First name basis?
 

I just read a post on the ADPi board about President Emeritus Maxine Blake's 100th birthday. (Shouldn't that be "emerita," since she's a she?)

But the point of my post is this. Throughout the news release the references were to "Miss Blake." Alpha Gams are on a first-name basis from the get-go. (At initiation we are reminded of that.) I always liked that because real siblings don't use titles when talking to one another; the AGD practice acknowleged that collegians and alumnae are equally members. (Maybe it's more noticeable to me because I remember a time when not every telemarketer or sales reps called perfect strangers by their first names....but that's another thread.)

What other NPC groups (or other GLOs) have a first-name policy, or specifically don't?

AGDAlum

What's the link to that? I can't seem to find it!

Our "elder statesmen" on the National level always insisted on being called by their first names; however, I know of no written rule or reminder that this should be the case. On occasion, I've known of some elderly advisors to collegiate chapters where the undergraduates called the individual "Mrs. So And So." I've always proceeded right along and called another Chi Omega, regardless of age or stature, by her first name, due to the equality which is implied by the term "Sister."

I guess our most well-known elder statesman was Mary Love Collins, who served as National President from 1910-1952 and then remained on the Governing Council until her death in 1972 at age 90. She was always called, "Mary Love."

I don't know if there is a specific policy, but I would call someone who is older Miss or Mrs. until given permission to call her by her first name.

In the English language, "emeritus" is a gender neutral term.
http://webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=emeritus

I've always called other members of APO by their first name, no matter if they were older or younger than me.

Generally, I'll call people by whatever they introduce themselves as. If they say "Hi, I'm Joe Smith," I'll call them by their first name. But if they say "I'm Mr. Smith," then that's what I'll call them.

They might be referring to her as "Ms Blake" because it was a news release. (I didn't look at the post on the ADPi board, so correct me if I'm wrong.) But in newswriting, each paper makes an executive decision on how people will be referenced. A really common standard is to use the full name the first time a person is mentioned and afterwards to refer to them only as Mr(s). So-and-So. I know when writing for my school's paper we leave off the titles altogether and just refer to the subject by their last name after the initial introduction.

Ooooo...ignore my previous post. I've found the link. :)

Re: First name basis?
 

I'm generally uncomfortable by people addressing me on a first name basis unless we know each other socially. In turn, I would not call a sister that I was unfamiliar with, or one who has "high standing" within the organization by her first name, unless she specifically directed me to, and even then it would likely make me uncomfortable.

Delta Omicron does not have a first-name basis policy.

I have always called all other Gamma Phi's (even IC) by their first name, but I don't know of any policy in Gamma Phi that speaks either way.

I know in old Crescent's, there are many references to "Mrs. X" but that's also the era.

I had actually never thought of it until you mentioned it. Maybe it's because I'm older (so closer to the age of our IC) but I'm almost chuckling thinking about calling our President "Mrs. Read" instead of Vicki. It would be weird..........

I hate being called Mr. or Sir!:mad:

Mr. is My Father, and Sir makes me feel really old!:(

While, people are taught properally so, that the introduction should be formal at the first introduction. Of courwe, this depends on who and what circumstances!:)

We call each other by First Name or Brother so and so. But many times it is hey asswhole what are you doing!:D

You know, it's kind of weird. When I went back to my high school for reunion weekend, many of the teachers asked the returning students to call them by their first names instead of by their honourifics. I'm ok with calling the younger teachers by their first names, but it was weird to do so with teachers who are old enough to be my parent!

During official Phi Psi meetings, officers are addressed as "Brother office title," and non-officers are addressed as "Brother name."

Outside of meetings, we usually go by first name. It is common to address a brother, who you haven't seen in 2 years, as "Brother Name" and after that initial conversation, to simply use the first name.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ThetaPam
[B]They might be referring to her as "Ms Blake" because it was a news release. (I didn't look at the post on the ADPi board, so correct me if I'm wrong.)


Actually, I was the one who erred. It wasn't a news release, it was a message from the ADPi president to the membership.

I have an elementary school teacher like that. He's older than my parents and when I got back in touch with him, I was always calling him "Mr. B" and he had to tell me to call him Dale. That is weird..............

Its not done in front of prospects.

I don't know if such a policy exists, but I DO know that every SAI I've ever known calls everyone by first names...including alums, national officers, etc etc. I like it this way; puts everyone on the same level! :)

I couldn't do that. I'm 30 now, and even now if I see someone who was a former teacher or talk about that person, it's always Mr. or Mrs. Whoever. It would be too weird to call them by their first names!

I don't know how people who teach in the district where they went to school do it. It would be odd to have to relate to former teachers as coworkers.

Formal/informal
 

I know you directed this at NPC groups, but I'm at work and bored, :p , so I decided to answer back for my NPHC org - Sigma Gamma Rho.

At formal meetings we call each other "Soror Lastname".......but when we're just hanging out it's "stinkypants, or Shelly, etc."

I like that there is a distinction between biz and pleasure.

However, it is not uncommon to hear the term Soror used outside of a meeting. It's really handy when you run into someone who you recognize, but you can't remember their name ;). "Hi Soror" sounds better than "Hey .......you..." while trying to remember their name.

It is kind of tricky when people get married, and you're trying to keep track of their now preffered last name.

Once, I asked a President Emerita what I should call her. Her reply? "We're sisters, so call me _____." When dealing with National Council members, most will usually say, "call me FirstName." Since most are considerably older than I, I tend to do what they say. :)

Outside of Greek Life, however, I refer to non-related adults by their honorific.

paging honeychile!

she knows a lot more about policies like that more than I do...

but I really don't think we have any policies either for first-names or to use "titles" like Miss or Mrs.

Personally for me, I would call her "Miss Blake" out of respect because she is older than I am and I don't personally know her. (official policy or not). Now if I went up and met her and she didn't want me calling her "Miss Blake" and by her first name instead, I would be completely cool with that too :)

Hmmm... I never really thought about it.

As far as I know, AEPhi doesn't have a formal policy one way or the other. But I'd feel odd calling someone of my parents' generation (or older) by her or his first name unless specifically requested to do so. I'm sure, though, that if I called another AEPhi "Mrs./Miss/Ms. ___" she would immediately turn around and say "Oh, call me ___, we're sisters after all!" I would do the same for a younger AEPhi.

i don't think AOII has a policy either. I do know that on our convention and leadership institute name tags our first name is always put in big letters so you can read it across a room or hall and then last name is underneath it with position, chapter and so forth in a smaller type

i tried to go through my memory of all the different ocasions that this might be applicable - and pretty much it is all first names but with a few Mrs. SO and So's - I think it depends on how comfortable you are with the person, their personality and your personality. I guess that is as clear as mud huh??

Being from the south, as has been mentioned by others, i think also sways my opinion. Everyone I meet who is older than me is Miss or Mrs. So-and-So until i am instructed otherwise.And to many of my friends children i am Miss Tasha - (even though I am married now and the kids are trying to learn Mrs. Tasha - but heck i can't remember the Mrs. part half the time so why should they!!!)

anyway that is my two cents.

To my knowledge, there is no hard & fast policy in Alpha Delta Pi. But, we were always taught (by our mamas, then by our chapter) that you call an alumna "Mrs. Jones" or "Miss Jones" or "Ms. Jones" unless she tells you otherwise - which, 99.9 chances out of 100%, she will. We truly are casual to that extent.

HOWEVER!

You're talking about Miss Blake!! She just turn 100 years old, and was Grand President from (let me look this up!) 1948 to 1977!! You are talking about someone who was Grand President longer than some GLOs were even around! Miss Blake devoted her life to Alpha Delta Pi and to the promotion of the Greek System - if anyone alive today has earned her respect, it's Miss Blake!!

I'm sure that there are those who call her Maxine, but I would be worried about the thunderbolt that would most certainly appear afterwards!! :eek:

I can't bring myself to call anyone my parents' age or older by their first name. My best friend insist that I call his parents by their first name, and I compromise by saying "Mrs. FirstName" and "Mr. FirstName". If I had dared call an adult anything more informal than that while I was growing up I was severely reprimanded by my parents.

I love Alpha Gam's first name basis policy!

The highest "ranking" and most powerful woman in the University of Hawaii SYSTEM is Dr. Doris Ching, a 1993 Alumna Initiate at the Chicago Convention. Those who work within the campus system are always instructed to call her "Dr. Ching".

So imagine the look on my old supervisor's face when Dr. Ching comes into our office and I say, "Hey Doris! How ya' doin?" Doris looks at my old boss and says, "She's my SISTER." and gave me a wink and a smile.

My sisters know exactly what I'm talking about.

I had an "Ask the Pres" question and it felt weird about going Dear Suzanne... but that is the way of things.

I consider myself southern, southern by birth, southern by where I've lived (though some don't consider KY Southern, and Louisville is most assuredly not southern) southern by faith (Southern Baptist Feminist)... I was kinda brought up it call people Mr. or Ms. but I've never worked in a place where you do this. Education has only been the place where I call people by a pre-fix.

SO... Georgetown has a tradition for graduating students and it is called the nameing ceremony... this is where all the profs and the staff line up and the graduating students walk up to each of them and they reintroduce themselves as Bob or Jill... or BILL (that would be the President of the College)... so it is wonderful to walk up to President Crouch (who you wouldn't call by anything else) and go... Good Evening Bill.

I do wish sometimes that we were a more formal society because moments like that are wonderful! And they add to moments like Sandy described.

This just made me realize that I think I called Betty Quick Mrs. Quick at RLC last year without evening knowing it. Whenever I'm in doubt, I will use the more formal version. For example, I think Betty is roughly the same age as one of our CAs. I can call the CA Lou Anne without hesitation because I saw her initiated and work with her on a daily basis, but I'd feel very odd calling one of our IC members by their first name unless I knew them a lot better.