William Alexander Scroggs, born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, was an insurance agent and Founder of, National Honorary Band Fraternity.
Career
He was a commerce and marketing student at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in the class of 1922, and was a cornet player in the Agricultural and Mechanical band. At the first meeting of the fraternity, Scroggs was elected President of the local chapter and elected Grand Editor and Assistant Secretary and Treasurer of the national organization. In 1947, Scroggs conducted the first piece ever performed by the National Intercollegiate Band: "Semper Fidelis" by John Philip Sousa.
At the 1947 National Convention, Scroggs abdicated his succession to the office of Grand President, having presided over the 1922 convention in the absence of Martin.
He was honored by the delegation by being named the first Honorary Life Grand President of the Fraternity.
Membership
Beyond, Scroggs was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, a member of Delta Sigma Alpha agricultural fraternity (now called Collegiate 4-H), and president of the college orchestra. In 1919, Scroggs, a member of the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical band, approached band president A. Frank Martin with plans for an honorary band fraternity. Martin agreed to help with the fraternity"s creation and was selected, along with Scroggs and eight other members of the band, to serve as a founding member of the fraternity by band director Bohumil Makovsky.
Scroggs served as a member of the constitution and bylaws committee of the new fraternity.