AGD facts???

AGDsexysmoker · #1 06-07-2001, 03:04 AM

i don't know if any of you have ever gone to [website address deleted].. but i was looking around there the other day and under some of the sororities, it lists their patron goddess and what their sorority name means. (ex: Delta Zeta = Daughters of Zeus)... i am guess our Delta means Daughters... i tried looking up other sororities that had Gammas and Alphas, but neither had what those two words meant... just wondering if anyone out there KNEW who we were the "daughters" of and who our patron goddess is..
also, why exactly is our mascot the squirrel?? my ex and i were talking about mascots the other day.. he is a Theta Chi and their mascot is the rattle snack b/c it "warns before it strikes"... which is supposed to represent THEM as a fraternity... so why are we the squirrel?
if anyone can answer my idiotic questions, i would greatly appriciate it! (i also tried looking on our website.. no luck.. but i am also an idiot when it comes to "searching")
thanks!
AGD love and mine,
tatianna

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it's hard being a princess...AGD

[This message has been edited by OohTeenyWahine (edited June 07, 2001).]

gammazetagrl · #2 06-07-2001, 03:11 AM

hey tatianna! im not an AGD but i have visited [website address deleted] and i wanna know if that site creator is or isn't greek. He/she probably didn't even get a bid, or was blackballed. I wouldn't rely on the site for info...like for DZ--daughters of zeus? does that mean it makes Delta Chi daughters of Christ when they're guys?...i dunno im just babbling now coz it's like 2 am...

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"To supress our feelings only makes them stronger"--from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

[This message has been edited by OohTeenyWahine (edited June 07, 2001).]

#3 06-07-2001, 03:25 AM

I wish I could give my two cents about that certain website, but if I did John Hammel would automatically give me the boot for using such foul and vulgar language

.

If I had a million dollars, I'd bet that none of the "facts" presented on that site is true. The webmaster of that site likes to think that he has secrets, but come on now, Daughters of Zeus? Our sororities were founded on similar ideals of sisterhood, and the information you got from that site is pure rubbish. Comical and entertaining...but it's all manufactured! We are not "daughters of" anyone nor do we have a patron goddess.

About Skiouros:

This comes directly from my new member manual. Skiouros comes from two Greek words meaning "shady" and "tail", and it was chosen by the Gamma chapter. This explanation of the squirrel's selection appeared in a 1915 publication:

"In the days when Gamma first made the triple colors of red, buff, and green her own, some of her energetic number sought a mascot to symbolize the characteristics of the colors and progress of Alpha Gamma Delta. In the autumn tints, so beautifully dear to us in our song of that name, they received the suggestion, and the little squirrel, typical frequenter of autumn haunts, was chosen as the mascot...Our little friend, we find, is also nimble and agile--he leaps from branch to branch and accomplishes much progress...to symbolize the spirit that never dies, the spirit of energetic alertness and progress."

...And that is why the squirrel is our mascot.

#4 06-07-2001, 04:17 AM

I also forgot to add...

Here's some AGD facts that I know are true. They do come from a credible source (The Quarterly!).

AGD has initiated more than 130,000 members since 1904.
AGD has the widest spread of collegiate chapters of any NPC group across North America--Delta Sigma at UH-Manoa (WOOHOO! ) to Alpha Eta--at Dalhousie in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The current fraternity-wide GPA is more than 3.0
About 3,000 new members are initiated into AGD every year.
AGD has installed 179 collegiate chapters ane more than 250 alumnae clubs, chapters, and junior circles.
AGD was the first women's fraternity to set a minimun GPA that all chapters must attain.
AGD has the largest international presence of any NPC with 7 in Canada: University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, University of Manitoba, University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, and University of Ontario.
AGD was the first women's fraternity to establish an International Philanthropy.
Two AGDs have served as Chairman of the NPC: Louise Leonard and Myra Vedder Foxworthy.

greeklawgirl · #5 06-07-2001, 11:23 AM

Right on, Ooh Teeny Wahine. That information sounds completely unreliable. AGD Sexy Smoker, I believe the letters for every sorority can stand for completely different things. For some, the letters represent the initials of their motto; for others, it represents the ideals and virtues that is the foundation of their sorority. Somehow, "Daughters of Zeus" just doesn't wash! As far as I'm concerned--and this certainly is not meant to affront you--I love the meaning behind our letters, and we don't need to be daughters of ANY greek god or goddess to make what we have special and unique!

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"To hold truth inviolable, sincerity essential. kindness invaluable."

ilovemyglo · #6 06-07-2001, 01:20 PM

This is fun!! Other interesting facts, awhile back in this forum it was brought up that Sigma Kappa claims to have initiated the first non caucasian into their sorority, but someone found a date the preceeds Sigma Kappa and it was AGD! The Indy thing.. we are located next to Lambda Chi and so that is why we have the double vision program with them. There is always "who is a famous alpha gam" question. My chapter has two houses and we are the only one at my school to have that (there was a city zoning ordinace that mandated us having more parking so that is why we have two!). I love learning more about AGD!! Keep it coming!

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"...and love her for her womanhood."

#7 06-08-2001, 02:38 AM

You're right...Diana Lam was initiated into the University of British Columbia chapter in 1953...4 years before Barbara Delaney was initiated into Sigma Kappa in 1957.

#8 06-10-2001, 11:12 PM

hey just to clear something up. The Sigma Kappa person said that they initiated the first black female into an NPC org. Then someone else from A-E-Phi said they intiated the first Asian American into an NPC org. They were being specific

anywhooo, we learned that the squirrel is also used for our mascot because one of the founding sisters always use to sign her name with a picture of one

#9 06-10-2001, 11:16 PM

ok excuse me but I am a complete airhead. I just re read the thing ahout SK and I thought you were saying that they said they were the first to admitt any type of minority. Which is not the case as you pointed out. This is what 80 degree weather does to my head, besides the fcat I have issues with an SK chapter

As an African American I am proud that we admitted the first black.

LeslieAGD · #10 06-20-2001, 03:08 PM

ok, just to clarify...what was Diana Lam's ethnicity/race? Was she African American or was she of some other decent?

#11 06-20-2001, 03:41 PM

Leslie I believe that she is Asian American and that was confusing me also, and truthfully are we she was a memeber of our org.? because i remember a thread where AEPhi claimed her.

#12 06-20-2001, 04:24 PM

Diana Lam indeed does belong to AGD! In fact, she wears the Arc of Epsilon Pi and is an active member of the Vancouver Alumnae Chapter.

A remember a post a looong time ago that spoke about the first minority initiated.

http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/...ML/000608.html

A user by the name of Welwyn indicated that Diana was the first Asian-American (or minority for that matter) initiated into the UBC chapter in 1953. I don't know where she got her material, but I have heard our alumnae speak of Diana as being the first. I doubt that Welwyn is an AGD as she had referred to AGD as "Diana's" sorority.

Of course, this can all be confirmed or disproved by a quick email to IHQ!

[This message has been edited by OohTeenyWahine (edited June 20, 2001).]

Taualumna · #13 12-06-2003, 07:36 PM

Just a note (from a new girl) that Diana Lam is Canadian, not American.

AlphaGam1019 · #14 12-06-2003, 07:38 PM

well maybe it was meant to mean

Asian-NorthAmerican...as to mean she isn't from the mother country.

(and yes, I can say that- I'm Asian AMERICAN myself)

AGDAlum · #15 12-08-2003, 10:52 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AGDsexysmoker
[B]i don't know if any of you have ever gone to [website address deleted].. but i was looking around there the other day and under some of the sororities, it lists their patron goddess and what their sorority name means. (ex: Delta Zeta = Daughters of Zeus)... i am guess our Delta means Daughters... i tried looking up other sororities that had Gammas and Alphas, but neither had what those two words meant... just wondering if anyone out there KNEW who we were the "daughters" of and who our patron goddess is..

The "fraternity secrets" site you cite has lots of speculation which is basically wrong. In addition to DZ "daughters of Zeus" and KD "king's daughters," AGD was supposed to mean "all god's daughters." That misinformation has been kicking around for a long, long time--I heard it when I was an undergrad in the early 1970's.

Alpha Gamma Delta and most of the NPC groups don't have patron goddesses. (BTW, shouldn't that be "patroness"?) Some do. Depends on their tradition. Alpha Chi Omega has Hera; Chi Omega has Demeter; Kappa Kappa Gamma has Athena; Zeta Tau Alpha has Themis.

Dig out your frat ed manual to refresh your memory about Alpha Gam facts. Don't rely on a website of dubious authenticity!