Alpha
Gamma Sigma
Initiation
Ritual
1932
Pledge
Supervisor, blindfolds the candidates and arranges them: Follow me, prospective sons of Alpha Gamma Sigma, you are about to enter
a new world.
They
approach the door of outer chamber. Pledge Supervisor gives secret rap on door.
Warden:
Brothers of Alpha Gamma Sigma, an alarm at the door.
Members,
in unison: See who
comes.
Warden:
Who comes?
Pledge
Supervisor:
Candidates for admission in our fraternity, having finished the pledge period,
seek advancement.
Warden:
Do you vouch for them?
Pledge
Supervisor: I do,
I recommend … names
for membership in Alpha Gamma Sigma. Initiates
are marched in and stopped before Warden.
Warden:
Our fraternity welcomes you, but in order to qualify for membership in our
fraternal family it is necessary that each candidate understands certain
responsibilities that our beloved order requires of all members. The advancement
of this organization depends on what you are willing to give. Therefore, at this
time four responsibilities, expected of all loyal members, will be explained and
you will be put through four tests to try you.
Over the
rocky pathways you are now to travel to prepare yourself for admittance into our
fraternal family, you will be met with difficulties, some you may think
insurmountable. Courage will be necessary, courage coupled with the determination to succeed.
Should the load become unbearable to you and you are willing to admit defeat,
you will be permitted to turn back. Cowards and weaklings are afraid of our
requirements because the fraternity obligations stand for the things that if
followed will make real men out of you. I, the Warden, am speaking to you. Let
my words be well heard. Are you willing to proceed? If so, answer 'I am: " Candidates
are brought before
the speakers for the explanatory messages and tests.
Member
No. 1: Hard work
is the formula that spells success. Real as a fraternity man or in one's life
occupation is not won overnight. It is nearly always the result of years of training
and much self
sacrifice to gain your end.
Remember
that it is your duty to strive for physical fitnesss, for keenness in
competition, and for steadiness in coordination. Right living,
good habits, and an
understanding of health will carry you a long way at times when the future
appears gloomy.
Physical
well being is the visible of life, a force that is in you. that gives strength
for work, zest for play, and quietude for repose, that resists and overcomes the
enemies of body and mind. Without it the richest man becomes poor, possessing it
the poorest man becomes the owner of a priceless thing. Therefore, cooperators,
ever keep in mind your physical responsibility to Alpha Gamma Sigma.
Are you
willing to follow life’s easy path, or are you a toiler, determined to
struggle for the
perpetuation
of the fraternity's, ideals and a successful life?
You
answer by repeating after me: 'I promise to toil for the betterment of this
fraternity, and will strive to the utmost to make a worthwhile contribution to
the field of agriculture.
Member
No. 2: Now that you understand your physical responsibility to our sacred group,
my job is to emphasize your social relationship to this order. Sociability is
one of the four pillars on which the welfare of our fraternity rests.
Sociability is expressed in friendship. It is friendship that teaches people how
to show their best nature to others. As we go through life
this fraternal obligation becomes more treasured. We can show our view by
quoting this verse, ‘Men may nod to thousands; they may speak to hundreds;
they may commune with tens; thrice lucky is the man who at sixty can count three
real friends.’ Well did Emerson say of friendship.
'A day
for toil, an hour for sport,
But for
a friend a life's too short.’
Here is
a question for you to answer: Are friends cheap, easily attained or are they the
products of long years of loyal service and the bearing of many burdens?
You
answer by repeating after me: “I believe friends
are precious, and as a fraternity man, I plan to cultivate the friendship of my
brothers and am willing to sacrifice in order to obtain the good will of
others.”
Member
No. 3: A
fraternity like any organization needs a loyal group of supporters who
are
willing to give of their time and money for the advancement of the order. I am
to represent to you our economic responsibility. As you well realize, the work
of our society requires money, but I want you to understand that to give
unstintingly of your time is a nobler asset There are offices to fill, meetings
to attend, a house to look after, and other things that demand
your attention.
Are you
willing to give a reasonable amount of your time and money for the advancement
of your fraternity.
The
answer is: 'I am.' Remember your economic obligation.
Member
No.4: At last I have been summoned to appear before you. I represent the pillar
that has a steadying influence on the fraternity. I stand for your moral duty to
our order.
They who
desire long life dare not sidestep morality for it is the gateway of peace of
all who would grow old. Happy memories of following the so-called straight and
narrow path satisfies the souls of those hair has turned gray.
Wgat are
the admirable virtues in a fraternity man?
The
answer you will repeat after me: ‘It is only through vitalizing the ideals of
honesty, truth, temperance, chastity, and loving one’s brother that our
fraternity will come into the respect that it deserves.
Reassemble
candidates, march back to Warden.
Warden:
Well done, fellow
workers in the field of agriculture, your faith, courage, and devotion have been
high, and as reward you are now to become acquainted with the purpose, aims, and
standards of the fraternity of Alpha Gamma Sigma. Ouw worthy president greets
you.
President
administers oath. Have candidates raise right hand while taking oath:
Repeat after me: I, name, do solemnly promise and swear, that I will be governed
by the constitution and by-laws of Alpha Gamma Sigma; will defend its policies
and will not for any cause, reveal its secrets to a non-member. I furthermore
promise to aid a brother if he needs aid for any justifiable cause and will not
harm a member in any way if I am conscious of it. I will do all in my power to
promote the welfare of the fraternity and will conduct myself in an honourable
manner at all times.
Remove
blindfolds from candidates as they face emblem from a distance. Lights turned
out except for glowing emblem. Pledge supervisor leads candidates to the front
of the platform with president, vice-president, pledge supervisor, and chaplain
preceding. The candidates are seated on chairs in front of the platform facing
the emblem. The honorary four wear black togas. President and vice-president to
left of emblem with pledge supervisor and chaplain to right on the platform.
Chaplain:
Let us bow our
heads in prayer: Almighty Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and Giver of all
good, we return our heartfelt thanks for the privilege of being associated
together in this fraternity. Help us O God, to be obedient, truthful, and kind
in our daily tasks. Grant us wisdom and integrity in all the undertakings of
this order, that our work may be good and acceptable in thy sight. We beseech
Thee to bless the officers and members of this fraternal family of ours, and all
interested in advancing the interests of the professional agriculturist, and
grant them prosperity. All this we humbly ask in thy Holy name. Amen.
President:
At this time it
becomes my pleasure as president of the … Chapter of Alpha Gamma Sigma
fraternity to explain to you the symbols of our order. A few moments ago you
assumed four responsibilities of duties that we expect from all members.
These
responsibilities are symbolized in the four rubies of our pin. President
points to jewels starting with the one to the right, with a suitable pointer as
he explains its significance.
Upon the
first jewel we build our physical obligation, which is characterized by hard
work and is the foundation fro the progress of our order.
The
second jewel is emblematic of sociability. The cultivation of friendship and the
love of one’s brother exemplifies your social responsibility.
Let the
third jewel be a reminder of your economic duty.
The
fourth jewel, keeping watch over the others, is the star that glows for the
perpetuation of Morality.
You know
that your chief obligations to Alpha Gamma Sigma are built around the four major
jewels. The purpose of every fraternity man should be to magnify the ideals of
his fraternity, to make them something more than mere sentiment, to amplify them
more fully in his own daily life, and to impress them more forcefully upon the
undergraduates which whom he may come in contact. It is only through the
vitalizing of its ideals that the fraternity will come into the respect that it
deserves.
Experience
has shown that an ideal fraternity man has certain outstanding qualifications,
and that many of these attributes are represented in the duties of the officers
of this organization. Points
to opals.
Each opal is symbolic of a desirable attribute, and these are the ideals you are
to strive for.
President,
taking the opals in clockwise order, points to first jewel:
This jewel represented by the pledge supervisor represents sacrifice.
Pledge
Supervisor: As our
Pledge Supervisor it is my duty to honor sacrifice.
In
biblical times, sacrifice was an offering to God for the purpose of communion,
thanksgiving, or the atonement of sins. The sacrifice of Christ on the cross,
and the innocent for the guilty was the fulfilment of former sacrifices.
He who
perseveres to the end is the one who will reach the goal. Men sometimes rebel at
me but they have no great destiny without me. Be willing to sacrifice your
personal views at all times for the will of the majority.
President,
pointing to second jewel: Our
second jewel represented by the Chaplain represents obedience.
Chaplain:
I, the Chaplain, will emphasize obedience which is knit into the very fiber of
this organization. I have in my hand a sharp but invisible sword that I use to
taunt all brothers who insist in living only for themselves. During this school
year it will be my duty to persuade members to uphold the standards our
fraternity supports. As little children our parents first showed us the pathway
that God made for human happiness, the road to obedience.
President,
pointing to third jewel:
The jewel of scholarship is represented by our Scholarship Chairman.
Scholarship
Chairman: This is
a jewel that we must all strive for. A clean strong mind in a healthy body is an
achievement of which any man can well be proud. To have a mind is inheritance;
to have a developed mind is an achievement.
We have
no right to deprive the world of any good we are capable of doing with the
talent given us. You have come to the university primarily to study; you have
come to prepare yourself to pay your debt to society for all the means which
have so generously been placed at your disposal. Scholarship is one of the
requirements for membership in this organization. You have labored so far
diligently, but the end has not yet come. More work will be necessary. After you
leave the university and bravely face the battle of life, your success will be
determined by the thoroughness with which you have prepared yourself.
President,
pointing to the fourth jewel:
The fourth jewel, that of fellowship is represented by the Fellowship Chairman.
Fellowship
Chairman: Good
fellowship is the moving cause, which brought this organization into being. Many
come to great institutions of learning, with its incomparable opportunities for
mental contact with individuals from every walk of life. You have already been
told the importance of sacrifice, obedience, and scholarship; however, do not
lose sight of the social side of life which is one of the broader aspects of
education.
All
through life you are going to be influenced by your fellow men, and they in turn
will be influenced by you. Your success in life will be measured largely by the
extent to which you can exert a good influence over your associates. Your
ability in this is determined by your poise, and the way in which you bring your
individuality to bear upon your fellow men.
I am the
teacher who would point out to you the most effective manner to reach the goal
of a forceful and a controlling personality. Think deeply of these thought which
I leave with you.
President,
pointing to fifth jewel:
The athletic jewel is represented by the Athletic Chairman.
Athletic
Chairman:
Athletics represent that phase of your life that when neglected, destroys all.
This may appear negligible to you at all times in your youthful days; but as you
grow older it is athletics that will keep you fit to face the battles of life.
Remember,
that your body is a temple placed upon earth by the Living God and it is your
duty to keep that temple a clean and wholesome place in which the soul may live.
In
keeping yourself physically fit, above all, remember to always play clean and
fair. Let us hope that you will never be accused of playing foul; play the game
for the game’s sake and not for the glory to be obtained.
President,
pointing to sixth jewel:
The sixth jewel is represented by the Chairman of Activities.
Chairman
of Activities:
This jewel represent activities. I, chairman of that committee, urge you to be
active in the many campus organizations and get that experience in leadership
that will be helpful in later years. One of the functions of the college of
agriculture is to train young men for leadership; likewise our fraternity
strives to promote rural leadership. Your participation in activities will help
you and give our fraternity prestige.
President,
pointing to seventh jewel:
Pay heed to the Treasurer who will instruct you on the merits of honesty.
Treasurer-Commissary:
Remember me, dear brothers, as the expounder of honesty. The treasurer must be
fair and straightforward in conduct and dependable and free from deception of
fraud. To him are intrusted the financial duties of the fraternity.
Look, do
not the rays from this jewel lighten the path before you to the goals that the
father of our country so well expressed, ‘I hope I shall always possess
firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all
titles, the character of an honest man.’
President,
pointing to eighth jewel:
The eighth jewel is represented by the Secretary.
Secretary:
Self-reliance is
the ability of relying on one’s own powers for judgment. It is that confidence
in yourself which tells you that you can and will do a thing. Cultivate your
power to carry out your own ideals as the fraternity relies on each member to
carry its ideals. Insist on yourself, never imitate. Great men are not made by
copying after others, but by having confidence in themselves to rely on their
judgement and by having the initiative to proceed.
Emerson
says: ‘It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is
easyin solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst
of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness in the independence of solitude.’
No
difference how great one’s wisdom or power, without self-reliance he cannot
advance. The secret of success is the constancy of purpose represented by our
precious jewel, self-reliance.
President,
pointing to ninth jewel:
The jewel of preparedness as stressed by our Vice-President.
Vide-President:
My office is that of emergency. Should the President for any reason be unable to
take his place, I am prepared to fill the office. In all your dealing through
life be ever prepared to fill a higher office.
Follow
the motto of
You will
now receive the reward offered by our President.
President:
I crystallize the will of the majority into the form of definite action. Points
to tenth jewel. Remember me as the advocator of cooperation, the
tenth jewel.
You have
been instructed by the officers of the order and the heads of the various
committees. Each has a place and a particular place in your life.
You will
now be instructed as to the meaning of Alpha Gamma Sigma.
Meaning
of Alpha Gamma Sigma
A
member steps into the circle and facing the candidate reads the meaning of Alpha
Gamma Sigma: You
have heard what our fraternity stand for; its ideals; the duties of the various
officers and committees. As you are now a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma
fraternity, it is your privilege to know what the Greek letters, Alpha, Gamma,
and Sigma stand for.
When the
founders of this fraternity were thinking about a name, they decided that there
were two things to consider. First, a combination of Greek letters that would
have some meaning to the members which would continuously remind them of our
organization. Second, this combination must not be unwisely as to prohibit its
every day use. With these ideals in mind, Alpha Gamma Sigma was chosen. And you,
as new members, are now to learn the meaning of the name of our fraternity.
The
letter ‘Alpha’ is the first letter of the Greek word, meaning ‘all of
you’, in English. ‘Gamma’ is the first letter of the Greek word, which
means in English ‘farmer.’ The letter ‘Sigma’ is the first letter of the
Greek word, which means ‘work together’ in English. Taking the translation
all together, we how have ‘Work together all you farmers,’ or
‘cooperate.’
At
this time the attendants will replace the pledge pin with the active pin of the
fraternity.
President:
You will now be
instructed in the secret grip, rap, motto, and password of our fraternity.
President
steps down from platform and gives secret grip, rap, motto, and password.
President:
As good members of
Alpha Gamma Sigma you will guard well the secrets of this fraternity so that you
may become loyal members of this order and be ever untiring in your efforts to
promote its welfare. For it is now your fraternity, as well as your brothers or
any of your alumni.
As
President of … chapter of Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity I welcome you into our
order. I want to congratulate you.
Congratulations
are in order.