APO Insignia

[emb021]

AFAIK, APO never put out any guidelines for the use of the Sweetheart pin.

The concept of Chapter Sweethearts is, I understand, DIFFERENT from the idea of a 'female auxilary' type group, phyettes or the like. And certainly different from the idea of individual 'sweethearts' to Brothers.

[naraht]

I wonder how many Alpha Phi Omega chapters still do that.

Also, does anyone know of a chapter that actually has a working auxiliary group anymore?

[emb021]

I'm not aware of any chapter today with an auxiliary group. After going co-ed, many chapters brought those member in. A few (Jewels of Tau, for instance), went off and formed their own org. The remaining all-male chapters most likely partnered with GSS or OPA chapters instead of having an auxiliary group.

[naraht]

I know that when I generated a list of the all male chapters about 10 years ago that most of them had GSS chapters on their campus. The two that I remember that didn't have GSS, but did have a service sorority were Auburn (which had OPA on the campus) and Maine-Machias (which had a local, Kappa Alpha Kappa on campus). But I think there were a few didn't have a specific group that I could find...

Originally Posted by emb021

In the scouting world, when it comes to advancement awards its pretty much the boy must earn the award to wear it. Mother minature pins were created early on, and you will see moms with a ribbon with all their mother pins on them. For Eagle, there are Mother, Father, and now mentor pins. I guess dads could also wear the minatures, but I never see that except for Eagle.

There is no tradition in the BSA of sons/daughters wearing their father's rank pins or the mother pins, except in the case of sons who ALSO earned the award wearing it. (ie a boy earns Eagle, and wears his dad's Eagle medal). Keep in mind that another standard in the BSA is that 'rank advancement is for youth'. By and large, once you age out you stop wearing any rank insignia, tho wearing the Eagle medal at formal occasions and wearing the Eagle square knot on the uniform is encouraged. Life Scout was the highest rank I earned, but I no longer wear it in any form.

AFAIK, there is no tradition of children wearing their parent's APO insignia. As we have been co-ed for 25+ years, it would be very confusing. Are they a Brother, or just wearing their father's (or possible mother's) insignia??? The Sweetheart pin was intended for your SO, not your children. I can't speak of other GLO's traditions in this area.


As to 'den monther for a troop'. It could be a case of an informal relationship, not a formal position. You are correct that Den Mothers are leaders of Cub Scout Dens, NOT Boy Scout Troop leaders. Could be this term was used for the scoutmaster's wife or the like. Many troops in the past had troop mothers that helped out a lot (an unofficial 'mother's auxiliary' if you will). Certainly, things have now changed since women can hold ANY leadership position in any scout unit. Back in the days when they were pretty much limited to certain cub scout positions, there were informal roles that occured.

I didn't word my post correctly, my grandmother was a den mother for my father's cub scout troop for many years. I realize boy scout troops do not have den mothers. My father was a scout master for many years while I was a child. The pin is definitely my grandmothers though, and not my father's Life Scout pin.

I haven't witnessed any sons/daughters wearing their parent's Alpha Phi Omega pins, I merely brought up the subject while we were discussing etiquette of scout pins. I know in Sigma Chi (my boyfriend's fraternity) daughters, mothers, wives and sweethearts may wear Sigma Chi insignia. I was just curious if APO had any rules about that.

Being a member of APO, is it appropriate to wear the Sweetheart pin? It wasn't given to me by my significant other, just a brother I am really good friends with. There really isn't a lot of information about this pin.

LFS <3

[Senusret I]

There is no protocol on the sweetheart pin that I am aware of. I have seen members wearing it at formal events if it matched their outfits well.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Twunkle

I didn't word my post correctly, my grandmother was a den mother for my father's cub scout troop for many years. I realize boy scout troops do not have den mothers.

Just to keep terminology clear: Cub Scouts have packs, not troops. While a pack and a troop may be sponsored by the same organization, like a church, and have the same number (eg, Pack 123 and Troop 123), they are completely seperate entities.

I'm still curious what this pin is. Can you describe it (or post a picture)?

[naraht]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

There is no protocol on the sweetheart pin that I am aware of. I have seen members wearing it at formal events if it matched their outfits well.

Well if you are trying to match a red dress, it's either that, or a Regional DSK, and the Regional DSKs swing around a lot when you dance.

[emb021]

Originally Posted by Twunkle

I didn't word my post correctly, my grandmother was a den mother for my father's cub scout troop for many years. I realize boy scout troops do not have den mothers. My father was a scout master for many years while I was a child. The pin is definitely my grandmothers though, and not my father's Life Scout pin.

As noted, its cub scout PACK, not troop.

The pin is most likely the Life Scout Mother's pin, which is a different size from the Life Scout pin. (I forget which is larger).

I haven't witnessed any sons/daughters wearing their parent's Alpha Phi Omega pins, I merely brought up the subject while we were discussing etiquette of scout pins. I know in Sigma Chi (my boyfriend's fraternity) daughters, mothers, wives and sweethearts may wear Sigma Chi insignia. I was just curious if APO had any rules about that.

Keep in mind that Sigma Chi is an all male fraternity. If one sees a female wearing their insignia, one is going to assume that the person is a daughter/mother/wife/sweetheart of a member.

As we are now co-ed, we can't assume that. If we see someone wearing our insignia, we are going to assume they are a Brother, and be a little bothered if it turns out to not be the case...

Being a member of APO, is it appropriate to wear the Sweetheart pin? It wasn't given to me by my significant other, just a brother I am really good friends with. There really isn't a lot of information about this pin.

As noted, the only 'protocol' of the pin is that its given to someone who is a sweetheart of a Brother. In the old days it would have been a girlfriend, maybe a wife.

Now that we are co-ed, I have seen Brothers give it to other Brothers they are dating (male or female). I know of a non-Brother husband who wears it was it was given to him by his wife.

So few would be shocked if they saw a Brother wearing the Sweetheart pin. More likely they will probably ask what the pin is, because not many know what it is.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by emb021

The pin is most likely the Life Scout Mother's pin, which is a different size from the Life Scout pin. (I forget which is larger).

Do you think so? I don't remember any mother's pins for anything except Eagle until relatively recently.

[emb021]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Do you think so? I don't remember any mother's pins for anything except Eagle until relatively recently.

FYI- I am a collector of scouting memorabilia.

We've had mother pins for several decades. Not sure when they started them. But I can always check my collection of memorabilia literature.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by emb021

FYI- I am a collector of scouting memorabilia.

We've had mother pins for several decades. Not sure when they started them. But I can always check my collection of memorabilia literature.

Interesting. I was a Scout in the 70s, and I'd never heard of them until my son started Boy Scouts; his troop hands them out. Maybe my troop growing up just didn't use them. (Or maybe they came in with the uniform redesign in 1980. Speaking of which, can I just say how much better I like the new Centennial uniform?)