Back (sort of) to the topic - when did NPCs start doing hand signs? I see them on a lot of websites. Are they official? (To the best of my knowledge, there are no Gamma Phi ones. Well, you can make your hand into a "c" for a crescent, but that looks like you are about to break into "C is for Cookie".)

These have all been debunked or further clarified on Greek Chat.

I was wondering the same thing about handsigns. We never did them. I am pretty sure that AOII doesn't have an official handsign-- but I do see allot of chapter websites with women doing similar handsigns. On a side note, we do have an official whistle but I have only heard it once- it wasn't something we did (and I couldn't do it even if I wanted to!).

I've seen a lot of deltas, using forefingers and thumbs, in pictures but the Trident won't accept pictures with them in it. So I don't think it's official, at least for us.

Calls (whistles)
 

I think many of the NPCs have whistles - we just don't use them like they did 100 years ago. (I THINK I remember Gamma Phis!)

APO Philippines has a whistle. I have forgotten it though. I learned it at the Louisville Convention in 06.

Personally, I feel like whistles, hand signs, calls, handshakes, etc are PRIVATE and should not be done enough that non-members can recognize them. Just my opinion, though.

It's not right to post the secrets of organizations. Even if it is your own, you should respect the people who do keep it a secret.

Preaching to the choir...

Ding ding ding! I win!

Again, as stated earlier by 33girl, these "facts" you pulled from Wikipedia and various chapter websites have all been debunked on GC already.

Thanks for playing.

LOL! I'm still wondering about that 1 in 4 thing. Where did that even come from?

Or we could all just ask the Masons.

I am a Fraternity Man as well as a Freemason, so I can tell you a few things. We have signs, handshakes, words, grips and multiple other means of recognition for Brothers. Seeing as the Collegiate Fraternity evolved from Freemasonry, it is understandable that many organizations have similar means of recognition.

Did that answer a question or something?

Groups of humans have been doing the "how shall we recognize each other" thing forever. Before Masonry existed. They are just the longest lasting collective with a record of these things. And we know that GLOs evolved from Masonry just as Masonry evolved from something.

EXACTLY. I read that secret societies in Africa also have similar ways of recognizing eachother and showing unity.