Newspapers / Fayetteville State University Student … / Jan. 1, 1977, edition 1 / Page 4
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PAGE 4 THE VOICE JANUARY, 1977 Go Greeks! Fraternities^ Sororities On Rehound (Taken from The Fayetteville Observer) by Nancy Pate, Sunday Staff Writer Last Thursday there was a secret ceremony at Methodist College. The women all wore white dresses. Candles were lighted. Vows were solemnly intoned. It was the beginning of a new sorority at Methodist College. With all traditional ritual, a group of female students became the 115th chapter of the Kappa Delta sorority. College fraternities and sororities thrived in the ’50s, almost died in the ’60s, and are being revived in the ’70s. Long a part of the collegiate scene, the Greek-letter system fell into decline during the period of student activism. But now that signs, sit-ins and flower children have faded from the campus, the Greeks are making a comeback. Not only are membership figures up on a national level, but chapters that moved off- campus are coming back on. Others that folded are being revived, like the Kappa Delta sorority at Duke University. Alpha Chi Omega became the 12th sorority at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill last spring. And new chapters, like the one at Methodist, are colonized every year. Greeks are relatively new to Methodist College. Two fraternities and a sorority were formed in 1974, and The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration is making $10 million available to support innovative programs designed to prevent juvenile deliquency. “Often state and local agencies are so overburdened with the in creasing number of juveniles committing crimes that they have neither the time nor the money to work on the real answer to juvenile delinquency - preventing it from occurring,” said LEAA Administrator Richard W. Velde. “That is why this program has been developed.” Private and public not- for-profit agencies may submit applications by Jan. 30 containing plans to serve youth in disadvantaged communities, both urban and rural. The agencies may although things were slow at first, interest is now picking up. “As a whole, Greeks are generating more en thusiasm,” says Debbie Underwood, president of Alpha XI Delta sorority. “We’re becoming more visible. I think having a new sorority is positive rein forcement for the sorority and fraternities already here.” Dean , Ingeborg Dent is pleased that Greeks are doing well at Methodist. “There is a time when they weren’t very popular,” she says. “We didn’t have them here then at all. But I think now it is a good thing and can help the school.” Although fraternities and sororities are new at Methodist, the history of Greek social organizations goes back to the Revolutionary War. Phi Beta Kappa, now an honorary fraternity, began as a social one in December of 1776 at the College of William and Mary. Kappa Alpha was formed in 1825 and now there are more than 70 undergraduate social fraternities with a total membership of more than eight million. Sororities had forerun ners in school clubs of the 1800s. Pi Beta Phi was of ficially organized in 1867. Now more than one million college women belong to the national social sororities. Fraternities and sororities are named from letters of the Greek alphabet operate on a national, regional, state or local level. Program guidelines are available from state criminal justice planning agencies, LEAA regional offices, or the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, LEAA, 633 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20531. Ifliss Vance Hall Robin Regina Boddie, a native of Nashville, N.C., was recently selected as “MISS VANCE HALL” at Fayet teville State University (N.C.). Robin is a member of the SNEA and her major is Early Childhood Education. She was born under the sign of Aquarius. Her hobbies are playing the piano and listening to music. and are normally secret organizations, each having its own ritual, colors, motto and passwords. Although formed as social clubs, the Greeks also stress scholarship, service and high moral ideals. Dean J.C. Jones of Fayetteville State University (FSU) theorizes that may be one of the reasons behind their decline in the late sixties. “Students weren’t buying that kind of thing then,” he says. “They were the generation that wanted to help somebody. They saw nothing relevant about the old Greek letter organizations.” He adds that during that period social fellowships developed at FSU that were more service-oriented. “None of our sororities and fraternities died com pletely,” he says, “but there was a lack of interest. In order to compete against the other organizations, the fraternities adopted some of the same characteristics, like more service.” There are now four fraternities and five sororities at FSU and about 15 per cent of the student body is Greek- affiliated. Membership in sororities at UNC-Chapel Hill has tripled in the last decade. About 14 per cent of eligible female students now belong to sororities. “Some people say the whole university campus is returning to the early ’60s atmosphere,” says Mary Anne Hitchcock, as assistant dean of student affaars. “They may be right. After the do-your-owr\-thing syndrome, alienation set in. Now there seems to be a need for com munity.” Although the fraternity system at Chapel Hill is healthy (there are 30 fraternities), they have not benefited from the recent national upsurge of interest. “There’s a big upswing elsewhere but it hasn’t gotten here yet,” says Will McCain, a special assistant in student affairs. “We expect a lot better in the spring. The negative stigma is disap pearing.” McCain says there are still a lot of misconceptions about the Greek way of life. “A lot of people still see them as a six-pack of beer a day,” he says. “They don’t see the service projects. It’s also cheaper here to live and eat in a fraternity house than it is on campus.” The fraternity stereotype is also disappearing from the campus. “You don’t have to have blue blood to join anymore,” McCain says. “There’s more diversity among members. Everybody’s not wearing alpaca sweaters and khaki pants. Sure, there are still parties but there’s a lot more.” James Malloy, president of Lambda Chi Alpha at Methodist, says Greeks on campus are also battling stereotypes. “More criticism comes from outside the fraternities from people who don't know anything about it,” he says. “You’ve got to come inside to find out what it’s all about.” Greeks at Methodist also pride themselves on their diversity. Pi Kappa Phi fraternity has many day students among its members, as well as married ones. “And some of our members’ wives belong to Alpha Xi,” says president Steve Holland. Reasons for joining a fraternity and sorority seem to have changed little, if at all, according to members. “It’s a way of getting to know people,” Malloy says. “The fraternity is my second family. They really are my brothers.” Joy Cogswell was a Kappa Delta at Florida State University in the late ’60s and is president of the local alumni group. “I feel like there’s more interest now,” she says, “but it still meant a lot to me when I was in school. It was a big school and I was from out of state and didn’t know a soul. The sorority became my family.” Greeks, however, are still selective in their mem bership. Not everybody who wants to join gets a bid. “I personally don’t go for the old blackball will keep you out deal,” Holland says. “Sometimes it can just be a personality conflict and I think you should overlook personal grievances and look for the good of the group.” Other students don’t join fraternities or sororities because they find the cost prohibitive. Dean Jones has observed this at FSU and the students say it is sometimes true at Methodist. “There’s just not a whole lot of loose money,” Malloy says. “But our dues are $12.50 a month and that includes a lot of things like parties. You can spend six or seven dollars on one pizza.” Greeks at Methodist are convinced that students who really want to join a fraternity or sorority will come up with the money. Pi Kappa Phi arranges loans for its pledges if needed. Fellowship, a sense of belonging and identification are all benefits of Greek membership, the students say. It’s also a good way to get involved and develop contacts that may be helpful in the future. Seventy per cent of the U.S. Congressmen are former Greeks. “Maybe sororities and fraternities aren’t right for everyone,” says Debbie Underwood. “But it’s right for me. There’s something very special about being a Greek.” Morris C. Bethea Insurance Agency, Inc. Auto, Life, Homeowners, Health, Bonding 609-A Murchison Road Phone 483-6597 P.O. Box 1326 Fayetteville, N.C. 28301 L.EAA To Fund Projects Curbing Delinquency Murchison Road & Jasper St;. SUBURBAN MART C8 great: st:ores for your convenience! SUBUBBAN pairy. GUAnotAN OF QUAUTY COMfLm* UNI or HAIDWAXI • M.UMIING SUffUCS > ELiCTRICAL SUPTllO ' HOUSCWAtES ' GLiOOEN fAIKH > iicrcus ' T0013 FOR INFORMATION CALL- 488-1976 rAvnreynx£ Suburbanrawn op ^tHrfc Ctuh 9n V«Iit«ble items • GUNS • JEWELRY • T.V. • CAMERAS • STEREO WE BUY ANYTHINC OF VALUE 104 Jasper St.y^Suburban Mart Annex Servia 24 HR. 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Fayetteville State University Student Newspaper
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Jan. 1, 1977, edition 1
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