sixteen more clubs chartered in 1950. In October of 1954, the first annual convention took place at Carthage College. (The college moved to its present-day location of Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1962.) It wasn't until February 2, 1973, that, after four years of debates and proposed ammendments, women were finally allowed into the organization. As Circle K's structure adapted from being a fraternity, its purpose also changed. The organization established the following objectives: To provide an opportunity for capable, ambitious, and worthy young men to acquire a college education by assisting them, where necessary, with their financial problems; by means of a scholarship fund, if available, or securing part-time employment.
To afford members a useful training in the social graces and the development of a well-rounded personality.
To promote good fellowship and high scholarship within the group.
To develop in the members a thinking and aggressive citizenship and the Kiwanis spirit of service for the improvement of all human relationships on the campus, in the community, state, and nation.
To aid the growth and development of other Circle K Clubs.
Circle K began as one man's dream to enable the success of local collegians and continued to grow as others began to believe in the concepts of Circle K and in the men who belonged to Circle K. Though Jay N. Emerson died June 12, 1947, before he could see his dream become a reality, his vision of a collegiate-level, international youth organization will live on forever. |
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Some of the history of Circle K is summarized in a speech by Delaine R. Swenson,
Past International President of Circle K and member of the Walla Walla, WA
Kiwanis club. |
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GROWING INTO THE LARGEST COLLEGIATE SERVICE ORGANIZATION | MILESTONES OF PROGRESS | SERVICE A LOOK AT INTERNATIONALIZATION | CONCLUSION | OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES CIRCLE K INTERNATIONAL THEME and EMPHASIS PROGRAMS | SERVICE INITIATIVE DISTRICT'S OFFICIAL CHARTER DATES CIRCLE OF SERVICE RECIPIENTS | CIRCLE K INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CITIES and THEMES |
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Copyright © 2003 THE WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY CIRCLE K CLUB PULLMAN, WASHINGTON Website Created by D. McInnes January 2003 |
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