Books about Fraternities and Sororities

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by naraht

I'm not sure if that counts as a historical inaccuracy though.

I know about the pronunciation of Greek letters and that's along the lines of perceived historical inaccuracies if people feel those who wrote that component of the pledge manual (or the founders) did so based on misinformation. That doesn't mean they are correct in their assumption (perhaps they knew a pronunciation was technically wrong but sounded better or had some other significance) and why outsiders care is another topic.

So, back to my original question: Other than historical inaccuracies (that MysticCat and naraht are typing about), how could outsiders correct a pledge manual?

[naraht]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

So, back to my original question: Other than historical inaccuracies (that MysticCat and naraht are typing about), how could outsiders correct a pledge manual?

So I went through my fraternity's pledge manual looking for things that were neither history nor "internal facts" and actually found something incorrect that fits the question!

There is a map of Canada in Alpha Phi Omega's pledge manual, and the borders between the Canadian Territories are both incorrect and includes borders that haven't existed in over 10 years. (APO reissues its pledge manuals after every national convention (every two years))

I don't know how our National Office would react if that were pointed out by a non-member, I'm on the National History committee, so they've learned to expect weird phone calls from me.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

So, back to my original question: Other than historical inaccuracies (that MysticCat and naraht are typing about), how could outsiders correct a pledge manual?

I doubt they could, but I don't think anyone has suggested they should try to, either.

Originally Posted by naraht

The Wikipedia page for Alpha Phi says
"However, the pronunciation of Phi as "Fee" rather than "Fi" actually results from the fact that the organization adopted the Greek rather than anglicized, mainly American, pronunciation of the letter because it sounded more feminine." There isn't anything I can find on Alpha Phi's National page, but a lot of Alpha Phi chapter websites have the "after a vowel" explanation.

I can't find anything either on wikipedia or on the Alpha Xi Delta national website on why it rhymes with bee.

I wouldn't necessarily expect to see anything along those lines. (Nor would I trust the Wiki on this if there's nothing about it at the Alpha Phi website.)

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I doubt they could, but I don't think anyone has suggested they should try to, either.

That's why I was asking a general question. I don't know what you all were or were not suggesting.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by naraht

So I went through my fraternity's pledge manual looking for things that were neither history nor "internal facts" and actually found something incorrect that fits the question!

There is a map of Canada in Alpha Phi Omega's pledge manual, and the borders between the Canadian Territories are both incorrect and includes borders that haven't existed in over 10 years. (APO reissues its pledge manuals after every national convention (every two years))

I don't know how our National Office would react if that were pointed out by a non-member, I'm on the National History committee, so they've learned to expect weird phone calls from me.

Okay, so corrections would be on a historical or factual (which could be deemed historical) basis, assuming that you would have something to prove how the borders are incorrect.

That's fair enough. I agree about the non-members part and that's one reason why I find reading the pledge manuals of other organizations to be strange.