ritual question
 

When I was in college, we were taught that we were never ever to say any part of our ritual if non-initiated sisters or non-members were around.

So I was surprised last year at a Founders Day event elsewhere that we recited the ritual (except for very last bit, you know what I mean) in a crowd that included, among others, a baby and a Sigma Kappa. Now, the baby was way too young to have a clue, but someone from another sorority?

The local chapter members assured me they always did that and it was no big deal. I still felt very uncomfortable with it. There was an ELC there, and it didn't seem to bug her. Is this something other chapters do???

I totally agree with you. I understood that the ritual was never said in any part in front of anyone. In fact at leadership conference 2000 we said the ritual one night, but we asked that all none alpha xis leave. I can't imagine saying it in front of others. :eek:

I have never recited ritual (any part of it) in front of non-members. Our alumnae association recites the symphony for Founder's Day (which is always held in a restaurant. I agree, I would have been very uncomfortable and very surprised to be asked to recite it in a public place.

Well, we were actually at the chapter house, so technically it wasn't really a public place, but since there were non-sisters there, it might as well have been the NYC subway!

Oh NO! I definetlety think they should not have said it. In my chapter we aren't even allowed to WRITE it to teach it to new initiates, in case someone might see it! I can't believe they felt it was no big deal. Someone needs to let them know they shouldn't be doing that!!!

It is my understanding that you can never write the ritual down and in no way shape or form say any part of it infront of non members. Actually, we say the ritual during our formal meetings and we make our new members wait outside until we have said it. If girls wearing our new member pin can't hear it, a member of another sorority/fraternity should absolutely not be there. That was a very bad call on their part. They need to be informed of how ritual works, because that is a huge blunder. It is like explaining TFJ or something. Nothing can be done now except preventing it from happening again.