Numbering Pledges?

[misscherrypie]

When a Beta Sigma Phi becomes a member, she is given a member number. We use them often for sorority business, so I memorized mine quickly. I suppose they are issued by order of membership from 1, because the millionth Beta was initiated in 1995 and my member number begins 111xxxx and I joined in 2012. But, I don't know for sure.

In our chapter, pledges are numbered by season, year, class name, number in the class. Not a Beta tradition, but something specific to the chapter.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by Titchou

So, would someone who had a "pledge number" or a "line number" always be that even if they were never initiated? COuld they still use that or would it be unseemly to do so?

Depends on the organization and chapter. If a person had a number and did not continue the process, that number may not be used anymore on that line. Some orgs/chapters may reassign numbers. You wouldn't know either unless you asked and someone told you.

As to whether the dropee still referred to themselves as that number... if they were referring to themselves as "number ___" in past tense, it would certainly raise some eyebrows. Cans of worms would be opened for that person.

[aephi alum]

^ So if the ace on a particular line drops before initiation, the deuce doesn't become the new ace?

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

^ So if the ace on a particular line drops before initiation, the deuce doesn't become the new ace?

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Depends on the organization, chapter and situation. Sometimes it is attributed to the bolded below.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Naraht is talking about what many NPHC and NALFO call a "line number" or "pledge number" (if the word "pledge" is still used). The number can have meaning beyond height and order of initiation.

Some NPHC chapters don't line up in height order, but for other reasons significant to the specific number. Or they line up tallest to shortest. I know some other orgs whose numbers are based on all the members who have ever been initiated in their org. For example, the Spring '14 line is numbered 58-62. Meaning there were 57 women initiated since the chapter was chartered. 58 being the "Ace" of the line and 62 being the "tail." The Spring '15 line will start with 63.

"Tail" means the last person in a line. I've also see "anchor" be used as well. I'm a tail so of course I'm biased!

[StealthMode]

Originally Posted by tld221

Cans of worms would be opened for that person.

Cans of somethin', for sure.

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

I'm a tail so of course I'm biased!

[Titchou]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

"Tail" means the last person in a line. I've also see "anchor" be used as well. I'm a tail so of course I'm biased!

I like the anchor...but then, that's my badge! Our founders chose it because it is "the ancient symbol of hope and we hoped for great things."

[Sen's Revenge]

[honeychile]

Using numbers was highly discouraged when I was in school, but they're used for almost everything now.

[agzg]

Some organizations or chapters do it by birthday, oldest to youngest.

[PrettyBoy]

Out of six of us, I was..............





Till the day I die.....

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by PersistentDST

Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Depends on the organization, chapter and situation.

Gotcha.

Originally Posted by StealthMode

I would have been a deuce if we numbered people within their NM classes ... so <facebook>like</facebook>

[PersistentDST]

My ace is just under 5 feet tall, and I'm 5'9". Our pictures are hilarious!



I was given the task of looking out for the 16 ladies in front of me. And I'm always last. I don't even like it when people stand behind me in pictures.

[PersistentDST]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

Now you got me in here singing the song!

[Cheerio]

Our pledges (back when women still wore hoopskirts ) used numbers only for group identity, such as Eta Eta's Elite Eighty or The Freshman Fifty.

[Sen's Revenge]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

Our pledges (back when women still wore hoopskirts ) used numbers only for group identity, such as Eta Eta's Elite Eighty or The Freshman Fifty.

In NPHC, we might call those Line's Names or Unit Names. Click the link and scroll down to see examples: http://akaalphachapter.org/officers.html