[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6153-6154]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        IN RECOGNITION OF THETA BOULE OF SIGMA PI PHI FRATERNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 1, 2015

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize a 
significant milestone in one of the pre-eminent organizations, not only 
in the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri, which I proudly 
represent, but throughout the region--Theta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi 
Fraternity. I am especially proud to be a member of Theta Boule. The 
milestone I mentioned is the celebration of its Centennial observance 
that will be held June 4-6, 2015 in Kansas City.
  Theta Boule was chartered on May 22, 1915 with fourteen founding 
Archons who laid a strong foundation of fraternal fellowship in the 
Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area. Dr. William J. Thompkins met 
Grand Sire Archon William C. McCard while traveling in the eastern part 
of the country and was authorized by the Grand Sire Archon to plan the 
organization of a member Boule in Kansas City. With the cooperation of 
Archons from Beta Boule in Chicago and Eta Boule in St. Louis, Dr. 
Thompkins and his colleague, Dr. Lloyd E. Bailer organized Theta Boule. 
The charter Archons of Theta Boule were all outstanding members of the 
Kansas City community and of their respective professions. Faced with 
cultural realities of the early Twentieth Century, these Archons found 
in each other a source of mutual support, enlightenment and a retreat 
of friendship and fraternity. Each sensed a significant void created by 
the pervasive permanence of American institutional racism and 
exclusionary practices predominant during that era. Throughout its 
history, the Archons of Theta Boule have upheld the high standards of 
Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.
  Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, also known as ``The Boule'', was founded in 
1904 in Philadelphia.

[[Page 6154]]

Theta Boule was the 8th Member Boule founded on May 22, 1915 with 14 
outstanding Archons. Our founding members included Lloyd E. Bailer, 
Gideon W. Brown, Charles H. Calloway, T.C. Chapman, John A. Hodge, W.C. 
Hueston, Woody Jacobs, J.P. King, J.E. Perry, J.D. Shannon, M.H. 
Thompkins, W.J. Thompkins, S.H. Thompson, and Homer Wilburn.
  Theta has been privileged to host the Seventh Grand Boule in 1921 and 
the Forty-First Grand Boule in 1992. Many outstanding Archons have been 
privileged to sit within the august council of Theta Boule. One of 
Theta's charter members, Charles H. Calloway served as Grand Sire 
Archon, from 1921 to 1923. Archon Calloway was also a founding member 
of the National Bar Association in 1925 and served as its second 
President. Another founding member mentioned previously was Dr. William 
J. Thompkins, an outstanding physician and civic leader, who later 
became a resident of the District of Columbia after he accepted the 
appointment of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 to serve as 
Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia. Dr. Thompkins was also 
instrumental in the establishment of General Hospital No. 2 in 1908.
  Theta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity is led today by Randall C. 
Ferguson, Jr., who serves as Sire Archon; Ralph D. Reid is Sire Archon-
elect; and Dr. Roger C. Williams, Jr. who serves as Grammateus. The 
remaining officers are: Thesauristes, Nikki Newton; Agogos, Stewart S. 
Myers; Rhetoricos, Kelvin Simmons; and Grapter, Lonnie Powell. The 
Membership Council is Chaired by Judge Jon R. Gray, (Ret.) and includes 
Herbert Hardwick and Robert Hughes, Jr. as Members.
  One hundred years in the life of any person, organization or 
institution is a significant milestone and serves as a testament of 
fidelity to principles, seriousness of purpose and devotion to goals 
and objectives.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me and our colleagues in expressing our 
collective congratulations to Theta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity 
and extending our heartfelt wishes for even greater success as it 
begins its second century.

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