Come and listen to my story bout some Sigma Nu's..
A poor motley bunch, you know in life they'll probably lose....
If stories 'bout folks ya don't know aren't appealing to you, unnerstand, turn left here.
Otherwise, please know... twas said, harken back to the early 70's.....
Trouble.... Oh we got trouble...
Right here in Our City (right here in Our City)
Can't trust em. Longhairs. All of 'em hide behind their alias's.. Squat, Whale, Boz, Coxie, Eats, Bouncer, Bear, Plug, Dude, Chopper, Double D, Pie, Tip, Pup, Trout, Buff, Gibby, Koontzie, Ship, Spence, Preverb, Cooks, Too Tall (aka Smokin' Joe) and on and on and on. SNAKES! All of em!
And you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend... how you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.
Their collars and cuffs were never neat, weeks without shavin', clean jeans, what's that? HOARDERS! THIEVES? NOT TO BE TRUSTED! Street lamps, For Sale Signs, Welcome mats from nearby restaurants, hunnerds of pumpkins, PLEASE call The City Code Inspector... or.. The Dean.. (Again.... and again... and again.)
We tried... we tried, but we couldn't do it... no one could save just one. We put 'em on probation.. .we took their off campus meal privilege away, made 'em sit in the cafeteria like choir boys amongst all the do gooders, hopin' it'd rub off... we canceled their dances, monitored them going to classes, finally forced a group back into the dorm... one, we even bid adieu after his Freshman year, told "We don't want your type around here." Editor's note, not universal decisions... decisions of a few.
We didn't close 'em down in time to get that list of no goods up there... (they're assuredly in nearby county jails, Jeff City, Leavenworth, yada, by now) BUT, we eventually got 'em.
Now, our college is thriving.
Ahm, OK.
I look above and I see School Teachers. Coaches, successful coaches, several in State Hall of Fames, some, with High School gyms, ballfields named in their honor. Deacons in the Church. One, daily, posts a favorite Biblical scripture for all. They sit on boards of charitable organizations, organize local fundraisers. Education Principals, Administrators, AD's, even a long list of Superintendents. Entrepreneurs, Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, CEO's, Bank Presidents. Big, little things, like, one co-organizes a group of retirees to build handicap access ramps for those in need. Movers, shakers.
Loyal, dedicated men who have your back. Lend a hand. Smile, compliment, enjoy life, and try to uplift yours as well. Doing big things, without forgetting the small things that lend for a good life.
Oh, and the one that was deemed "We don't want your kind around here" ??? Ahm, he went away to finish his undergrad. Then Masters. Then Doctorate. And, oh yeah, he got a job as a professor at a 'nearby liberal arts college', not to mention worked in his spare time on behalf of MLB teams and NFL teams, and, oh yeah, retired with honors from that 'nearby liberal arts college.'
To believe in the life of love.
To walk in the way of honor,
To serve in the light of truth
'This is the life, the way, and the light of Sigma Nu.
Please note, at our school there were many, many wonderful experiences. We thankfully had many, many terrific leaders, professors, coaches, ancillary folks. I'm reminded of the John Prine song and how we made it, "In spite of ourself."
Also, modeling clay COULD BE (and was) rough around the edges. Yes, there should be consequence for bad decisions, actions. Rather than toss it all into the trash bin to harden, eventually to toss out, work on the mat congruently to mold it into a smoother, potentially greater piece of work.
I can't speak for all. I think the vast majority of us had wonderful experiences in that time, era and place. All I can relate it to is maybe, when the last male name of an ancestry goes thru and it's kinda sad there will be no continuation. That said, we'll never die out, until we die out.
I gotta run, check my email. Hey, there's one from my old school! Wonder what they want?
Hi Rickety
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