Greek Trivia and Fun Facts

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by magichat

PKA and Kappa Sigma were founded across the quad from eachother.

Before someone from UVa comes on and has a hissy fit, it's the Lawn, not the quad.

And if I remember right (I've seen the rooms), they're not exactly across from each other. There are four ranks of buildings that run parallel to each other: West Range, West Lawn, East Lawn and East Range. The Lawn is between East and West Lawn, and there are gardens between West Range and West Lawn and between East Lawn and East Range. The Lawn rooms face the Lawn; the Range rooms face away from the Lawn (so that the gardens are in the back of all rooms).

Pike was founded at 47 West Range and Kappa Sig at 46 East Lawn, so West Lawn runs between them. Both rooms face west, not each other. But yes, very close together.

BTW, both rooms have markers commemorating the founding of the respective fraternities, and as I understand, each fraternity can choose a rising fourth year member (they don't have "seniors" at UVa) to live in the room fourth year, if that member has been otherwise selected to live on the Lawn.

[Smile_Awhile]

Alpha Chi Omega was founded because Kappa Alpha Theta wouldn't accept students from the School of Music.

[Forgotten Zeta]

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

I think it's obvious, but to my knowledge that's the case with most fraternities/sororities in Canada.

actually, our northern brothers do still showcase the helmet on our coat of arms. i don't know if they were always allowed to, but i know they do now.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Gamma Phi Beta's original colors were dark and light blue. They were changed to dark and light brown in 1875 in honor of Dr. JJ Brown, who allowed our founders to hold their first meetings in his office.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AGDee

We have a helmet at the top of our coat of arms but our Canadian chapters are not allowed to utilize a helmet in the coat of arms because it depicts royalty and their history with Britain and the Queen prohibits it. So, our Canadian chapters have a slightly different version.

Originally Posted by Elephant Walk

I think it's obvious, but to my knowledge that's the case with most fraternities/sororities in Canada.

Actually, it's not.

The issue is not use of a helmet per se, but the kind of helmet used. Traditionally, the style and position of the helmet on a coat-of-arms indicates the rank of the bearer of the arms. Alpha Gamma Delta's armorial bearings use a gold, barred helmet facing forward, which is traditionally reserved to the sovereign. (This is why it is seen in the arms of some American states, to indicate the state's sovereignty.) In Britain and Canada, no one but the queen and other royalty use this kind of helmet.

(Sigma Nu and Alpha Xi Delta also use barred or open helmets facing foward, but they are not gold. SAE and APO also use use royal helmets, but I don't think either has chapters in Canada, do they?)

By contrast, TKE. Lambda Chi, Theta Chi, Theta Xi, Pike and probably others that I'm not thinking of use a barred or closed helmet turned to the side, a sign of nobility but not sovereignty. These don't raise the same issue.

My guess is also that unless Alpha Gamma Delta's armorial bearing are registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority, the decision not to use the helmet in Canada is one of propriety, not legality.

[CougarGrad]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Gamma Phi Beta's original colors were dark and light blue. They were changed to dark and light brown in 1875 in honor of Dr. JJ Brown, who allowed our founders to hold their first meetings in his office.

I never knew that! That's a cool piece of info to have.

[rufio]

Originally Posted by oldu

Because Delta Chi was originally intended to be a fraternity for students intending to go to law school, it was non-exclusive. Several of its founders and early members belonged to other fraternities at Cornell. In addition to the Delt at least one was a D U.

in addition, 3 out of 4 of Delta Chi's Principles are the same as DU's word for word.

[Brother Joseph]

That when Alpha Phi Omega was formed the majority of its founders came from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon House at Lafayette College.

Also, that on the same campus before the founding of APO there existed another scouting fraternity which went by the name "Fraternity of Mound Builders"

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by rufio

in addition, 3 out of 4 of Delta Chi's Principles are the same as DU's word for word.

I've always thought that was interesting! The one difference is Education (Delta Chi) and Culture (Delta Upsilon) and I think they can be considered pretty similar. I can't find which founders were DUs mentioned in our Cornerstone, they do mention the Delt though. Does anyone know?

On another note 9/10 of Delta Chi's Basic Expectations are identical to Tau Delta Phi's. I think its a little fishy to be honest, I just wonder who had them first...

[oldu]

Alpha Sigma Phi was founded at Yale in 1845 and expanded to five chapters; however, by 1865 all but one had closed. That lone chapter at Marietta College remained as a local fraternity for more than thirty years. In 1907 it decided to expand and once again revive Alpha Sigma Phi as a national. Thus, this one chapter can claim credit for the fraternity as we know it today.

[oldu]

One of the more interesting sorority chapter histories has to be that of Alpha Omicron Pi at Auburn. It has operated under five different names. It started as a local sorority name Phi Delta Rho in 1923 as the third group on campus (following Kappa Delta and Chi Omega). It became Gamma chapter of Phi Alpha Chi in 1927. In 1928 that sorority was absorbed by a slightly larger group and it then became Sigma Phi Beta. In 1933 Phi Omega Pi absorbed Sigma Phi Beta so the chapter next became Psi chapter of Phi Omega Pi. Finally, in 1946 Phi Omega Pi voted to be absorbed by Delta Zeta; however, there was already a strong DZ chapter at Auburn and the group opted out of the merger. They petitioned for a charter from Alpha Omicron Pi and became Delta Delta chapter of that organization on 8/10/46. There are other cases of chapters going through name changes but I am unaware of any with this many.

[LaneSig]

Sigma Chi's song, "The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi" was turned into two movies, in 1933 and 1946. It was also featured prominently in the 1981 movie, "Ghost Story".

[honeychile]

Bump for spammers.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by joliebelle

One of Gamma Phi Beta's founders, Helen M. Dodge, was invited to join Alpha Phi fraternity, and even helped to write their constitution.

Francis E. Haven was the founder who declined a bid to Alpha Phi, then asked 3 friends to form Gamma Phi Beta. Helen M. Dodge was tasked with writing our constitution; I've never heard of her helping with Alpha Phi's. She may have, but I've never heard of this.

[joliebelle]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

Francis E. Haven was the founder who declined a bid to Alpha Phi, then asked 3 friends to form Gamma Phi Beta. Helen M. Dodge was tasked with writing our constitution; I've never heard of her helping with Alpha Phi's. She may have, but I've never heard of this.

I feel like I got that from ye old pledge manual...the one that came before the Legacy one that was navy (my pledge manual). I could be wrong, and if so I welcome the correction!

Gamma Phi Beta's Omicron (Illinois) chapter was the only chapter to be founded by a founder, Frances E. Haven.