Once and for all...
 

Here is a great link to an article on Phi Delta Theta's website. Because it seems that the old "lyre badge on the moon" myth is still popular with some chapters, I thought this would be a good source of information.

http://www.phideltatheta.org/famousp...ace/badge.html

awww... we always used that as an interesting tidbit, but never thought to actually verify it... but honestly, how many women did you know joined AXO solely because our pin was on the moon?!? hehe.

another rumor question-- is our badge really in the Smithsonian and voted the prettiest out of all the sororities?

(i do think it is ONE of the prettiest :) )

I think AXO Alum knows the answer to this question, too. Will you fill us in, please? :)

thank you thank you thank you!!!

this story drives me crazy! leave it to you AXOAlum to help set the record straight!

Smithsonian
 

Yes, the Smithsonian is another oldie but goodie... it is told in various forms, but most prominent is this one:

Our badge was voted the prettiest badge, and is on display in the Smithsonian with the other badges.

Okay - false, sort of. I did go personally to the Smithsonian to check it out. I talked with several employees, but one had been working there for 10 years (and this was back in 1998, so you figure he'd been there since 1988) -- and he told me that there was no display of fraternity or sorority badges. He said it may have been a rotating display way back when, but not in the last 10 years since he had been there. He also said that it was highly unlikely that the Smithsonian would do a "prettiest badge" contest -- kinda like asking people to vote on which First Lady had the prettiest dress on display. I can agree with him on that -- what would be the point of having a vote when most people couldn't care less about what someone's badge looks like.

So -- I give the Smithsonian rumor a big 10 for the myth department. If it were on display, it was done as a one-time deal, and no voting was taking place.

Oh, and for the record, AXO is not the only group to carry this myth. I did a google search for "prettiest badge" and another NPC group had the same thing listed.

The thought of a "prettiest badge" contest just cracks me up -- I mean what do you do....set up a lemonade stand on the side of the road "LEMONADE 25cents - VOTE FOR PRETTIEST BADGE" -- LOL!!

Any other rumors you need checked into, just lemme know!!

LITB - AXO Alum