Phi Beta Delta is a Greek society. Sometimes, especially to those not familiar with the involved American academic system, that seems strange. Do we have some special ties with Greece? Are we people whose ancestors came form Greece? Do we consume Greek food or spend holidays in Greece. Probably many of our members do have some such ties, but that isn't what makes us a Greek society.
Then why are we Greeks? Well, we are Greek in the sense that we share an affinity for the past -- civilization has roots and one of those roots of course is in that long ago but memorable time when Greek thought was a wonder of the world, and when Athens was a veritable burning sun of ideas. Our use of the Greek alphabet is a way of paying homage to the time and to that special contribution that Greece made.
We are not social Greeks, but we are social! We have our receptions and our dinners, and our fun, but the social Greeks on campus are different and our original connections with them, two hundred and more years ago, have become less obvious with the passage of the years. Rather than providing residential facilities or an elaborate card of entertainments, we spotlight excellence and internationalism.
Excellence and internationalism are values the Greeks would have appreciated, for they were an urbane band.
So it wouldn't be amiss at a chapter meeting to serve a Greek dish or have a speaker on an aspect of Greek history and culture, or to invite the consul of Greece to help at an installation. Someone said that it was great to be Greek, and we would just add to that and say its great to be a Deltan.
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