"real" fraternities

[The1calledTKE]

My theory is fraternities changed after animal house. Fraternitys were in a decline before the movie. The antics in the movie made guys interested in fraternities again but fraternities had to do animal house type stuff to attract members. I think after hazing laws and such fraternities have gotten better. All the strict rules fines and high insurence make things difficult but keep most groups out of trouble. The bad apples get weeded out.
On the topic of fraternities going on a campus to small or where there is no room; I think some groups take the bigger is better attitude and if some chapters close they still have alot more. But the small school chapters usually die anyways. TKE's big mistake was back in the day when they started chapters at community colleges. Those chapters died quick and thank god they outlawed starting chapters there again.

[Erik P Conard]

TKE chartered only two (2) junior (community) colleges, both in
Florida. Of 200 plus dead chapters, this is hardly an explanation.
I was a jc dean, by the way, and helped in the survey of all the
junior/community colleges...for NIC fraternities. The results were
ignored by the TKE htqrs and endorsed by an apathetic GC.
An unconcerned grand council plus poor leadership in the IHQ
were more to blame...less than truthful petitions, padded
membership, ersatz boards + advisers...and no alumni support.
The HQ ignoring of alumni took its toll. If Beta can go crazy with
15 man charters, and SAE continues to grow...why? Well, they
have had strong alumni support. Only recently has TKE realized
and acknowledged the importance and value of alumni support.
Few colleges outside the realm of the private ones, the State U's,
produce loyal (affluent) alums. Trying to do it with any less will
produce short-lived chapters on the vocational and commuter scenes. And if your chapter has under sixty men, no board or
advisor...I assure you, you'll leave subsequent members little but a terminal operation. But they do not have housing, they have little alum support....for most of those matriculates are in school to get the diploma asnd get the Hell out...
...and if they succeed...do they send their kids to the same type schools? Hell no. Bear in mind, we are discussing fraternities...
Am I simply a critic to all of this? No, I have been on TKE boards
for many years...still am...and helped shut down a TKE chapter last year for bad, real bad, behavior. The chapter was shocked
that we'd do it. And the chapter, 50 years old, 999 initiates, will
eventually be brought back...smarter and wiser--we hope.
Oh, yes, ANIMAL HOUSE helped boost the booze in the house &
openly at the parties. We had hefty fines for being caught with
booze in the house. I know...this was my generation. We were
responsible for our actions...and not looking for a handout, or a
sugar titty....How many actors in the fraternity/sorority movies were even in a fraternity...damned few. They even mispronounced TAU...rhyming it with cow...and it should rhyme with paw....duh! How many actors would fit and/or succeed in the
in the legit college scene anyway? There were many dropouts...
The NIC groups are, indeed, elitist. And if the cheapest were the
best...we'd all be driving Yugos.

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by Erik P Conard
They even mispronounced TAU...rhyming it with cow...and it should rhyme with paw....duh!

I'm not getting involved with this discussion but I wanted to say something on this comment. How old are you? I didn't think people lived to be much more than 100 years these days. So, how do you know how and Ancient Greek word is really supposed to be pronounced? We supposedly pronounce the majority of our letters "incorrectly" but it's not that serious.

[Erik P Conard]

you have shot your mouth off without knowing the tradition.
Yes, Tau rhymes with cow in Ancient Greek
But then Beta is beeta in Ancient Greek
Psi is psi in Ancient Greek
Epsilon is Eepsilon in Ancient Greek
Zeta is zeeta in Ancient Greek
Xi is zee in Ancient Greek
Phi is fee in Ancient Greek....
is it Allpha fee or allpha zee?
Theta is theetah in Ancient Greek and so on...
So, multi-cultural scholar, while I do not have any ancient Greek
ancestry that I know of, I do have a Masters (Illinois '65) in
liguistics.
The NIC fraternities, for the most part, have taken a quasi-wrong
prounciation of some of the letters. Perhaps you can, sagacious
one, change it...duh

[preciousjeni]

I know what the books say. I have to become fluent in Greek for my degree. But, I have trouble believing that we can be sure how ancient languages were truly spoken.

ETA: My point is that we're butchering the language, in our Greek system, no matter what we do. That shouldn't be a point of contention when you're talking about the media. Besides, I was involved with an organization whose last letter was Tau. They pronounced it like "cow" while I pronounced it like "paw." They said I was wrong, I didn't think so. When I checked it out, I realized that it's hard to say who really was right or wrong.

[Erik P Conard]

we really agree in that many folks disagree on how some greek letters are prounounced...even sororities with Phi in their name
cannot agree.
If you have ever taken a course in linguistics or in ancient greek
you would never pass it if you came up with the question "How
do you know how they pronounced it?" Innocence accepted.
And while I am not quite as old as Socrates and even misspelled
'Linguistics," we do occasionally suffer from 'nervous keyboard'
Shall we move on to items, perhaps, more of substance?
My original question as "Tau" pronunciation had to do with the
poor research done by the Animal House crew...they simply did
not know how the word was pronounced, just went to Eugene
and asked no one who might have been a bit more knowledgeable. That was my point. I have been amazed how
many Betas pronounce, with unanimity, their name...quite in
contrast to Ancient Greek.
The fraternity/sorority mottoes...well, if you really want to hear
Greek butchered, preside at initiations....LOL

[PM_Mama00]

So, the awesome TKE chapter on my COMMUTER campus, a satellite of University of Michigan... what do you think of them? They don't have a house. Well, They had just gotten one last year but then it burned down a few months ago. Anyways, what do you think of them? Since you don't even know why TKE chapters are on these kinds of campuses.

[Tom Earp]

Erik, My Friend, once again you have raised the ire of many! But, You do it so well!


Quit giving fuel to fodder the fire of GreekDom as some know it!

Most only go back a few years and dont remember the old days!

Books and passed down Lore only mean so much these days where many did not have to really strive to attain Membership.

For those who may not be in the know, this man has started many TKE Chapters and beleived in the ones that should have been started. He does not agree with some of the Chapters started and that is what He is talking about.

I started a Greek Local, so, We both know and have an Idea what it means.

Methusila was old, but He was a student of Erik!

Oh, dont get on the "old kick", I despise that in KIDS!

I am not that far behind him!

He is a cranky old fart, I am just a Maturing Gentleman!

OH, watch out for The Horn!

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

A number of our chapters don't have houses and they aren't on what you would call "commuter" schools.

But then, we're just a large NPC group so we don't much count I guess..........

Oh, and I could care less how many chapters someone's started. The difficult part is keeping them going........

What about the newly resurrected Epsilon Kappa Chapter at Loyola University? No house, commuter, Catholic University yet, the quickest charter in the history of TKE.

[Tom Earp]

Pardon' Oiu, is the same TKE Thread that I have checked before as a Friend of TKE?

How many on here are TKEs? doesnt seem to damn many!

This sounds like give Erik Cow Pottying for a throwing contest in a BS Ring at a Rodeo!

Erik, My Good Friend you do raise the ire of many and is surprising how soon it gets around.

Temper Thy Self. Please.

Many of the "Hard workers" do not really understand the work it took to do, but that was another life style.

Hey "OLD FART" When are you going to be in near Proximity with SIS and get togethering??????????

Keep me updated K!

[lostu10]

I agree with you frater Erik P Conard. I'm a TKE from Long Beach, CA.

YITB
TKE is for life

[Tom Earp]

lostu10 you are very correct!

I just wonder why some people come on a TKE Thread when not invited and then print what Your Frater Eric Conard has posted on the TKE site?

I have know Eric longer than most of you are old but, I respect Him and am and will always be His Friend and confidant.

He has More History in his mind than most people living!

I was told to take my head out of his Ass, well, you can imagine what My Response was!

Ask ZEKE what I mean!

It is a Thing Between TWO Interfaraternal Brothers. He knows what and who I am refering to!

EC, your still the shits, and am looking forward to when we get together in a few months!

[KDKatie318]

Dear Eric,

Just wanted to let you know--
I go to a small school, about 4,000, where the greek community is thriving. We have 9 fraternities and 5 sororities, where many of the members hold leadership positions on campus. We go to an extemely conservative school where we are not allowed to have houses.
I can see how at community colleges a greek community would not exist for very long, but at my four year university we have had greeks since the late 1800's and Sigma Nu's Kappa Chapter (1881) still exists there today.

My comments to your remarks:

1. Have no houses
I recall reading something on GreekChat about your one of your chapters at UGA. They bought a house and no longer existed only s few years later! A house is will not necessarily help you to thrive on campus or have a successful brotherhood as your organization so poignantly proved.

2. Do little for the community
Just some of the fundraisers that greeks at North Georgia hold yearly:
**Camp Kudzu in Cleveland, Georgia that provides a week of fun-filled games and crafts for children who must constantly watch thier diabetes.
**Rock-a-Thon to raise money for philanthropies.
**Atlanta Area School for the Deaf-sold Christmas cards drawn by the students with all proceedings going directly to the school.
**Volunteer our time at the school carnivals.
**Holds a Hike for Hearing to raise money for the speech and hearing impaired.
**Run Dahlonega - raises money for the Rainbow House, a home for abused children.
**Shakedown - raises money for the Rainbow House.
******AND THAT'S EXAMPLES from only THREE of the FOURTEEN greek organizations on campus.******

3. Have little to offer their members
As a school where leadership is part of its core values, all of our greek organizations stress the important of leadership. We all are strongly urged to take leadership positions on campus, as well as attend leadership workshops held by our own organizations.

But, I digress...
**My $0.02 -- Successful chapters have little to do with houses and "eliteness". They take strong almuni guidance and support, a unyielding committment and bond between their members, as well as a National Office (or in your case International) who takes their time and carefully plans and supports chapters they begin.

[hoosier]

Great to hear from Dahlonega - I admire your school, and one of my closest friends lives in the hills near there.

I think you can establish that there were no active chapters at NGC for many years. SN may have been chartered there in the 1800s, but they were dormant for many years.

Best wishes.