About | ΠΤΣ History

• Integrity - soundness of character and moral conduct
• Service - serving the mechanical engineering profession and the community
• Leadership - being foremost and fostering initiative through example in a professional manner

"A Mechanical Engineering Honor Society striving to create better engineers through committment to academic excellence and dedication to service..."

Pi Tau Sigma is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. There are presently 130+ active chapters at universities in almost every state of the United States. The concept of Pi Tau Sigma was initiated simultaneously at the University of Illionois and at the University of Wisconsin in 1915. Pi Tau Sigma was formed in 1916 by these two schools.

• Foster high ideals in the engineering profession
• Stimulate and support departmental activities
• Promote professional welfare
• Develop leadership and citizenship
• Enjoy and have fun while doing all of the above!

• Access to previous exams in ME courses
• Access to professor evaluations in ME courses
• Special yearly events for members only
• Professor-student events, dinners, and gatherings
• Industry connections by resume submission
• Access to national Pi Tau Sigma scholarships

The Condenser was conceived at the eighth annual Pi Tau Sigma convention held at Illinois Alpha Chapter in Urbana, Illionois, in 1925 when National Secretary-Treasurer John V. Martenis was instructed to issue an annual publication for the fraternity. The issue was dedicated to serve as a common medium of exchange of ideas between chapters. In compliance with instructions, Volume 1, No. I of The Condenser was published in Minneapolis as of June 1926. It consisted of eight, 8 in. x 11 in. pages with white cover and included editorial notes and comments, the welcoming speech of President A. C. Willard to the preceding convention, and news from the Chapters.

Editor Martenis continued the publication each year through Volume VI. During this early period the Condenser grew from eight to sixteen pages as the number of chapters increased and contributions to copy increased. It served its purpose to the growing fraternity.

Because of the established policy of having National Secretary act as editor of The Condenser, National Secretary-Treasurer H. E. Degler took over with Volume VII. At this time the date of issue was established for March of each year. Volume VII, issued from Austin, Texas, was expanded in size to 9 in. x 12 in. and to 14 pages to accommodate increased growth. Pictures of college buildings, detailed convention minutes, and a cover plate of a halftone Condenser appeared for the first time. Again, fulfilling the requests of the convention, Volume VII contained a complete membership roll of the fraternity.

To assist in the work of the National Secretary-Treasurer, the National Vice President twice edited the Condenser. Volume X was edited by E. S. Gray from Columbia, Missouri, in 1936 and V. L. Maleev edited Volume XII in 1938 from Stillwater, Oklahoma. With these exceptions, H. E. Degler continued the editorship through Volume XIV, the Silver Anniversary Issue.

Notable among the issues of The Condenser was the Silver Anniversary Issue, commemorating the twenty- fifth anniversary of the founding of Pi Tau Sigma. It consisted of 52 pages with a cover of aluminum foil. The feature article was the history of 25 years in Pi Tau Sigma.

A revision of the Constitution was made at this time increasing the number of National officers by including two Vice Presidents. The duty of the First Vice President was to edit The Condenser. The first issue under this plan, Volume XV of 1941, was edited by T. G. Estep, Carnegie Iota, from Pittsburg, Pa.

Volume XVI (1942) through Volume XX (1947) were edited by F. V. Larkin, Bethlehem, Pa., with assistance from the active members of Lehigh Theta Chapter.

Volumes XXI and XXII were edited by C. H. Kent, New York, NY, with assistance from the active members of C.C.N.Y. Pi Beta Chapter.

Volumes XXIII through XVI were edited by M. S. Gjesdahl, State College, Pa., with the assistance of active members of the Penn State Zeta Chapter and the Purdue Beta Chapter.

Volumes XXVII through XXXII were edited by M. J. Goglia, Atlanta, Ga., with the assistance of active members of the Georgia Tech Nu and the Purdue Beta Chapters.

Volume XXXIII was edited by D. S. Clark, Lafayette, Indiana, G. B. Thom, Newark, NJ. J. W. Bayne, Urbana, Illinois edited the issued through 1971. H. C. Hewitt, Cookeville, Tennessee, edited issues from 1972 through 1983. E. I. Griggs, Cookeville, Tennessee, has edited issues since 1983.

The Condenser grew from an eight page pamphlet dedicated to an exchange of ideas to a magazine of sixty-eight pages (Vol. XXII) incorporating editorials and articles as well as the minutes and pictures of the preceding national convention, the biographies and picture of the recipients of the Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal and Pi Tau Sigma Richards' Memorial Awards, the pictures and records of all honorary members, a story and picture of the Host University or College for the succeeding convention, and a resume of the activities of all chapters including the pictures of the mechanical engineering building.

With the increased cost of publications, all of which are paid by the national chapter out of the dues received from members, it became necessary to retrench so that effective with Volume XXIII the articles were omitted and effective with Volume XXV the pictures of the buildings were not repeated, as they appear in The Story of Pi Tau Sigma.

At the Thirty-first Annual Convention in 1951 recommendations were made to the editors of The Condenser and The Story of Pi Tau Sigma to avoid duplication.

A special 50th anniversary issue of The Condenser was published in 1965. The issue, edited by J. W. Bayne included several items of historical interest plus greetings from five past National Presidents.

The Condenser is sent to each chapter in sufficient quantity that all new initiates receive a copy at the time of initiation.

One copy of each issue is on file with the National Secretary-Treasurer and this copy constitutes a permanent and valuable history of our fraternity.

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