“Little Sisters”

[Bee]

Do any fraternities still have Little Sisters? I’m recalling the Alpha Eta Rho Little Sisters I once knew. I read that some orgs were phasing them out, so I was curious what that scene was looking like.

[Titchou]

Lordy, I hope none still have them. Most sororities have rules against joining them now.

[TLLK]

I was a "Little Sister of Minerva" (SAE) in the early 1980's. Many of my sisters were also involved in similar programs for our other campus fraternities. Likewise all of the sororities had their big brother programs. However it seems that by the late 1980's many of the programs were starting to be phased out.

[carnation]

I was a Little Sister of the Blue Iris. I have some wonderful memories of the house but now I look back and realize how sexist it was sometimes. These guys were never mean to us but there were other groups who hazed their little sisters.

[PKT4LIFE]

The NIC banned Little Sisters in 1988.

When I attended Cleveland State in the 1980's, little sisters were more popular to join than the 1 sorority on campus. In fact, all the NIC fraternitIes on campus had little sisters. We had a limit of 20 little sisters, and THEY WERE A VERY USEFUL RESOURCE DURING RECRUITMENT. We actually had an pledge and initiation ceremony that was written by our HQ and they had a official badge. I am still friends with many of our LS and we often get together when I visit Cleveland.

Some good came out of CSU little sisters. The following CSU sororities were founded by some members of little sisters groups that wanted more out of greek life.

Theta Phi Alpha: Golden Hearts of Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Kappa: Philos of Phi Kappa Tau
Alpha Epsilon Phi: The White Roses of Sigma Tau Gamma (founded after the NIC ban)

[APhi2KD]

“Little Sisters” exist but just with other names now.
It just gets creepy when girls compete baking cookies, schmoozing and “run” for the title. *shudder*
When it’s more organic and a girl is a girlfriend of one and/or just a dear friend to many, it’s a nice thing.

[carnation]

I have heard of schools where there were really formal rushes. Girls went through several sets of parties at fraternities that were really "desirable".

[navane]

Originally Posted by APhi2KD

“Little Sisters” exist but just with other names now.
It just gets creepy when girls compete baking cookies, schmoozing and “run” for the title. *shudder*

When it’s more organic and a girl is a girlfriend of one and/or just a dear friend to many, it’s a nice thing.

Are you talking about sweethearts? I don't consider sweethearts to be the same thing as little sisters. There's usually only one sweetheart per fraternity, per year. But, yeah, the "competing" to get picked can be awkward. I've also seen the men schmoozing to be picked as the Gammie Man (for our collegiate chapter).

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by carnation

I have heard of schools where there were really formal rushes. Girls went through several sets of parties at fraternities that were really "desirable".

I know that some fraternities did a somewhat formal rush at my school, but not the whole system.

[APhi2KD]

Originally Posted by navane

Are you talking about sweethearts? I don't consider sweethearts to be the same thing as little sisters. There's usually only one sweetheart per fraternity, per year. But, yeah, the "competing" to get picked can be awkward. I've also seen the men schmoozing to be picked as the Gammie Man (for our collegiate chapter).

What’s the difference?

[Titchou]

Little sister groups are pretty much like being in a second sorority....have to attend meetings, do things for the guys, help them recruit....which is why a lot of NPC banned members from joining. Too much of a conflict. A sweetheart is one girl a year....it's an honor and she may go on to compete for national sweetheart - as in Sweetheart of Sigma Chi

[PKT4LIFE]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Little sister groups are pretty much like being in a second sorority....have to attend meetings, do things for the guys, help them recruit....which is why a lot of NPC banned members from joining. Too much of a conflict. A sweetheart is one girl a year....it's an honor and she may go on to compete for national sweetheart - as in Sweetheart of Sigma Chi

And let's not forget the drama that occurred when a LS dated a brother and then broke up. Not a good situation.

[ForrestGrump]

Originally Posted by Titchou

Little sister groups are pretty much like being in a second sorority....have to attend meetings, do things for the guys, help them recruit....which is why a lot of NPC banned members from joining. Too much of a conflict. A sweetheart is one girl a year....it's an honor and she may go on to compete for national sweetheart - as in Sweetheart of Sigma Chi

Each of the frats on my campus still names a "Sweetheart" each year (and my chapter still has an "Anchorman"). But even by the time I graduated in the mid-80's, most of the frats had done away with their "little sister" groups. Only the FIJI's (Sisters of the Black Diamond) and the SAE's still had them. The Alpha Phi's still had a group of "Ivy Men" when I started my Freshman year, but they had narrowed it down to only one by the time I graduated. Too much time and effort required, both for the women and for the fraternity chapters.

[navane]

Originally Posted by APhi2KD

What’s the difference?

Little Sisters = an entire group of women serving as an auxiliary to a fraternity

Sweetheart = one woman selected as an honor