The Naked Frogs Biology Club

History

Beta Beta Beta was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. Chapters at several other midwestern colleges were established in the next few years, and the national organization was formed in 1925 by three faculty members: Dr. Brooks together with Dr. William M. Goldsmith from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, and Dr. John C. Johnson, Sr. from Western State College in Colorado. Since that time biennial conventions with both student and faculty representatives have been held regularly with only a few exceptions. A Silver Anniversary Convention in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947 and a 50th Anniversary Celebration in Washington, D.C. in 1972 have been marked by special celebrations. The number of chapters and number of new initiates per year has increased steadily. There are now (1995) 380 chapters; in total over 137,000 young biologists have been inducted as regular members of TriBeta in addition to thousands of associate members.

The National President elected at the first meeting in 1925 was Dr. William Goldsmith. Dr. Johnson became Vice President and acted as liaison officer in contacting other schools and establishing new chapters. Dr. Brooks became Secretary-Treasurer, an office he continued to hold until his death in 1955. He was also instrumental in 1930 in establishing BIOS, the journal of the society and acted as its managing editor. Thus, Dr. Brooks served as the great mainstay and inspiration of this organization all through the early years, and after his death his wife, Laura Jean Books, took over his positions and carried them out until her retirement in 1967.

A succession of other able officers as well as chapter faculty counselors and participating students have seed and furthered the development of TriBeta. A complete account of the history to 1972 is to be found in BIOS, 51, 1 (March 1980). The present structure of the society is the result of continued growth and change over the years, and this canonly outline briefly the many facets and activities of our organization.

Purpose

Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society is a society for students, particularly for undergraduates. It seeks to encourage scholarly attainment in this field of learning by reserving its regular membership for those who achieve superior academic records and who indicate special aptitude for and major interest in the life science. It desires to cultivate intellectual interest in the natural sciences and to promote a better appreciation of the value of biological study and thus welcomes into associate membership all those students who are interested in biology. Beta Beta Beta also endeavors to extend the boundaries of man's knowledge of nature by encouraging new discoveries through scientific investigation and to this end encourages undergraduate students to begin research work and report their findings in the journal of the society, BIOS.

It emphasizes, therefore, a three-fold program: stimulation of scholarship, dissemination of scientific knowledge, and promotion of biological research.

What is Beta Beta Beta?

Beta Beta Beta formally defines itself as "an honor and professional society for students of the biological sciences." Its time of birth (1892) accounts for both its Greek letter name and its original emphasis on a role as an "honorary". However, it has never been a secret society and from its beginning many of its activities have been those of a professional society. Since it is a society of and for students, particularly for undergraduate majors in a biological science, it is not inaccurate to describe it as a professional society for apprentice biologists. The constitutional restrictions on chapters and the varied chapter activities give the structural and functional basis for their claim to professional stature.

The functions of Beta Beta Beta as a national organization range from publication of the national journal, BIOS, to recognition of outstanding individual and chapter accomplishment. For the individual TriBetan the local chapter is the heart of Beta Beta Beta. A TriBeta chapter offers to its members activities and experiences that enrich and extend but do not duplicate the primary requirements for the biology major. In a university with a number of biological science departments and a large student body, a chapter can form a coordinating center for undergraduate biological activities; in a small school the chapter can greatly enrich and add to the variety of experiences for all the students.

Deliberately, the national constitution puts few restrictions on membership in TriBeta. Regular membership is based on academic achievement in biology and is in that sense honorary, but every major in a biological science and any interested students who are not actually majors can qualify for associate membership. Chapters may adapt the requirements to meet the specific needs of their members and department or departments, provided only that they meet national standards. We are the Omicron Epsilon Chapter of the Nationally Recognized Honor Society.

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