In the beginning. Dr. Edward Higginson Williams, Jr. founded Tau Beta Pi in order to recognize those engineering undergraduates and graduates who display scholarship, exemplary character, and foster a spirit of liberal culture in engineering colleges. The idea of a honor society was not new; Phi Beta Kappa was organized in 1776. However, that society did not have a specific field upon its founding, and the trend toward selecting one field was evident for years before it narrowed down in 1898. Dr. Williams was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and head of the mining department of Lehigh University. In order to recognize scholarship in the technical fields Phi Beta Kappa was excluding in favor of the liberal arts and sciences, Dr. Williams founded Tau Beta Pi in 1885. He single handedly drew up the organization's constitution, gave it a name, designed its governmental structure, prepared its badge and certificate, planned necessary details for its operation, and established requirements for new members and chapters. The first people Armed with paperwork, Dr. Williams offered membership to the qualified graduated of Lehigh. Many accepted, but only the valedictorian of the senior class, Mr. Irving Heikes, was initiated on June 15, 1885. When Mr. Heikes returned the following year for graduate work, he, Dr. Williams, and two alumni who had accepted membership initiated the eligible men from the class of 1886 and organized the Alpha of Pennsylvania chapter.

In 1892 Michigan State started the second chapter, Alpha of Michigan. The Bent The official badge of the association was originally a watch key in the form of the bent of a trestle. Pocket watches at one time had a small square hole for winding. When stem-winding watches replaced the key- winding watches, the insignia was modified for manufacturing ease. THE BENT, Tau Beta Pi's official quarterly newspaper was originally published by Pennsylvania Alpha in 1906. Although there have been some changes over the years, THE BENT is still published, with paid circulation more than 99,000 copies per issue. Student loans were originally pulled from excess in this account. Incorporation 1947 was a significant year for Tau Beta Pi. The Sigma Tau Fraternity merged with the Tau Beta Pi Association. All of Sigma Tau's members were automatically eligible for membership into Tau Beta Pi. Sigma Tau's national headquarters closed, and all of its records were transferred to the national headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee. Prior to 1905, the national headquarters moved with the Secretary's offices. However, in 1947, Secretary Williams retired, and the University of Tennessee, where his offices had been, was made the permanent headquarters of the Association. The Association was then incorporated under the laws of Tennessee on December 1, 1947. The society is officially a not-for-profit, educational organization, with its assets held in corporate name or in trust.

Texas A & M University's Texas Delta chapter became the 85th chapter on October 11, 1948. Other Texas chapters are: Texas Alpha at University of Texas, Texas Beta at Texas Tech University, Texas Gamma at Rice University, Texas Epsilon at the University of Houston, Texas Zeta at Lamar University, Texas Eta at the University of Texas in Arlington, Texas Theta at the University of Texas in El Paso, Texas Iota at Southern Methodist University, Texas Kappa at Prairie View A & M University, and Texas Lambda at Texas A & M University -- Kingsville. As of 1997, there had been 226 chapters, with more than 415,000 members. Texas Delta itself has initiated over 6,700 members. Texas Delta hosted the seventy-first and the eighty-sixth national convention. Texas Delta has won one honorable mention for the Outstanding Chapter Award and one Most Improved Chapter Award.

In the fall of 1921, a group of engineering students from the List of Distinguished Students met and discussed the idea of petitioning for the establishment of a National Honorary Fraternity of Agriculture and Engineering. On October 15, 1921, a petition was sent to the Board of Directors of the College for the establishment of a Chapter of Tau Beta Pi. A special committee was appointed to make a study of the general policy of the establishment of scholarship fraternities in this institution. There was a key word which played havoc with its acceptance, "fraternities".

On May 18, 1922, the committee announced its position against the establishment of scholarship fraternities because it would let down the bars to the establishment of fraternities of all kinds at the College. The faculty approved the committee report and the matter was dropped at this time. The matter of Honor Scholarship Societies was studied and discussed from time to time during the intervening years. On May 10, 1948, the Board of Directors of the College approved the establishment of Scholarship Honor Societies at the Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas. The group of senior engineering students voted to include the group from the Class of 1922 as members. Formal ceremonies proceeded on October 11, 1948. This marked the birth of the 85th Chapter of the Tau Beta Pi Association, known as the Texas Delta Chapter, at the Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas. In the early years of Tau Beta Pi, the major duties of the Chapter were: 1) consideration of new members 2) election of new members, and 3) initiation. Tau Beta Pi was "THE" organization to be in and membership was highly elite and selective.

Scholarship, character, and integrity play a large role in the selection of Tau Bates. Pledge projects exercise the skills and ambitiousness of the pledges, and promote unity and service. A major undertaking completed in 1960 was the preparation of the life size bent now located in front of the Zachary Engineering Center.

In the Fall of 1964, the graduate students were given full voting privileges by the Chapter. During the same period, the switch was made from the three point grading system to the four point grading system, and the following entrance requirements were established:

Juniors - Top 1/8 of class - GPR minimum of 3.500
Seniors - Top 1/5 of class - GPR minimum of 3.250

On February 15, 1965, the Texas Delta Chapter assured their present membership when they voted to allow women into the society by the near unanimous vote of 28 - 3. The Chapter in 1984 awarded the first Graduate Student Fellowship, in which a Tau Bate planning to attend graduate school (preferably A&M) can receive $1000 toward expenses. Soon the number of fellowships will be increased to two, funds permitting.