Happy Founders Day to the brothers of Theta Chi!
I speculate that these remarks may resonate more with my fellow alumnus brothers…but I hope that the current undergraduate members take these remarks to heart.
One of my favorite films is “Gettysburg” (coincidentally, the film based on the novel “The Killer Angels” – written by Brother Michael Shaara, Beta Delta/Rutgers 1951). One of the lines that always resonated with me was “You certainly do have a talent for trivializing the momentous and complicating the obvious.” Former Executive Director Dave Westol summed it up with his analogy of “pole vaulting over mouse turds…”
All too often in Theta Chi we, too, have a knack for trivializing the momentous and complicating the obvious.
Think about the Founding of the Fraternity. What did Freeman and Chase have on April 10, 1856? What didn’t they have?
They couldn’t recite the Creed. They didn’t know the Creed. There was no Creed. There was no Truth, Temperance or Tolerance.
There was no Greek Week to worry about, or schemes about who to pair with for homecoming next fall.
There was no pledge class. There was no Pledge Pin. No tests on Fraternity history. No interviews with each other or Egbert Phelps.
There was no “I-Week”. No Flag Drop. No Black Cloud. No Man in the Mirror. Pre-Initiation activities included…well, showing up.
There was no house. No undone chores to complain about. No ratty couch on the front porch of the Barracks.
There were no ritual materials – at least that we are familiar with. No ceremonial or symbolic theatrics. They probably didn’t even have a gavel.
There were no Badges – actual jewelry to pin on each other.
There was no fraternity rivalry. There was no Dean or Greek Adviser telling them what to do. There was no permission to do what they were doing.
There was no Grand Chapter. There was no International Headquarters staff. No LEC visit.
There were no trips to visit other chapters. There were no lessons learned from a School of Fraternity Practices, Deranian Presidents Conference, MYLC, Initiative Academy or CLC.
There was no song. There was no Fraternity Anthem to end the meeting. As odd as it would be to circle up and sing “It Is To Thee” with only two people – they didn’t do it.
So what did they have?
Presumably, they had a Bible and at least one candle.
They had some form of a Constitution.
They had objects:
“to bind by closer bonds the members to each other and the mutual assistance of each of its members to the other during life,” “the advancement of any measure... at the institution in which it shall be established which shall be of importance to its members,” as well as “the mutual benefit and improvement of all its members.”
They had oaths.
They had their word.
They had each other.
That’s about it.
While I do not wish to negate the things that they did not have – they can often help to provide structure and generate many life lessons and opportunities for learning – we sometimes may get too caught up in the things that may not matter quite as much – and we forget about the things that truly matter – each other.
Two young cadets made promises to each other to live out this idea of an organization that would base its existence on creating better men and friendships through helping each other and supporting their alma mater.
At our chapters we can worry about t-shirt designs or how this guy isn’t doing his chores in the house or why this sorority isn’t mixing with us…we can engage in endless (nonsensical) debates during chapters meetings that take way too long, we can worry about which room we will be living in next year, or finding an endless list of things we could complain about.
Or, we could rise above. Stand up for each other. Stand up and Lead.
If we remember who we are – what we promise to each other, how could this idea of Theta Chi ever fail? If we maintain our relationships – if we do what we say we are going to do – there is nothing that Theta Chi cannot accomplish.
Freeman had Chase. Chase had Freeman. That was it. They knew they could count on each other. Then – in a bold move – they invited others to join them. Others that they trusted. Others that they knew that they could count on. Not guys that would just be "there". Not guys that would challenge them to not remove them because it wasn't the brotherly thing to do. These were men who Freeman and Chase knew could uphold a promise. Freeman and Chase created a very conditional brotherhood that required each party to uphold their oaths. They knew that if men did not uphold their promises, true fraternity was not possible. This Theta Chi Society required accountablity because I had to be able to count on you - and you had to be able to count on me.
After graduation, some of the things from undergraduate days become trivial. Very trivial. It’s the relationships that remain. The desire to extend a Helping Hand remains. The idea that I can count on you – and you can count on me – though we are miles and time zones apart. That’s what Theta Chi is.
I challenge you to enjoy your undergraduate days to the fullest. To be the best on your campus. To be leaders – to extend the Helping Hand. But don’t lose sight of each other. Don’t avoid the relationships and the friendships formed.
For alumni, I challenge all of us to keep these relationships alive – Theta Chi truly is for Life – let’s stay in better touch with each other – and our undergraduate brothers. Freeman and Chase didn’t have alumni – but I’d guess that they’d probably appreciate their help!
Hopefully I have not complicated the obvious. Celebrate the milestones – 158 years is not trivial. It is meaningful. But it’s those 158 years of relationships that matter most. If a fraternity is not fraternal – then what’s the point? We can have Creeds and songs and Facebook pages and twitter accounts and Greek Weeks – but if we do not have each other, then what’s the point?
Happy Founders Day, Brothers. Remember what they had 158 years ago and live their dream. Live Theta Chi for Life.