Throwing without Knowing?

[Elsinore]

Originally Posted by AZTheta

OK someone (was it kaokite)? shared something that had all the whistles in musical notation form. I can see it in my mind's eye.

I can see a lot of other stuff in my mind's eye too.

Is it this?

[honeychile]

My own feeling about the signs is that if you have to think about it, it's too complex. Some of the ones I've seen look almost painful.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by honeychile

My own feeling about the signs is that if you have to think about it, it's too complex. Some of the ones I've seen look almost painful.

Agreed. I do like the crescent...it's easy and obvious.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Elsinore

Is it this?
(Whistle image)

Everything looks reasonable on there except... Phi Beta Kappa, 3rd down on the right. I would be willing to bet a large amount of money that Phi Beta Kappa (as an honorary) doesn't have a whistle.

[WhiteRose1912]

Originally Posted by naraht

Everything looks reasonable on there except... Phi Beta Kappa, 3rd down on the right. I would be willing to bet a large amount of money that Phi Beta Kappa (as an honorary) doesn't have a whistle.

Phi Beta Kappa was the forerunner for social fraternities and functioned in much the same way even after it become an honorary. When what we currently consider social fraternities started to get popular, Phi Beta Kappa lost the social aspect.

Here's a book from 1920 where they casually mention that their whistle seems not to have originated from the founders.

A hundred years ago, whistles were useful and adopted by the members as a way of recognizing their sisters from afar. Today, the campus culture is photography-heavy, and sorority women want a way to clearly identify their affiliation in a photograph. Photos were rarely going to be seen out of context a few decades ago, so affiliation would be clear when looking at a photo in a yearbook with an appropriate caption, or sifting through scrapbooks back at the house. That's not the case today.

All this to say that I like the hand signs. They're harmless and a way for sorority women to enthusiastically represent their organization even when they're not in their letters. I can't understand why anyone would have a problem with them other than "we didn't do it and I don't get it so it makes me cranky". If national organizations don't like the signs their women are using, then guide them toward something appropriate. (No mouth-phis, please.)

[nyapbp]

Lane swerve alert (and apologies)

Whistles were popular when they served a communication tool. I recall reading that they were a way for members to find each other in a crowd. Listening for the whistle could get you in the direction of friends. Nowadays, the cell phone serves the same purpose. Text the sister/brother to find out where she/he is. There is even an app for that called "find a friend."

[naraht]

Originally Posted by WhiteRose1912

Here's a book from 1920 where they casually mention that their whistle seems not to have originated from the founders.

I read that passage completely differently, the list seems to be "Here are things that all modern social fraternities do: Grip, colors, motto in Greek, oath, constitution, etc. , etc. and they were all made by the original members of Phi Beta Kappa" The *one* thing that modern social fraternities do that the founders of Phi Beta Kappa didn't come up with was the Whistle.

[WhiteRose1912]

Originally Posted by naraht

I read that passage completely differently, the list seems to be "Here are things that all modern social fraternities do: Grip, colors, motto in Greek, oath, constitution, etc. , etc. and they were all made by the original members of Phi Beta Kappa" The *one* thing that modern social fraternities do that the founders of Phi Beta Kappa didn't come up with was the Whistle.

If they didn't have a whistle at all, why would they use "seems" not to have been thought up by them rather than just... clearly wasn't?

[TPA85]

Originally Posted by WhiteRose1912

All this to say that I like the hand signs. They're harmless and a way for sorority women to enthusiastically represent their organization even when they're not in their letters. I can't understand why anyone would have a problem with them other than "we didn't do it and I don't get it so it makes me cranky". If national organizations don't like the signs their women are using, then guide them toward something appropriate. (No mouth-phis, please.)

Sometimes I wonder if our brains are connected.

[WhiteRose1912]

Originally Posted by TPA85

Sometimes I wonder if our brains are connected.