Sigma Tau Gamma (), commonly known as Sig Tau, is a United States college social fraternity founded on June 28, 1920, at the University of Central Missouri (then known as Central Missouri State Teachers College). The fraternity was founded as a result of friendships made while some of the founders fought in World War I in France. The fraternity went on to create new chapters on the campuses surrounding teachers' colleges (at the time also called "normal schools"). Since the Fraternity's beginnings in 1920, they have since spread to more than 193 university campuses across the United States. Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity is an active member of the North American Interfraternity Conference. History Four of the founders (Emmett Ellis, Leland Thornton Hoback, Edward George Grannert, and William Glenn Parsons) had enlisted and served their country together during the First World War in France. Parsons commented that in founding the Fraternity they wanted to sustain a "sense of service, responsibility, and affection for their companions." These four, together with Allen Ross Nieman, Edward Henry McCune, Carl Nelson Chapman, Buell Wright McDaniel, George Eugene Hartrick, A. Barney Cott, Chiles Edward Hoffman, Rodney Edward Herndon, William Edward Billings, Clarence Willard Salter, Frank H. Gorman, Alpheus Oliphant Fisher, and Daniel Frank Fisher, were the 17 founders of the fraternity. Several of the founders were members of the Irving Literary Society, but they wanted to create a new fraternity including members of other literary societies. On the morning of June 28, 1920, "at an unusually early hour" according to the original minutes, a list containing the names of about thirty men was posted on the college bulletin board by Emmett Ellis with a request to meet that afternoon. According to the minutes, "the notice had the proper effect and, as requested, there appeared a goodly number of men to learn what was in store for them." Founder Nieman, who had become familiar with fraternities while attending William Jewell College, was the principal organizer of the meeting. He explained the purpose of the meeting and told them what such an organization could mean to the men of the college. The men elected Leland Hoback temporary Chairman and Emmett Ellis temporary Secretary. They agreed to begin crafting the organization and adjourned until July 7, 1920. The founders were accompanied by Dr. Wilson C. Morris to present their petition to the faculty, who had been part of Sigma