FarmHouse - Kansas State FarmHouse

FarmHouse Fraternity's motto, "Builder of Men," is best explained by the four-part approach we take to building our members: men must have a strong spritual foundation, be intellectually keen, be adept both socially and morally, and value physical wellness. While great strides can be made in these four areas during one's time in college, members know that the true process of building men is more long-term; in reality, the building of men is never finished and is best viewed from a life-long perspective. 

Social/Moral
Chapter members participate in numerous date parties and functions with sororities throughout the academic year. Through various philanthropies, holiday dinners and Greek-wide events, FarmHouse men meet a wide variety of individuals from across campus each year. FarmHouse prides itself on its impressive showing in Homecoming and Greek Week, and all FarmHouse on- and off-property social events are dry.

Spiritual

At K-State, FarmHouse members are active in campus ministries, participate in bible studies within the house, and regularly attend churches in the community. The chapter holds various events throughout the school year with the goal of spiritual development, such as the annual Pastor Appreciation Dinner. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." FarmHouse members strive to positively influence one another as they proceed throughout college.

Intellectual
FarmHouse consistently ranks at the top of the fraternity grade rankings at K-State, having achieved an all-house average G.P.A. of at least 3.25 for ten consecutive semesters. Notably, FarmHouse remains one of the few fraternities at K-State to not set required study hours for new members. FarmHouse offers a 24-hour quiet educational wing, and in a house full of 62 men, members can always find a brother to help them academically. During pledgeship, new members are assigned a "big brother" to serve as a mentor during their first semester in the house, and academic support serves as a large part of the program.

Physical
The chapter places a high emphasis on physical well-being. Members are active in nearly every intramural sport, and meals at the house are structured to provide members with a balanced, nutritious diet during their time at K-State. Whether playing a backyard game of basketball, going for a jog with a brother, or competing in the chapter's annual ping-pong tournament, physical fitness and health is a priority at FarmHouse--and members have a good time in the process.

FarmHouse Fraternity was founded on April 15, 1905 by seven men from the University of Missouri, as an Agricultural club. The principal ideas for the club came from discussions at Sunday afternoon Bible meetings, where D. Howard Doane, Henry Rusk, and Earl Rusk sought to promote fellowship within members of the College of Agriculture. Because the primary ideas were from Doane, he is considered the father of our fraternity. 

The founders realized that often times in our society, the role of the farmer is looked down upon and for this reason placed great significance on a hard work ethic and Christian values, which are important for rural living. In 1924, FarmHouse was first recognized as a fraternity. Although part of the Greek system, FarmHouse has retained its non-Greek name out of respect of the importance the founders placed on its Agricultural heritage. 

FarmHouse became a nationally recognized fraternity when in 1921, the Constitution and By-Laws were approved by the Missouri, Nebraska, and Illinois chapters- the three chapters in existence at the time. 

The Kansas State chapter of FarmHouse was chartered on June 2, 1921 making it the fifth chapter to be established. The Kansas State chapter was established by a group of agricultural students and faculty members who were associated with FarmHouse men from other universities. Their intent was to foster good fellowship and to advance scientific agriculture. 

The original chapter house was located on 1126 Bluemont and was in use from 1922 to 1925. The second house was at 1031 Moro from 1926-1928 and the third house was located at 1409 Farichild and was in use from 1929-1943 and 1946-1955. During World War II, the Kansas State chapter was inactive and the chapter house was used to house army families. In 1956, the chapter moved into its present location at 1830 College Heights.

FarmHouse has now been in existence for one hundred years, becoming an International fraternity in 1974 with the installation of the FarmHouse chapter at the University of Alberta. 
 

The Kansas State Chapter of FarmHouse is composed of men in a wide range of majors, from a variety of backgrounds. However, it has still maintained a strong tie to the agricultural heritage and Christian principles that it was founded upon.