Theta Eta Traditions

Because Theta Eta was just born on March 30, 1996, not many traditions have taken hold yet, but there are a few.

Petticoat Inn OR Li'l Chef

Every term after an initiation (at least since Lambda), sisters go out for food.  Because most ceremonies must be held after 11 PM to accommodate sisters' schedules, we go to a restaurant which is open all night long, and we scare the locals by being our crazy hyperactive selves.

See pictures of our fun times at Petticoat here.

A Tribute to Douggie

The Story of Douggie

During the spring choir and orchestra concert of 1998, Carmina Burana, a few Sisters decided to play a joke on Doug Scripps, the director. One of the segments of the song was about a goose roasting over a spit, and these insightful sisters saw great humor in this song (sung by the men only). So Jen Zerba, Sarah Keen, and Elaine Gooding purchased this lovely rubber chicken, hung him by a crimson noose, and stole their way up to the catwalk during the last night of rehearsal. When this song began, they threw Douggie off the catwalk, to hang in the face of Doug Scripps. Unfortunately, the chicken got stuck on the soundboard and never fell all the way down. The song unfortunately was short so the moment was quickly lost. The sisters hauled him back up and made their way back down. Although their prank never had its full intended effect, since many sisters were in the choir or glee, they still saw the caper. Thus the story was passed down along with the chicken until only a few sisters knew the story. Douggie was retired to hang peacefully in the SAI room, ever remindful of the humor to be found in any and all rehearsals. Alas, as time marched on, the temperature in the room grew ever too hot for his fragile body and he began to decompose (and "fall to pieces" if you will, as he lost his leg and nearly lost his neck). He was laid to rest just prior to the Mu Class pledge ceremony on Sunday, September 30, 2001 A.D., at approximately 8:20 P.M., to lay in peaceful slumber in the SAI ritual closet. His funeral was attended by many sisters, and he was laid to rest by Laura Spratke and Lyndsey Lanagan following a brief eulogy given by Becky Rathman-Wingrove.

Lyndsey Lanagan and Laura Spratke act as pall bearers to the lost Douggie, with Alicia Allen and Marie Teller saluting him in honor of his trials and tribulations... it's rather painful to fall from a catwalk and hit a soundboard!

Whitney Hopkins joins in the salute as the procession begins.

Another Douggie?

Not quite.  But he does have close kin in the neighborhood.  Douggie Jr. was found all alone in a local Walmart by Christina Brown and Lyndsey Lanagan, and was rescued from the fate of remaining on a shelf alone and unloved.  He currently hangs from a crimson noose in the SAI room, awaiting a time when he may have a glorious debut.  Lyndsey debated giving him his debut during the rehearsal for Chichester Psalms or Song of Democracy, but the time was not right.  He currently serves as a reminder to honor our traditions and will watch over the chapter with love and care.

Theta Eta Crackmonkey

The tradition of Theta Eta Crackmonkey began with Eva Hecht, the ultimate Crackmonkey.  Since Sue Cook was also worthy of the title of Crackmonkey, she became known as Crackmonkey Junior.  When Eva graduated, she passed on the title of "Senior Crackmonkey" to Sue, and Sue passed on the title of "Junior Crackmonkey" to a sister of junior status.  Here is the list of the esteemed Crackmonkeys who have served Theta Eta well:

Various pictures of Crackmonkey-type activities:

The original Crackmonkey, Eva

Laura Spratke, Lyndsey Lanagan, and Becky Rathman-Wingrove posing with Breadstick Man at Fazoli's in Mt. Pleasant, November 17, 2001 (Province Day for Alpha Province).  Lyndsey REALLY lived up to her title that day!