1940's
In the fall of 1944, women were admitted to the U.C. Band for the first time in history. The women in the band received news of a new band service sorority, Tau Beta Sigma, enthusiastically. Guided by the Brothers of the Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, sixteen women began operating as a service organization, during the 1946-47 school year. In May of 1947, the women petitioned Tau Beta Sigma for a charter.
On May 31, 1947, the Theta Chapter was installed at the University of Cincinnati, becoming the eighth chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. Mr. Francis R. Todd conducted the installation, Past Grand President of Kappa Kappa Psi and a charter member of Upsilon. Doris Ragsdale, Tau Beta Sigma's first National President, was in office during this time.
The charter members of Theta were:
Janet E. Boland
Marilyn Moening
Pansy Buyer
Joanne I. Moore
Doris E. Fitch
Faynelle Newland
Jean Carol Hauck
Marjorie Jean Paolino
Suzanne Keeling
Marilyn Jean Robbins
Dorothy Kienast
Mary Wieser
Patricia Lippert
Annette Wubbolding
Margie M. Merz
The officers chosen for the 1947-1948 school year were:
President: Jean Carol Hauck
Vice President: Pansy Buyer
Secretary: Patricia Lippert
Treasurer: Janet Boland
Sponsor: Virginia Powell
In 1948, Theta was awarded the Balfour Trophy for being the most outstanding Tau Beta Sigma chapter in the country, although they had only been active for one year. The next year, in 1949, Theta initiated the Outstanding Senior Award, given annually to a U.C. Band senior. The first recipient of the award, Patricia Lippert, was one of the first women in the UC Band and a charter member of Theta.