Old South

[AndrewNickatina]

Old South Sound Week sounds pretty cool....my chapter had it planned for this year the week leading up to our formal in San Diego at the Hyatt but that never happened. I was kinda pissed about it cuz the southern chapters make it their biggest event and we dont even have it

[PhiFriend]

I have read these posts and they are somewhat amusing.
I understand that the KA of TODAY is trying to distance itself from the racial undertones of what "Old South" implies to the PC present in which we live. But, let's face it...once upon a time the KA organization didn't give two hoots what people thought about connecting the love of the Old South with Racism. My dad was a KA in the 60s in Texas and they actually hired local black boys to ride on horseback to the sorority houses to deliver their invitations to Old South Ball!!!

You can paint it any color you like to make yourself feel better about the "intended meaning" of KA's connection to the "Old South" and the way the organization is NOW...but, tell me, if the KKK suddenly welcomed members of all races and decided that from today on, burning a cross stood for equality, would you wonder why some people would be hesitant to join?

In the end...perception is reality.

[Kappa03]

The Brothers of KAPPA Chapter take great pride in our rich heritage that we arw so fortunate to be a part of. KAPPA is known throughout the ORDER as a chapter steeped in heritage dating back to our founding on November 12, 1873.

OLD SOUTH...A KAPPA CHAPTER ORIGINAL!
Originally called "Dixie Ball," the ball was first inspired by GONE WITH THE WIND. The idea struck fire and the rest is history. Today, every KA chapter across the nation celebrates Old South Ball each spring. Kappa Chapter continues this great tradition in a weeklong celebration with events including Bourbon on the Lawn, ShareCropper's Stomp, and of course, The Old South Ball, where Kappa Chapter Brothers wear their Confederate Uniforms and the ladies wear old fashioned hoop dresses. The Confederate Uniforms used in the first Dixie Ball came from Atlanta Costume and were the same uniforms used in GONE WITH THE WIND.

[gphib_95]

I always wanted to go to Old South when I was in college.

[MIDNJT]

I am a brother of the Epsilon Lambda chater at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (Miami of Ohio). We were the first chapter of KA founded above the Mason-Dixon line.
While technically we are the first northern chapter we still are able to keep most of our southern traditions. We have a large portrait of Lee above our fire place (at first glance many yankees that come into our house are like "what is that??". But oh well, they just don't know...)
We also have an "Old South Week" and we do have an "Old South Ball" which we are having in Gatlinburg, Tenn. at the end of April. Convivium is one of the most popular social events on campus and girls are very excited when they are asked as dates. We never forget that we are toasting Robert E. Lee.
I would say the main difference between our Old South Ball is the fact that brothers don't wear confederate uniforms and the girls don't wear civil war era dresses. Just suits and dresses. Unfort. it would be looked down upon in Ohio to wear such a uniform, and many of the girls from the north probably wouldn't understand.
However, during Old South Week the out-of-house brothers do "secede" from the brothers living within the chapter house. (about 50 brothers live in the house and 50 live out-of-house)
It is a great week.
While most of our members are from Ohio many are from the south and several from the deep south. I am personally from Virginia only a couple minutes away from General Lee's original home and my family as a portrait of Lee in our family room.
While we can't keep all of the southern traditions (which is against our desires) we strive to remember our heritage.
Our greek system is large, over 25 fraternities and almost 20 sororities, and while we are one of only a few traditionally southern fratnries (but the only true southern fraternity, I believe SAE is also traditionally southern) we are still considered the best fraternity on campus.
Brothers, our southern legacy does prevail in the north and I hope that we can continue our bonds despite the location of our chapter houses.

[IACutieHootie]

ohhh! I went to Old South this year! We had ours in Vicksburg, talk about Southern Heritage!

[KA n H-TOWN]

i'm a KA from Houston. Looking for other bros to chat with

[dgmeredith]

My boyfriend is a KA at University of North Carolina, and they have an intire week devoted to Old South, and it most definitly is the most fun I have ever had in my entire life! (And I have to say, it was much more fun with my 5 foot wide hoop skirt!)

[sfoc]

yeah, i was just wondering about the whole old south and different KA traditions too.

i know the KA here hates us (i'm a Lambda Chi). i have a couple good friends in KA and they are awesome guys but i have heard from them that i wouldn't have a chance if rushed them. apparently if you don't fit the southern WASP stereotype they won't even think twice. i wouldn't say thay are blatant racists or anything, but they are def a breed of their own here in TX.


this is the story i heard about why KA typically despises LCA on a national level. i don't know which chapter, but a long time ago the KA's were having Old South, confederate uniforms and all, and they put cotton all over their front lawn. they hired black people to act like slaves and pick it, so the LCA's decided to dress up in union uniforms and they basically 'freed' the black people and started a big fight with the KA's. i dont know how true this is, because what self-respecting black person would act like a slave? but us being from Boston etc, i could totally see KA hating us.

[adduncan]

These have to be VERY local issues. Assuming the stories you heard were even true.

I have yet to hear a KA in Georgia say any such silly thing, and none would suggest the display you mentioned. Plus, KAs in Indiana are anything but "WASPy".

Where is this "hate" *really* coming from?

--add

[sfoc]

oh i know they are local issues and are probably rumors. at chapters like the one at my school and in schools that are very southern, conservative/traditional, traditionally greek run etc i could totally see how some of the rumors could be true.

but yeah, i really do take it all with a grain of salt. it could be the product stupid rivalries. i don't understand why there is always one fraternity that is enemies with another fraternity. why can't we all just get along lol?

[adduncan]

Oh, I read the site, alright. It has all the hallmarks of a parody. You know, a joke?
The message book could have been written by *anyone* - how are you pinning down the blame on one group or another?

KA expells members and pulls charters if this kind of thing were real. You could always call the executive office in Lexington if you really think there's a problem.

But I think someone is just pulling your leg.

--add

[sfoc]

no, no i've actually had my 2 KA friends tell me that guys in their chapter do talk about minorities like that, but hey -- its just my school's chapter. they're not blatantly rascist its more of a kind of understood/hush hush deal here.

yes, i know it was a humorous website to begin with but god i know people that live by it.

if you come to the real south where there are people who still hate the north for what happened in the civil war, and still fly confederate flags, you'll see what i mean (yeah, they say now its for showing pride for everything southern except the slavery and racism part ). i'm not trying to be like 'oh you don't know what you're talking about' but i live in smalltown texas and have several family memebers who live in small town alabama and southern mississippi where things are still like that.

[CarolinaDG]

I think that the people who are saying that the minority thing is not a problem do not live in the south. I wouldn't peg it to just KA, though. There are certainly brothers who are blatantly racist, but (and I don't know, seeing as how I'm not actually a KA) I would hope that entering into the fraternity there is no requirement to hate black people. My ex even said that there was a black guy that everyone loved who used to come to the KA house all the time. But, you know, it's a fraternity that calls out "hail General Lee" and so you're going to have a bigger population of very southern, conservative, confederate flag-hanging brothers (all things that my ex-boyfriend was... and he was VERY proud of it). I don't know, back to my original point... being in the south, you're going to have SEVERAL different fraternity guys not just from KA who are racist. Those are the jerks that you dump quickly and pick up the one who is great for all the RIGHT reasons... southern gentleman, holds doors, takes you out to nice dinners, and does everything in his power to hold you high on a pedastal. THAT's the KA I remember dating...

[DGMarie]

http://community.webshots.com/album/336223686YuGDLI