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What is Tau Beta Sigma?
Wava Banes Turner Henry,
Founder of Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is the National Honorary Band Sorority.
The founding of the organization goes back to 1937, when a group of women spearheaded by Wava Banes at Texas Tech University (known at the time as Texas Technological College) approached the Director of Bands in order to establish a band sorority on campus, similar to the men-only Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity. At the time, few women were accepted into college bands, and even fewer were band directors. While at Texas Tech, Wava was the first female to graduate with a degree in "Band Music" (Music Education). Wava felt very strongly about creating an organization that could give women positive and supportive experiences in the band. By 1940, Tau Beta Sigma was an officially recognized sorority on Tech's campus.
By the beginning of 1942, World War II sent large amounts of men from all over the country to serve in the military, so Kappa Kappa Psi lost many of its men and the dynamic of the band began to change. This gave the women at Tech a chance to take on additional responsibilities and prove what they were capable of. In June 1943, after communicating with KKΨ national leadership for some time, the organization petitioned to become an auxiliary chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. However, because that would have required a large revision to the KKΨ Constitution and they did not have the resources available due to the war, the request could not be answered. Working with A. Frank Martin, KKΨ founding father and first Grand President, Tau Beta Sigma received the title of "sister organization" to Kappa Kappa Psi until a more concrete decision could be made.
Later, in 1945, while applying to become a national organization, TBΣ faced the obstacle of the difficult corporation laws in Texas. Once again receiving assistance from A. Frank Martin, he suggested working with the local band sorority at Oklahoma State University (known at the time as Oklahoma A&M), since it would be easier to work with the laws in Oklahoma. The two organizations came to an agreement: upon surrender of the name "Tau Beta Sigma" as well as its constitution, ritual, and jewelry, TBΣ would become a national organization, Wava would be considered Founder, and Texas Tech would be known as the founding location--but Oklahoma State would become the Alpha chapter (coincidentally, this would make the Alpha chapters of KKΨ and TBΣ the same location). On March 26, 1946, the State of Oklahoma granted a charter to the establishment of "Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Band Sorority."
In 1974, Tau Beta Sigma became co-ed, and the first male to join TBΣ became a sister at UConn in 1977. Although KKΨ and TBΣ are now both co-ed organizations, they still retain their distinct purposes and values. Across the country, the two organizations work together to serve band programs and recognize and reward leadership within the band. Tau Beta Sigma continues to promote empowering women in the band profession with the Women in Music Speaker Series, as well as the Bandswomen's Networking Program.
National Headquarters Sign at Stillwater Station, Stillwater, OK
Photo by Jared Finkel (Fall 16) during Kappa Kappa Psi's Centennial Celebration at the 2019 National Convention on the campus of Oklahoma State University
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