House
Our chapter house was built in 1959 and was designed by notable alumnus Evan Davis, architect of the residence halls at Kansas State and longtime partner in the Topeka-based architechtural firm Ekdahl - Davis - Depew - Persson P.A. The house is an excellent facility with 24 bedrooms, dining room, spacious living room, 2 sleeping dormatories, basement social and party area, laundry room, 2 large bathrooms, and a study addition built in 1994 with a computer lab and archive room.
The house underwent several significant improvements in the summer of 2003. New carpet was laid in the hallways, living room, and dining room, and new windows were installed in the living room. Landscaping around the house was improved, and a new grill and picnic area was added to the back yard. Most recently, the house electrical system was completely renovated in the summer of 2005. Minor improvements are made every summer to keep the house in top condition.
Living Room
The living room of the chapter house, connected to the dining room, is the site of our all-house meetings and an excellent place to chat, read, or study. The fireplace is a welcome addition in the winter months and its chimney bears a bronze crest donated by Brother C.J. Downing, our District Grand Master in 1923. The living room also has our chapter's original charter from 1919 surrounded by pictures of our five founding brothers. The living room had new carpet, lights, and windows installed in the summer of 2003.
Dining Room
The dining room of the chapter house is the site of all our meals. There are always leftovers and other food in the kitchen for times when meals aren't served, so it's entirely possible to spend the whole semester at school without buying extra food or going out to eat. Every Wednesday night we have a formal dinner where our house mother does her best to teach us manners and class. Good luck! The dining room was remodeled in 1997, and new carpet was put in over the summer of 2003. The beautifully carved Crest of the Order at the end of the room was donated by W.H. Teate in 1959.
Rooms
All the rooms in the house are wired to a high-speed cable internet connection and have phone and television jacks. Each room can house one or two men comfortably and can be designed however the occupants choose. There is ample room for two beds, closet spaces, computers, televisions, furniture, and anything else the occupants might want, arranged however they decide. The house has 24 rooms total; fourteen upstairs and ten downstairs. Everyone gets to live in their own room, from pledges to senior officers; we don't use pledge dorms for our pledges like many other houses.
Study Addition
Sometimes called the "crown jewel" of the chapter house, the Davis-Fiser Hall of Leadership (referred to by brothers as the 'study addition') is one of the most complete study areas on campus. It is a great location for brothers to study in peace and the place where pledges complete their study hours. Built in 1994 through the generosity of Brothers Lud Fiser '29 (deceased) and Evan Davis '32, the study addition houses enough tables to allow over 20 brothers to study at any given time. The trophy case holds many of the numerous awards our chapter has won in recent years, including three Founder's Awards of Chapter Excellence (F.A.C.E. Awards); the highest award a Kappa Sigma Chapter can recieve. There is a computer lab with a laser printer and four networked computers, all with T1 internet connections and the latest software necessary for school work. There are also class files with old notes, tests, and study materials for nearly every class at Kansas State. They are an excellent resource for any student.
The study addition is also home to the alumni archive room, built and designed by Brother Justin Hockersmith '83. It contains pictures, scrapbooks, composites, documents, and memorabilia going back 85 years to the chapter's founding.
Entryway/Hallways
The main entryway is the location of the presidential suite, the women's restroom reserved for female guests, and staircases leading to the second floor and basement. Down the hallway to the right are the fourteen sleeping rooms of the first floor. There are ten rooms on the second floor. Each floor also has its own bathroom.
Basement
The basement of the chapter house is the setting for most of our social functions and of some of the best parties on campus. Whether for a date party, a small gathering of friends, or just a night of hanging out together, the basement is always a spot for fun. Most of the tables, the bar, and the ceiling were built and refurbished by the fall 2000 pledge class. The pool table in the middle of the room was donated by Brother Elliot Brand in 1995 and is great for a quick game of billiards or as a platform for dancing (whichever is appropriate at the time). The bar, named "Cossa's Cabaret," is ideal for serving refreshments and has a PA/music control panel wired to a new sound system donated by our Mom's Club in 2002. There is a stage in one corner, built by the fall 2002 pledge class, which has seen some of the best local bands in Manhattan. The active room (not pictured), reserved for active initiates only, is a great place for our brothers to get together to watch movies or sporting events. A beautifully painted mural depicting some of the symbols of our Order was painted in 1999 to honor Brothers M.K. DeHoff and V.P. Munoz.
Exterior
Pictures and information coming soon.