Tom, most of these sisterhoods exist outside of the traditional college campus. The term “adult” in this instance means someone not in school.

Ummm...she already prefaced it below with the following disclaimer....

I think what she probably means is "non-collegiate" orgs, without being "high school" orgs.

Hens' clubs, etc
 

Seems like Beta Sigma Phi, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, etc., have invaded the college scene, too. There are a goodly number of
Greek-letter groups which deviate considerably from the usual
collegiate fraternity/sorority images.
Phi Delta Kappa, aka PDK, a professional educational outfit, has
been trying to drop the Greek letter identification. Theta Sigma
Phi, women's journalism, shucked the Greek letters and now is
known as Women in Communications. Sigma Delta Chi is the prestigious journalism outfit, try to eliminate any greek letter connection. Some have gone co-ed, and are, as far as I am concerned, snooty in their own right, imploding without a plan.
Then the Boy Scout outfit, Alpha Phi Omega, trying on some campi
to fill the "national" need where the college forbids such affiliations, example: Luther College in Iowa. The APO's are now
co-ed and I simply do not know how they handle members who are also "traditional". But Alpha Phi Omega, like most of the so-
called "multicultural" organizations are generally unhoused, and
some only have a handful of members and a songbook.
Only Phi Beta Kappa remains as the ultimate in Greek heights...
There are some professional Greek letter outfits, like at U Michigan which try to be like the NIC, NPC groups, but with little
success. Kappa Eta Kappa at Kansas, an electrical engineer group of sorts, had a crackerbox house, and was in and out of the IFC, generally had little identity other than a co-op house for
cheap meals.
Yes, there are all kinds now...take your pick, line your wall with the shingles...some real, others less than real, most have little purpose. The junior college one, Phi Theta Kappa, a consolation prize--sound-alike for Phi Beta Kappa, was a privately created club of sorts, lucrative, and like the hens' clubs, gets a lot of $$
selling their jewelry to wannabees...E-Bay full of that crap...yes,
these groups have tried to glom on to the elitism many of us had
in days of yore...when Phi Kappa Psi built the first house, a cabin
in the woods, and the Societies emerged from debating and from
literary societies, replete with libraries (sometimes better than the college itself)...'way back when the enrollment was a hundred
or less and the Greeks had "Fratres in Urbe" "Fratres in Facultate" pictured along with the chapter photos in the college
yearbooks...like DePauw, Union, Trinity, etc. Again, this harkens
back to the wonderful histories...Frederick Rudolph wrote a good
book on the American college scene...and then Williams and others booted the Greeks for the ugly co-ed ones or for snooty
eating clubs. The ugliest composite, arguably, in all of the collegiate scene is the now-coed outfits once affiliated with the
national...example: Bowdoin. Scary...coyote ugly!
But, troops, the collegiate Greek experience can be a great one
and memorable for life...even if you belong to Theta Nu Epsilon,
the sub-rosa outfit called TNE--with its persistent intrigue.
It is all fun and in the twilight of my years I still can recall those
fond and halcyon days...Love your affiliation, support it, and it
will warm your hearts forever....

Isn't that the recall code for the B-52s about to nuke Russia in Dr. Strangelove? Something about Purity Of Essence that General Jack D. Ripper was spouting to Group Captain Mandrake... :) ;) :D :p

Like any fraternity or sorority, P.E.O. probably stands for a motto or a means of recognition only an initiated sister would know and is not at liberty to discuss in open forum, much like the significance of the word FATAL to an Eastern Star.

Re: Hens' clubs, etc
 

ALPHA PHI OMEGA IS NOT A MULTICULTURAL ORGANIZATION!!* We have been around since long before that word ever existed. Our main, primary, reason for being focus is SERVICE. We don't care if chapters are all black, all white, or all guys from Chicago that won't talk to girls if they are wearing cheap jeans.

We are nationally co-ed, but there are a smattering of chapters that due to a grandfather clause have remained all-male.

And we are not permitted to have an official house...it's in our bylaws. (There are instances where members live together of course.)

Erik, you really need to research before you spout.

*not that there's anything wrong with that.

Erik, I'm not sure you understand Luther College. There is indeed a "traditional" Greek system there, it just happens to be all local.

Also, I wouldn't call organizations a "hen's club" anymore. While that term may have been okay in your day, it's not so much acceptable anymore.

I find it very offensive that you (Erik) would refer to women's groups as "hens' clubs". This isn't 1954 anymore, women are not second class citizens. Pull your head out of your @ss and join us in the 21st century.

Think P.E.O., not P.O.E. From their website, the meaning is pretty clear, at least to me:

"From its inception, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has taken an active role in the promotion of educational opportunities for women. "

I am a P.E.O. and AlphaSigOU is right- only initiated members should know what P.E.O stands for. Education is a main goal of the P.E.O. sisterhood. Cottey College is supported from P.E.O. funds. Also at every monthyly meeting, after the "meeting" part, we have educational sessions- some are done by members, some by husbands, some by outside sources- the idea is for us to learn something new at each meeting. For instance, I've been to meetings where we discuss a popular book, dust in space, geology, the history of chocolate, and lots more. I really am not very active in P.E.O. and I joined because my mother wanted me to so I don't claim to be an expert or anything. I'm not sure how old you have to be to join, but I know of collegians who are members. Also I got a P.E.O. scholarship to college. I do know many older women who are ADPi's and members of P.E.O. both.

Thanks for sharing, WLFEO.
Your P.E.O. meetings sound a lot like Beta Sigma Phi. We have a cultural/education program after each business meeting, too! It's great to learn from each other's experiences and interests. Even my online chapter does programs.

Erica

Re: Hens' clubs, etc
 

:eek:

"adult" groups
 

We have, indeed, opened up in the 21st century for a goodly number of co-ed, adult, multi-cultural, professional...etc. groups
My previous post was simply a brief rundown of these groups, no
intention of offending anyone.
Some of these groups are so fluid, like APO, that to try to define
them is tough....
Co-ed groups have been formed some voluntarily and some forced. Generally in the northeast...they know better....LOL
There's room for everybody. But the traditional 'social" groups are quite different than many others carrying Greek names. And
then we have FarmHouse, Clovia, Acacia...with no Greek names but existing within the realm of traditional college fraternities.
By the way, going co-ed has not really enhanced the experience,
and there is no rush by the men to join PEO, DAR, and other traditionally - women-oriented outfits. No problem, like I said, the
organizations are there for you to love and choose.
Finally, "hens clubs" was a tongue-in-cheek name, not created by
me, and in no way intended to insult the distaff side.
Perhaps we can be civil to one another...let us try it....huh?

reminds me of Alpha Sigma Alpha's open motto, "Aspire, Seek, Attain"

Re: Re: Hens' clubs, etc
 

Oh my lord that's hi-larious!!

Classic. I've got to find a place to use that.

I would say that our group is for adults. The minimum age is 25.