[15302] in APO-L
1976
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Peter F. Caracappa)
Wed Nov 6 23:38:05 1996
Date: Wed, 6 Nov 1996 14:11:30 -0500
Reply-To: "Peter F. Caracappa" <caracp3@RPI.EDU>
From: "Peter F. Caracappa" <caracp3@RPI.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Wow! Two posts in one week. Sometimes I surprise even myslef.
There has been some mention back and forth about how APO would have
fared if the 1976 convention had never happened. I don't want to
fuel that debate, because I don't think its important, but I think
that convention was.
I was 6 months old at the time of the 1976 convention, so I have no
firsthand knowledge of what happend at that convention. However,
from everything I know of it, we did not decide to go co-ed for the
survival of the fraternity. Nor did we go co-ed with the intent (or
desire) to wipe out related organizations such as GSS or OPhiA. We
did it because it was _right_; because we felt that the ideals of
Alpha Phi Omega apply to all people, male and female. Is it time to
re-evaluate this belief?
In 1976, we gave chapters the option to remain all-male in the face
of this national change. Traditionalism can be a strong force, and
this agreement was made to placate those chapters with such stron
traditionalism. Now, 20 years later, it may be time to re-evaluate
this decision. Twenty years of co-edness (new word) have passed.
The collegiate world, the fraternity system, and APO are all
different than they were then.
This is not to say I have anything against the single-sex chapters or
the traditionalism that they represent. I consider _myself_ a
traditionalist, but my traditionalism falls to the wayside in the
face of what I believe is right.
On a side note, does anyone else find it hilarious that Theta Xi
chapter wants to join Theta Xi Fraternity (whose Alpha Chapter
happens to be at RPI) when those two schools merge? I do.
Peter
--
Peter F. Caracappa - "Oblong" "Cup-a-Cocoa"
caracp3@rpi.edu
Alpha Phi Omega Brother - Epsilon Zeta Chapter
Fall '96 Membership Vice-President (mvp@apo.union.rpi.edu)
-- "Reality is for those with no imagination"
