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The average greek's lack of knowledge about our own history, as displayed in this thread, is really troubling to me. Some of you will argue ad nauseum about which sorority/women's fraternity/secret women's society was the first to be/do/say/have XYZ (also as displayed in this thread), yet you don't know even the most basic history.
Phi Beta Kappa was certainly NOT just an honor society. It is widely recognized as the "big bang" of the greek universe. Breathesgelatin already covered this. One correction though: Phi Beta Kappa revealed their rituals and constitution voluntarily, albeit under strong pressure from the anti-masonic crowd. They were not forced to do so. And it was not their "discovery" that prompted this - they were already well known to the universities and communities where they were established.
Today we associate a "social" fraternity with a house, functions, etc., but obviously things were very different in the beginning. Students in Schenectady in 1825 didn't go hang out at the KA Society house on weekends to drink beer and meet women. They met secretly to share friendship and read literary works. (THEN they'd go out to drink beer and meet women!)
Every greek should know all about Phi Beta Kappa and the Kappa Alpha Society. Your GLO owes its very existence to these groups.
How this "all but 2 US presidents were greek" myth perpetuates itself is beyond me.
Kappa Sigma was NOT founded in 1400. The fraternity was indeed based on Chrysoloras' brotherhood in Bologna, and the group does make use of this symbolism. But to claim a direct link between the Bologna brotherhood and the Kappa Sigma fraternity is preposterous. Another myth perpetuated by someone's shallow desire to be "the first THIS to do THAT".
1400? Ha! My fraternity was founded on the brotherhood of Jesus. So we were founded in 0. Beat that!
Most fraternities were NOT founded by masons or children of masons. The masonic influence is unquestionable, but let's not get carried away.
And before someone chimes in with this old chestnut, NO your badge is not on the moon. And there are no rituals in the library of congress.
Doodlebug's post was right on the money - how about debating which group has the best philanthropy, or the highest GPA, or the least number of chapters on suspension, or the best pledge program? We try to attract new members with these ridiculous "fun facts" and then we bitch when those members turn out to be more concerned with trivial things than with the central ideals of our GLO!
wptw
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