Pledge Pin

A pledge pin is a common custom of United States fraternities and sororities in which a pin is worn by pledges for the duration of the pledging period, usually during all times not considered dangerous to do so (during sports, etc.). In the context of fraternities and sororities, the Phi Beta Kappa society founded on December 5, 1776 was the first. This organization's earliest emblem of recognition was a silver square medal with the initials S.P. and the date December 5, 1776 engraved on the one side, with the Greek letters ΦβΚ (Phi Beta Kappa) engraved on the other side. This emblem from the first "American Greek" organization would be the first use of an emblem in identifying a member of the organization.

A pledge pin is usually given to a pledge (a new member) when they are first offered membership in a fraternity or sorority. It may be given to them following a ceremony and can be worn until their initiation in which they become a full member.

In some Greek systems on University campuses, pledge pins may commonly be the target of informal 'theft' from other fraternities and sororities of the opposite sex as a means of promoting interaction between each other on campus.

Read more about Pledge Pin:  Exceptions

Famous quotes containing the words pledge and/or pin:

    “I am willing to pledge myself that if the time should ever come that the voluntary agencies of the country together with the local and state governments are unable to find resources with which to prevent hunger and suffering ... I will ask the aid of every resource of the Federal Government.... I have the faith in the American people that such a day will not come.”
    —Herbert Hoover (1874–1964)

    “Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. To “Why am I here?” To uselessness. It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.”
    —Enid Bagnold (1889–1981)