No offense taken at all. However you are SADLY mistaken in stating the level of interests in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated at Howard has never rivaled aka or delta.
I invite you to review ANY official Howard University periodical or annual from the Moorland Springarn room in the Main Library of Howard University. I worked on the yearbook staff for 3 of my 4 years as a student there and promise you will see for yourself that what I have stated is FACTUAL.
If you really do some serious research on Greek letter organizations at Howard in particular, you will see for a FACT that the Zetas did indeed rival in numbers the other Sororities from it's inception well into the 1950's. After that time period there was a major shift in the culture of membership and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated respectively.
But don't be suprised, you will not find many projects specific to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated in the archives as you will other organizations,simply because Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated chose not to give her archives to the research institution as did many other BGLOs. (When the interests at Howard are encouraged to research...they research). Been there...and did it.
In stating that, the culture of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, on college campuses systematically changed in its focus away from the numbers and more on the bond of Sisterhood. This was further demonstrated by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated being the first to expand and charter in Africa in 1948. The notion was... Sororal living did and should move beyond our scope of locality and particularly that of the African diaspora.
Contemporarily, sorority life in general has evolved dramatically. From the 1960's-1980's (and 90's for some
)the focus on pledging at Howard further cast the iron between those who were worthy and those who were not. A long tradition of pledging hard quite frankly and purposely scared many away, especially since my Fraternity brothers were notorious for participating in the pledge process.
To further expound on the idea of a rush of 200-300 girls. Will that ever happen again at Howard U or any other chapter in Zetadom? By design, probably not. We make it a point to weed them out waaaaaaaaay before it comes to that. It eliminates confusion, anxiety, cliques, law suits, dramatic A and B lines, and suspensions.
FYI, Alpha chapter Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated has NEVER been suspended.
As for the organizations that do have the practice of large rushes, more power to you. I know for my aka friend from the line of 128, she said she was happy with crossing in her weekend MIP. She said it was more in line with her virtues and idea of sorority life. She also enjoyed the rush of 300. Its a concept that works for some, but not for others. She's my girl! What ever makes her happy.
On the issue of keeping in touch with all of your linesisters/and knowing them, I must disagree with you. My bond with my linesisters are UNLIKE any. Yes, it's true, the time you spend in undergrad is short compared to the time you spend in grad. Hey, I have been out of undergrad for 8 years. I too, am currently active in a graduate chapter
. And yes, I love ALL of my Sorors that I have met across the world and I would not trade them for the anything, but the bond I have with my linesisters can NEVER be replaced. My introduction will always be the most special. It was the time when Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated first touched my heart. Without that moment, my membership of 9 years plus would not exist.
Interestingly enough it was YOUR Sorors that wanted to put the cap on membership numbers through the HU chapter of NPHC. My Sorors were in disagreement, primarily because they felt membership should not be regulated by NPHC but by the individual organization.
Likewise, I hope I have not offended you or any other woman on a line of 30+ , for it certainly was not my intention.
Quote:
Originally posted by PositivelyAKA:
Sisterhood is something you have to work at no matter the number, if more women want to be your sister then you just have to work that much harder at bonding, I'm not saying Zeta doesn't have interested women but they do not and never have attracted as large of a following at Howard as do Delta or AKA (that's just a fact and i've seen the year books.)
Anyway after you graduate no one really cares, its all about the business, no one cares how long your line was or if you can remember all their names if you are not financial. In joining a sorority the sisterhood is not limited just to your undergraduate line sorors who many times disperse all across the nation after graduation. Older sorors told me and i have seen it to be true that our sister hood is life long and is has no boundries it only begins with undergrad.
hands that help build that chapter, because in grad chapter you may find yourself wishing you had more sorors to help out.
hope this didn't offend you Finer Woman i do see your point. Its just easier to say what you will do then to do it if you've never done it.
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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!
[This message has been edited by Finer Woman10-A-91 (edited May 25, 2000).]