What does your GLO keep secret?
 

This has come up tangentially in other threads ... please let me make it clear that I am absolutely NOT asking anyone to reveal anything secret. I am only *what* symbols that the public is already aware of have secret meanings - since not all GLOs regard the same thing as secret. What you can't believe someone would reveal isn't a big deal to another group.

So, which of the following is secret in your GLO? (Also - if you have something secret most people don't know about (funny robes, goat sacrifices, whatever), I wouldn't bring that to people's attention.)

-the meaning of your letters (and if it's secret, do you have an open alternate version of their meaning?)
-the symbolism of your colors
-any symbols on your badge
-meaning of your crest
-slogans or greetings
-symbolism of your pledge pin

For Alpha Xi Delta, most of these things are secret but also have an open meaning. All of the meaning of the crest is secret, but like most crests you can figure out whose it is because of its colors, letters, flower, etc.

The only thing we have that is really non-secret that other groups might keep secret is the pledge pin. Obviously the "AXD" on it is our letters, and their meaning is private, but the shape and colors (gold with black enamel) don't mean anything at all. No, they don't mean we like football, or are enamored of pumpkin seeds, or anything like that!

Our hazing. ;)

I know what your asking Fuzzie Alum, but I think this is going to turn ugly just like the ritual attire thread. Some posters might not have a full grasp of what can and cannot be said.

If anyone says anything inappropriate, I think it should be locked and deleted, but I'd let people have a chance to behave themselves first.

I'm just getting a little tired of seeing, in so many forums, people freaking out because they think someone is doing something "inappropriate," when in fact they are following their own GLO's/chapter's rules. We tend to forget that, as much as all GLOs are alike, we aren't identical, and I wanted to remind people of that.

(Edited to add: But if a moderator disagrees with me and wants to delete it immediately, OK.)

Hmm yea I think this thread might get a lil crazy.

What is (and isn't) considered secret in Alpha Sigma Phi:

The significance of the Greek letters (it is our secret motto). Our open motto is Causa latet vis est notissima, Latin for "the cause is hidden, the results are well known". Many brothers abbreviate the open motto to 'CLVEN' as a salutation.

The initiation ritual. (The pledging ceremony may be open to non-members at the discretion of the chapter.)

The fraternal grip, which has never been described in writing.

The symbolism of the badge and the coat of arms.

The symbolism of the pledge pin borrows from the symbolism of the old Alpha Kappa Pi fraternity, which consolidated with Alpha Sigma Phi in 1946. The meaning is considered private to pledges of the fraternity.

To be serious now...

What isn't secret:
Our colors
Our flower
Our bird

What is secret:
The meaning of the greek letters- alpha phi omega
Our coat of arms
Our pins
Our badge
Our handshake

I will go by what is on the AEPhi website.

The letters are derived from "Aei Esto Philio" = "May Friendship be Everlasting". There is another secret meaning, revealed at initiation.

The meaning of our colors is public.

The Columns (I guess it's technically not a crest :) ) has some symbolism that is explained to new members, and further symbolism revealed at initiation. I -think- that what is told to new members is public (I seem to recall seeing it on a chapter's website), but I'm not sure, so I'll err on the side of caution here. :)

The new member pin is a replica of the Columns without the Greek letters - so the new members know some of its symbolism.

As for everything else, mum's the word :)

What is secret in APO
 

Also secret:
Our Pledge and Induction Rituals
The greek motto and its meaning (is that what you mean by the meaning of our letters? AFAIK, there is no meaning to them)

If you understand the principles of our founding, the symbolism of our coat of arms and badge/pin are pretty easy to figure out. But that is not reveled until the Induction Ceremony.

APO is pretty open. All our documents are available on-line, EXCEPT for our Rituals. The only topic not discussed on-line are the details of Rituals.

Way to go AchtungBaby! You took the words right out of my mouth!!! :D

ITF,
Blaire

In ADPi, the following things are secret:
Our badge meaning
The second meaning behind our pledge pin
Our initiation ritual
Our secret grasp
Our letters
The details of rush
The details of any chapter meeting
Our symbol
Certain phrases
Also, certain chapters (like mine) have other things that are secret specifically to our chapter/ our house

The following things are not secret:
Our flower

I honestly am not sure about our colors, so I am not going to say anything.

Phi Sigs keep the following things secret

meaning of our letters...
Meaning of our colors
Meaning behind our flower
certain things about ritual meetings
handshake

I'm not sure about our pledge pin... so I won't say... but I think that it's actually NOT a secret....
We also have a closed motto as well as our open motto

our chapter does sisternames and we keep the stories behind those private... but people can know the name.

AchtungBaby....

I didn't know our letters had a meaning...now I feel out of the loop.

Is the meaning of our letters the meaning of the thing that is written at the botton of our crest?

Sounds like you are doing some research.

I don't see a lot of problem with the thread:

Simply put, whatever is learned for the first time in The Ritual is probably secret.

These include such things as the motto (meaning behind the letters), the challange, the grip and many other things.

Alpha Gamma Delta
 

Simply put..

Not secret: whatever is on our OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Secret: whatever you don't see on our OFFICIAL WEBSITE

;)

i'm going to go along with OTW, if it's on the sigma kappa website (exception of the sister's only area) it's not secret. otherwise, it's secret. hell, i'm a recent alumnae and i can't even remember exactly what's secret and what's not. i've looked at a couple of different glo websites and looked to see what was open. i really enjoy seeing what's open. pi beta phi is really cool when it comes to this.

shelley j
sigma k

With Gamma Phi Beta, basically everything is secret except for what our flower symbolizes (we tell PNMs that during recruitment). So basically, our colors, meaning of letters and crest, meaning of pledge pin, any ritual (except candle passings), and the behind-the-scenes of rush are all secret. We do have an open motto and our creed can also be known by non-initiated members. Our pledges begin to know some of the secrets during new member period, but they are asked not to reveal to the outside and do not know the total significance of any ritual until initiated.

bsugirlie,
Take a look at our ritual book....I missed a lot when I was intitated and when I took a look at it, a lot of questions were answered for me! Good luck!

Blaire

In ASA, our letters have a secret meaning and a meaning that isn't secret... all of our symbols have a secret meaning that is explained through our intiation rituals... our colors meaning is not a secret, I don't think... correct me if I'm wrong... We also have an open motto and a secret motto...

Just about everything is kept secret in Kappa Sigma.
Pledges know some things, but not how everything ties into the big picture. I'm a pledge and I have been explained that everything I know is less than 10% of what Kappa Sigma is all about. I don't doubt it, knowing what I already do.

I'm looking forward for initiation in a couple weeks when I get to find most everything else out. But I will always be learning, as Kappa Sigma is for life, and what I put into it, it will be returned 1,000 fold.

All of or most of LXA is secret and each new member learns the secrets at Initiation!

But the rub is, it is hard to remember everything.

I know each and everytime that I see the Ritual, I learn something or remember something that had slipped away:)

In Beta Theta Pi

Secret:
Pre-initiation rituals
Initiation
symbolism of pledge pin
Meaning of letters
Symbolism of the Badge
The grip
The pledge grip
Information about the grip and pledge grip
password
Meaning of __kai__ and Wooglin
Significance of Mascot
Rules of Formal Chapter meeting

Not Secret:
Colors
Mascot
Open motto Three Great Principles
Pater Knox ritual to honor the chief founder
The Loving Cup Ritual
Rituals for receiving awards (Oxford Cup, Francis W. Shepardson, Distinguished Service, Fraternal Fifty)
Our history
Our Constitution
Our Songs
Anything that is mentioned in our Pledge Manual

Wow! I never knew they meant anything important to Beta Theta Pi.....I just thought they were cute names our Betas used in their e-mail addresses.... :)

Hmm.... I'm uncertain some things, but I know that everything in Kappa Delta's initiation (except the open motto) is secret.

Locking pending review. May reopen soon.