Visions

[gezpitt]

I was a 1992 initiate and while going through my Associate period I heard stories of an old pre-I custom called Visions. My Associate member experience was fairly textbook by LXA standards and I never experienced the Vision scenario.

I don't believe the Vision pre-I expereince was a local custom and was curious if any other brothers have ever heard of the custom.

ZAX,

[john1082]

Yes, Berkeley came up with something in the thirties that made it into the High Phi manual of old. It involved darkness and flashpowder!

[gezpitt]

That definatley sounds like the same pre-I ceremony that was told to me. Very interesting, I never knew that it actually made it into the High Phi manual.

ZAX

[GammaZeta]

Being from the oldest chapter, I've heard of many traditions concerning our ritual from brothers and alumni.

My official statement is "no comment".

[john1082]

Originally posted by gezpitt
That definatley sounds like the same pre-I ceremony that was told to me. Very interesting, I never knew that it actually made it into the High Phi manual.

ZAX

There were plenty of things in the old Phi book. Few really enhanced the process, rather, they were activities that were 'cool' but nobody could bear to part with.

[Tom Earp]

WOW, this is neat.

Being the oldest Brother on Site, but one of the most uneducated, I find out so many things that I never have heard of.

I find out from a Alum from WKU about a silent dinner and thought that was great. Well, with the Newest Class of New Associates, this was introduced by Jason Holt, ELC. A new thing is introduced to us.

We do a Visitation. It is taking The New Associates around to show where our Founding was and then the other Houses.

Funny, The Student Center has expanded, the first House is now a Taco Bell, the second House is a parking lot and the third House was demolished, only to have the fourth House built on the property!

Wow, Flash Bang? We did Bolero! Thank God the 1106 was across the street!

Jono can attest to the Good Greasy Burgers and Fries. Still the same to day as 40 years ago.

It is a Burger Mavins Mecca!

[GammaZeta]

Mmmm, Taco Bell. Chessey Godita Crunch time.

[JoinerLxa]

There are some chapters where "visions" are very common.
They go by many different names at different chapters.
I remember hearing someone from HQ (Chuck Peyser I think it
was, about 15 years ago) mentioning they are particularly
common at former ThKN chapters, but I don't believe that's
really true today.

They are basically mini-ceremonies used to teach some lesson
about brotherhood. The "old" High Phi manual (1970's to 1987)
had several spelled out....but during the '80s when consultants
(aka ELCs) visited, they were instructed to mark out all the
"pre-initiation ceremonies" as they were being used for hazing
at some chapters and as they were considered detrimental to
the Ritual itself. I was High Phi when the "new" manual came
out and I remember the 'old' one....it seemed half of it was
marked out with black magic marker (reminded me of something
released by the CIA with "sensitive" info marked out...ha!)

But many chapters still do the old ones from the old book
(multiple variations now) along with new ones each chapter
invents.

In one issue of the C&C, I remember a very subtle reference
to one of the most common, and was surprised to see it
used in such a blatant way in the C&C (that stuff is designated
"heresy" now!)
I think it was a poem (maybe in a poetry contest, or was
a caption for a photo in a photo contest).
For those of you "on the inside", it was the text of W.W.W.
(that seems to be the most common one)

Lots of fraternities and sororities do such things. There used
to be a CAVE on private property just outside Richmond, KY,
(home of Eastern KY Univ, with a LXA chapter). It was used
by so many fraternities/sororities from KY/TN for "visions"
that you practically had to "reserve" the cave. Crevices in
the walls were COVERED in candle wax, for some strange
reason! About 7-10 years ago, mud filled the cave (it caved
in) and the property owner finally filled in the entrance...
(or so I've been told)
when he was told by his lawyer/ins. co. that he would be
liable for anyone getting hurt in there (and some did).
Very beatiful but dangerous too.

FYI,
Kevin
Kappa-Omega 958
Author of the Visions Book, 1rst ed., 1992, for Gamma-Delta Zeta
[all copies have been burned and Gamma-Delta actives
now do not know of the existence of such things, of course!]