Where did "Greeks" originate from?

[TaraHopeful]

It may sound like a stupid, obvious question...but i still wonder. Why do you all call yourselves "greeks". Did sororites and fraternities originate in Greece? Or is it similarites between the greek culture and the greek system? Just curious as to how the whole idea was thought up, or came to be...
~Tara~

[Optimist Prime]

We use greek letters.

[TaraHopeful]

that's it? really?

[EM1843]

Yep...pretty much.

[TaraHopeful]

oh...good to know...thanks i always think too far into things....

[dekeguy]

Tarahopeful,
Well, maybe a little more than just that we use greek letters. Way back in the begining of the greek system the core curriculum of university studies was based heavily on the concept of a "classical education". A well educated student was presumed to be very knowledgable of latin and greek (some lectures were given in those languages). This was the case across the spectrum of studies from liberal arts to hard sciences, which themselves used to be considered liberal arts. Look up "trivium" and "quadrivium" for more info if you are curious. Social groups which formed the basis of our modern day fraternities adopted names, mottoes, and all sorts of arcane meanings which were predictably expressed in the classical languages prevalent at the time. Some professors considered greek superior to latin for scholorship so it follows that the students would seek to have the best for their organization. The letters stand for private words which have to do (usually) with the aims and purposes of the group. Is all of the mumbo jumbo necessary? Probably not. Is it fun? Oh yeah! Does it mean anything? Means a lot to me!
So, its an 18th and 19th century thing that enhances our ties to the previous generations of our brotherhood and that act like a focal point. Each organization has its own special meanings and thats part of what makes it all so interesting and, to me, rewarding. So, you really didn't go too deeply into the subject and what it is all about. Check out some of the articles on the net about the history and development of greek letter fraternities. There is some interesting stuff out there.

[Optimist Prime]

Yeah. What he said. hey look, its cat woman.

[DeltAlum]

"Is all of the mumbo jumbo necessary? Probably not. Is it fun? Oh yeah! Does it mean anything? Means a lot to me!"

Tara,

Your question was not dumb at all.

Having participated in the initiation of several of our newest members last weekend, the answer is something I've been reminded of very recently.

DekeGuy did a really outstanding job of explaining the use of Greek Letters. I would simply add this in the case of many of our organizations.

At least some of the early fraternities were formed to right a perceived unfair situation. The following is from the hisory of Delta Tau Delta on our web page at www.delts.org:

"1776 Phi Beta Kappa, the first Greek letter society, is formed at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, in response to strict faculty members' attempts to rule all phases of students' lives. Nine men chronologically and geographically at the heart of impending revolution in the as yet unformed United States create for themselves an opportunity to secure freedom and the chance to govern their own affairs outside the classroom. Those nine students meet in the Raleigh Tavern on December 5 where they adopt a secret oath, a badge, a handshake, and mottoes in Greek and Latin. They devise an initiation ceremony and adopt a Greek letter name. The stage is now set for other Greek letter societies to follow suit.

You should recognize some of the same qualities in the story of Phi Beta Kappa's founding as those we at Delta Tau Delta embrace. The nine men who pledged their loyalty to each other in 1776 were also committed to excellence; they found strength in brotherhood, saw the importance of courage in the face of what they considered injustice. So you see, the quest for excellence extends deep into our roots, beyond even our own founding as a Fraternity, to the very beginning of the Greek system itself.

1858, Delta Tau Delta is founded at Bethany College. Eight undergraduates, angered by a fixed vote for a prize in oratory to be given at the Neotrophian Literary Society the only real forum for students to practice and demonstrate skills in poetry, public speaking, and writing essays respond by forming a secret society. The purpose of the new society, known only by the Greek letters Delta Tau Delta, is to see that the Neotrophian is returned to popular control, and delivered from the hands of the group of students who seized it."

The English translation of the Greek words for which Delta Tau Delta is the acronym is one of the Fraternity's closely guarded secrets.

So, at least for some, the letters are more than just symbols that sound cool together and make neat sounding names like Pikes and Tekes -- they are central to the reasons for our existance.

Fraternally
DeltAlum

PS Remember that these actions happened many years before the advent of intercollegiate sports, and these oratory competitions were some of the few distractions available to college students, thus explaining their importance.

[TaraHopeful]

thanks dekeguy & DeltAlum!!! Your answers were very thorough...i finally get it. haha. I just always wondered...oh well...my mind is at rest....for now....thanx again guys!

[meheron]

That all the Fraternity info but sorority information is a little different. This is how I understand it:

There were greek organizations for men but not women until 1870. Now don't get me wrong there were tons of women organizations but not any that called themselves a fraternity.

One women from Alsberry college. (Now Depaul in greensburg IN) wanted to become a member of FIJI. Well they said no that it was for men only. She decided to get her friends (three other women) and develop her own fraternity. She consulted her father (a Beta) and her brother (a FIJI) and came up with her own ideas of how she wanted the women's fraternity to run. Hense the beginning of the First Greek Letter Fraternity for women. KAPPA ALPHA THETA........ (If you look at some of the things that the two orgaizations hold to heart such as their badge (theta and FIJI) you will see a lot of things that are similar such as Kite or diamond symbols and stars) Now if I can recall some history I think Phi Mu was the first Greek Letter Sorotiy. See they were an organization way before Kappa Alpha Theta but they were not Greek. After Kappa ALpha Theta was founded they founded Phi Mu and a sorority for women. (this is when the word soroirty was first used).


Anyway that is a basic explanation of what I have been taught. Now we have all been taught something so if you have another view of women greek organizations please respond.