Officer titles. Common or not?

[naraht]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Just FYI, I have the impression that some groups have "common" names for their officers that they use in ordinary circumstances, but they also have ritual designations that only the initiated would know.

We use the basic president, vice-president, etc. From the time we became national until 1947, national officers were designated "Supreme" (e.g., Supreme President). After 1947, "National" replaced "Supreme." Couldn't tell you why.

I know that some groups use masonic terminology, like (Worthy) Grand Master. And if I recall correctly, KA Order chapters uses numbers (e.g., I (President), II (Vice-president). III (Recording Secretary)), while the national president is called the Knight Commander.

Hmm. Interesting with the ritual designations. For APO, the closest that we get to that concept is that one of the officer positions who has a role in one of the rituals isn't necessarily an office that all chapters (especially smaller chapters) actually have in their bylaws. So it's "who wants to be X this time".

The group you are refering to as "We use the basic president" is Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia? (not sure on spelling)

I *think* the reason that we switched from masonic terminology is that BSA who we had moved closer to administratively wasn't comfortable with Masonic terminology for officers (though arguably the terminology for officers in Order of the Arrow isn't much more common)

Interesting on KA Order.