Fraternities - Part 3

History of Fraternities and Sororities

The origin of the college fraternity dates back to December 5, 1776 with the creation of Phi Beta Kappa. Originally a secret society, it later changed in the 1830's to become an honorary fraternity.
In the early 1820's, several other fraternities were created, all utilized Greek letters, displayed a badge, had a ritual and were secret societies. By the turn of the century, 40 fraternities were in existence through out the North America. Since 1900 the development of fraternities has been so rapid that the 20th century organizations outnumber those established previously. World War's I & II were a great strain on the fraternity system. Most college aged men were fighting overseas and many chapters closed.
At the end of WW II, and largely because of the GI Bill, the "Golden Age" of Fraternities started as a result of the large influx of men into college. Universities with 40 fraternities, each with 50-150 men were not uncommon.
The sixties and seventies were a tough period for fraternities as the youth of those eras questioned the "establishment" — fraternities were seen as part of this "establishment." Today, college fraternities have returned to their roots. They exist to provide a "home away from home", encourage high scholastic achievement, foster community spirit, and teach much needed leadership skills.

The Fraternity of Freemasonry

Though acknowledged as the largest and oldest fraternity in the world, Freemasonry is not easily categorized. Like many of its imitators, it is often described as a secret society because its meetings are closed to the uninitiated and utilizes passwords and grips. Unlike so many of its imitators, such as those described below, Freemasonry is not a benefit society. Although it recognizes no class distinctions and accepts all men of good morals who have a belief in a Supreme Being, Freemasonry's membership has traditionally been drawn from among the intellectual and social elite in society from the first recorded acceptance of a speculative Masons - Robert Moray in 1641 and Elias Ashmole in 1646. The ritual and ceremonies of Freemasonry encourages the process of spiritual development in the initiate. Individual freethinking was and is the hallmark of Freemasonry.
The ceremonies of the various branches of the Masonic Fraternity - Blue Lodge, Knight Templar, Scottish Rite, and Shrine - have been described as archetypal: In the Blue Lodge a man becomes a builder or workman; in the Drill Hall (Asylum) of the Knights Templar, the Mason becomes a holy warrior; in the Cathedrals of the Scottish Rite, the Mason is schooled in esoteric traditions assuming the role of holy man or priest; and in the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine a Mason experiments with the role of jester or fool. "From Lodge Room to Theatre: Meeting Spaces of the Scottish Rite," Theatre of the Fraternity, William D. Moore, pp. 48-49 (University Press of Mississippi, 1996).