Quote:
Originally Posted by JonInKC
Interesting, I wasn't even aware there were Greek letter societies in the 1400s, particularly in Europe...
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There weren't. That's the point.
Every time someone jumps on GC thumping their chest and proclaiming they were founded in 1400 in Bologna, I feel compelled to speak up. I usually regret it afterward because some Kappa Sigmas inevitably feel I'm maligning them. That's not the case at all, so I'll try to tread more lightly this time... (no promises though, IyamwhatIyam)
Kappa Sigma is a great organization with a solid history, but I wish they would emphasize with new members that the Bologna history is a parable, and that there is no direct evidence linking the KS society in Bologna to modern day Kappa Sigma. The Chrysoloras backstory is a fantastic thematic foundation for a fraternity ritual - truly, one of the best among all fraternity rituals, and I've pretty much seen them all - but it's just that and not more.
Many times I see someone reply that the proof is esoteric and only available to members. But this is not true either. I'm giving nothing secret away by saying that the printed ritual and associated documents say no more about the connection between the two groups than the public histories do. Older and/or wiser Kappa Sigma alums concur in private messages to me over the years.
Now this "clay jug with the greek letters" thing is something I've started hearing only recently, and I'm inclined to put it in the greek urban legends category. It's got that vague urban-legendy feel to it, doesn't it? And anyway, the original group didn't use the greek letters Kappa and Sigma for their name, so this one's a little fishy. Maybe some greek dude named Kevin Smith left his monogrammed beer stein behind after vacationing in Italy, who knows. But OK, maybe that's true. Even if true, it doesn't really prove anything anyway - no one disputes the existence of the original group. The dispute is whether the original group was anything more than an inspiration for Mr. Jackson who in the 1880s (10+ years after the founding, mind you, with no prior mention of the story anywhere!) was trying to add some thematic elements to the original bare bones 1860s ritual to compete with the more "flowery" rituals of his contemporaries. He was trying to "gild the lily" (or I should say "gild the apple"
), and as I said, I think he really did a great job. But guys, it's allegory, not history.
(Oh, by the way ksig, the modern history claims, as you do, that McCormick was the famous European vacationer. But in 1887, Jackson writes that it was Hollingsworth, Rogers, Dunlap and others who were traveling in Europe. Not McCormick. McCormick, a wealthy capitalist from Chicago, was brought in later along with Semmes and Toadwin. So the "facts" are still somewhat confused to this day.)
But here's the thing that seals it for me: If evidence of a direct link existed, Kappa Sigma could show it without revealing any more information than what is already publicly available. Yet they haven't. Also, I have fairly detailed ritual discussions with half a dozen senior Kappa Sigma men including two past national officers, and they acknowledge such evidence does not exist.
I wouldn't go as far as tallgreekalum did and say put up or shut up. I wish I could think of a less provocative phrase, but I can't at the moment. So I'll just make this plea: Can't you guys be proud of a strong heritage and a very moving allegorical ritual without trying to lord this "founded in 1400" thing over people all the time? Can't we have a real debate about this historical detail without people getting defensive and playing the secrecy card? Again, all the material relevant to the debate is exoteric anyway.
I wrote a [typically long-winded] essay on this subject about a year ago. It's maybe 90% complete, so maybe I'll finish it up, get it blessed by Kappa Sigma to make sure it doesn't include anything truly esoteric, and then post it.
But somehow I think this assertion will persist, despite. If someone ever starts a thread on
oldest greek urban legends, this one predates Betty Crocker, the moon landing and even the library of congress.
Respectfully [FWIW] submitted,
wptw