Emu

kat1010 · #1 09-29-2003, 10:58 PM

I was just wondering if any of you knew what happened to the Beta Pi chapter at Eastern Michigan University? Just curious of the history of our sorority at my new school...
On another note:
I saw AOII carved into the sidewalk on my way back from class... Wow! AOII really is everywhere!

Needless to say, it brightened my day to see that...

Kat

Beryana · #2 09-30-2003, 12:54 PM

Kat-

I kept walking past that carving as well!

What happened was basically the best of panhellism. During the 60s, membership was declining across the board and in order to increase membership there was talk of beginning a Panhellenic Council on campus. The members of AOII worked their butts of to get this formed and stabilized - at the cost of their own membership recruitment possibilities. At the end there were only two sisters remaining while the other chapters on campus flourished due to their efforts.

Okay, so that's the VERY brief version that I'm trying to dig from my memory of reading the chapter file in the archives at IHQ!

Hope that helps some!

Sarah

kat1010 · #3 09-30-2003, 05:32 PM

Well I suppose that just goes to show what great character that chapter had to put forth everyone else's well being above their own

I still really wish the chapter was here though...

aopirose · #4 10-01-2003, 01:52 PM

OK, I know that it's just the old agriculture girl in me. When I saw "Emu", I immediately thought of the ratite! I was thinking, "Boy, do I have some stories about this topic!!!"

Unfortunately I don't have any stories about Eastern Mich., but I am happy to hear about our sacrifice for the Panhellenic good. It was truly unselfish.

Beryana · #5 10-01-2003, 02:33 PM

I just think of an extinct flightless bird! We made jokes about EMU and RMS Titanic working together. . . that it was doomed from the start (Doomed ship and dead flightless bird. . . ). Guess you would have had to have been there!

Sarah
EMU Grad '02

aopirose · #6 10-01-2003, 02:49 PM

Yeah, Beryana, that is definitely a location joke but I am sure that it is as funny as all get out.

BTW - I wasn't sure if you were referring to emus being extinct. If you were, I can say without a doubt that they are not. There are many emu associations throughout the US that are trying to showcase the benefits of the bird. The meat is pretty good but the oil is more valuable. They, the industry, say that it is good for everything from dry skin to arthritis. Sometimes the hides don't tan well because of the oil ducts but it is still a fine leather. It's just difficult to find a tannery who will work with it. The empty eggs, which are dark green, make beautiful odds & ends too. You can have decorated eggs a la Faberge or even purses. The feathers are valuable too but ostrich plumes are the most valuable. Rheas are the other birds in this flightless class. Their eggs are yellow and the smaller of the three.

Quote:

Originally posted by Beryana
I just think of an extinct flightless bird! We made jokes about EMU and RMS Titanic working together. . . that it was doomed from the start (Doomed ship and dead flightless bird. . . ). Guess you would have had to have been there!

Sarah
EMU Grad '02

Beryana · #7 10-02-2003, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by aopirose
Yeah, Beryana, that is definitely a location joke but I am sure that it is as funny as all get out.

BTW - I wasn't sure if you were referring to emus being extinct. If you were, I can say without a doubt that they are not. There are many emu associations throughout the US that are trying to showcase the benefits of the bird. The meat is pretty good but the oil is more valuable. They, the industry, say that it is good for everything from dry skin to arthritis. Sometimes the hides don't tan well because of the oil ducts but it is still a fine leather. It's just difficult to find a tannery who will work with it. The empty eggs, which are dark green, make beautiful odds & ends too. You can have decorated eggs a la Faberge or even purses. The feathers are valuable too but ostrich plumes are the most valuable. Rheas are the other birds in this flightless class. Their eggs are yellow and the smaller of the three.

And this is why I'm a historian and not in zoology!

Give me dusty books and artefacts (not dusty of course because that's just bad!) and I'm happy. Most things about natural sciences I'm clueless!

Thanks for the correction.