[13172] in APO-L
Re: pledge stuff
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Cindy Strawbridge)
Thu Nov 2 17:10:23 1995
Date: Thu, 2 Nov 1995 17:07:03 EST
Reply-To: Cindy Strawbridge <CSTRAWBRIDGE@YSI.COM>
From: Cindy Strawbridge <CSTRAWBRIDGE@YSI.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Shawn wrote...
> From: Shawn Putnam <U290003@UNIVSCVM.CSD.SCAROLINA.EDU>
> Subject: pledge stuff
> In response to some past letters, allow me to respond to some comments
> about pledge manuals before hazing charges go flying everywhere.
Let me second that.... I have had comments about "singing for a
pledge board"...
I believe that it is not hazing for the following reasons:
- the pledge is not required to carry around their board all the
time - it is a place for them to get sigs, a nice souvineer of
their pledgeship, something they take a great deal of pride in
(we have a "Best Board" award - recently, one pledge dyed rice to
glue to the board for the design), is rich in heritage (it is the
"key" or the formal pin (I can never remember what it is actually
called) it contains the chapter letters and a string of 10 knots
off the top of it. IF the pledge was required to carry it around
campus, then it would be hazing
- There is a "rule" for stealing pledge boards (I'm not sure where
it came from, but it is probably there to let the actives know their
limits) that it has to be returned within 24 hours & that the
stealer must leave the pledge a not saying that it has been
stolen.
- The "singing" thing started with an active losing something, so
it is more of an extention of an active tradition... also, in
every instance, the pledge was given the OPTION to sing to get their
board back sooner (& hey, they were singing a happy scouting
song)
- In my opinion, the pledge was treated more as a brother by being
given that option... (since it started with the brothers anyway)
- It is not a frequent thing - it happened a few times the last
year I was an active...it never caused any problems (the
chapter is generally very careful & watchful of hazing because
the campus is fairly wachful of that type of thing (some socials were
booted because of hazing while I was there)) I never heard this
questioned at all.
- I only saw it come up in smaller groups when people were joking
around. More of a teasing (like you would do to anyone
regardless of pledge/active status) It was never at an official
event, meeting, etc.
Again, I stress that in the instances that it occurred, it was
OPTIONAL OPTIONAL OPTIONAL
I hope this clears things up a bit
Cindy Strawbridge
Alpha Gamma Alum
