Why Indiana? was: sororities for adults

[AGDAlum]

I've looked at the websites for Phi Beta Psi (www.phibetapsi.org), Kappa Kappa Kappa (www.trikappa.org), Delta Theta Tau (www.deltathetatau.org), and Psi Iota Xi (www.psiotaxi.org).

Tri-Kappa is exclusive to Indiana. The others are very strong in Indiana (and Ohio). They have some chapters elsewhere, but not very many. (The chapters in AZ and FL are probably because of retirees moving there.) Can anyone theorize as to why those states?

AGDAlum
(noting that both Epsilon Sigma Alpha and Beta Sigma Phi began as chapters of the National What to Read Club, but I haven't been able to find out anythin about NWTRC itself)

Didn't quite a few NPC orgs start in Indiana? (or at least have their headquarters there)

Your right, it is interesting that it's such a "greek-friendly" state!

[DeltAlum]

Don't know how many started there (Delta Tau Delta did not), but many have their (Inter)National Headquarters there.

The reason really doesn't have much to do with being "Greek Friendly," but rather due to the fact that the state has excellent tax advantages for not for profits who headquarter there.

[lawryn]

ok well being from indiana...i heard that the reason so many headquarters here are due to it being kind of a centeral area or something like that in my town we have like 3 of the adult glo's and someone once said that they really didnt have the opportunity in college and always wanted to be a part of it...i think they are more pedominent in smaller areas but i dunno like we have commuter schools with very small greek life...

[AGDAlum]

My inquiry wasn't about headquarters (that's a combination of favorable tax laws and geography), or about founding (two NPC groups were founded at DePauw and one NPHC at Butler) -- rather, why these "community sororities" are particularly strong in Indiana.

[LXAAlum]

Tri Kappa? I'm sorry, but I have this quick mental image of just what might happen to members that actually wear those letters - wow.

Unintended consequences of being really bored at work, I guess.

[ADqtPiMel]

I grew up in Indiana, and my mom and aunt are Tri-Kappas. Glancing casually at the pin, you don't really notice the KKK on it. You can only see it if you look really closely. I know my mom never wore the Tri-Kappa letters on anything but her pin.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[IheartMATT806]

More thought should have been placed into the future of Tri Kappa. Having the letters "KKK" would be hard for Non-Greek people to understand. I wouldnt wear the letters.

[ADqtPiMel]

In defense of my mother and all the women who are in Tri-Kappa, Kappa Kappa Kappa stands for something that carries meaning for its members, just like Alpha Delta Pi carries meaning for my sisters and me. Tri-Kappa has nothing whatsoever to do with the Ku Klux Klan. To me, refusing to wear the letters of an organization seems to defeat the purpose of belonging to it.

[erniegurl00]

Being from Indiana I have often wondered this myself. All three adult orgs are quite predominate in my hometown. (I'll tell you my mom gets Pi Beta Phi and Phi Beta Psi confused ALL the time!.)

One would think that these orgs would take off and become popular in other states besides just in Indiana. I'd love to hear opinions on the matter!

[sugar and spice]

A note on Tri Kappa: I assume that, because it was founded at the beginning of the 20th century, the members knew little, if anything, about the KKK.

I know that I've told the story on GC before about how UW-Madison used to have an organization (honor society or fraternal, I don't remember) CALLED the Ku Klux Klan that had no ties to the national group or links to racial issues at all. It was founded in, I think, the 1910s or 20s when little was known about the national KKK. Later in the 1920s, when the KKK became more known, the group here changed their name.

[breathesgelatin]

Does anyone know whether "Ku Klux Klan" means anything? I know they have all sorts of (offensive) rituals, degrees and orders so I assume in some sense they have similarities to fraternal organizations, maybe with initiations etc? (not that I'd want to imagine what they do)

I hate to suggest that but I am curious.

BOO historical KKK.

[Senusret I]

Websites I searched pretty much all said the same thing as what I quote below.

http://krath.dk/writing/mlk_kkk/kukluxklan/ :

"The name Ku Klux Klan is a little play on words. The words Ku Klux are the oldest part of the name according to one of the most well known name-theories. Ku Klux is a little change of the Greek word kuklos which means circle. "Knights of Kuklos" was the original name.

Then we have the word Klan. Klan is from the Scottish language and is in a way equal to family."