By Christina Robertson
For some, a wooden paddle brings painful childhood memories to mind, but it is part of tradition for the Samuel Hall Society Goldbrickers, an off-campus fraternity.
One of the traditional paddles is the brotherhood paddle, said Todd Christensen, 23, a junior from Boulder, Colo., majoring in information systems and a member of the Goldbricker Society.
'When somebody has done something outstanding for the club, they are presented with the paddle. They sign it and then give it to someone else,' Christensen said.
Lance Johnson, 23, a senior from Gold River, Calif., majoring in economics, is president of the Goldbrickers.
The fraternity provides social opportunities that are not available at BYU, he said.
Former BYU President Franklin Stewart Harris was concerned about the social atmosphere at BYU too, said Carri Jenkins, assistant to the president for University Communications.
Harris wanted to create a club in which every student could participate, she said.
In 1933, Harris organized a system of social units. Initially, two-thirds of the student body participated.
By the time Ernest L. Wilkinson became president of BYU in 1951, this number had decreased to below 20 percent.
Jenkins said Wilkinson was concerned with the carry-over of Greek traditions of sororities and fraternities in the social clubs. Membership became selective and students were ostracized based on participation, she said.
Jenkins said Wilkinson wanted to see BYU social activities structured along church lines instead of along social units. In the school year between 1961 and 1962, social units were discontinued.
In 1956, Wilkinson established the first BYU stake. In 1960, three stakes were formed with a membership of more than 8,000.
Today, BYU has 22 stakes and 247 wards.
Though social clubs are no longer welcome on campus, the Goldbrickers have managed to survive off campus.
Service is part of the Goldbricker agenda, Christensen said. They organize an annual service project for the Center for Women and Children in Crisis, he said. Recently they organized a food drive for that purpose, Christensen said.
Though fraternities may serve the community, media portrays only the negative behavior associated with Greek organizations, said Justin Nichols, 19, a sophomore at the University of Utah from Old Saybrook, Conn., majoring in architecture and member of Sigma Chi.
'We put in community service, help underprivileged kids and stuff like that. You never hear about that, only the bad things,' he said.
Despite the good that Greek clubs can provide, hazing is still a problem in a variety of organizations, according to www.stophazing.com.
The Web site said these include fraternities and sororities, the military, athletic teams and student organizations, like marching bands, at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Research conducted in 1990 by Hank Nuwer, journalist and author of several books related to hazing, is presented on the Web site.
Nuwer said hazing has been associated with more than 50 deaths in college fraternities during 1990.
Hazing has also resulted in countless more physical injuries including paralysis, he said. He said young men and women might experience devastating emotional side effects.
Though problems in private social clubs can be extreme, members still enjoy the unity and friendship the clubs provide.
Olivier Quinn, 23, a junior from Wallingford, Penn., majoring in English, is a Goldbricker.
He said his 'brothers' are his closest friends in Provo.
'I think it''s because we do so many things together. We see each other all the time. It''s conducive to making closer relationships,' he said.
The unique nature of activities strengthens the friendship bond and makes it fun, Christensen said.
'There are a lot of things you wouldn''t understand unless you were in the club,' he said.
The private nature of sororities and fraternities may cause nonmembers to feel as though they are outsiders.
This shouldn''t be the case, said Lindsay Duffin, a member of Chi Omega at the University of Utah.
Duffin said she pledged as a sophomore, so she experienced both perspectives of being inside and out.
'From being on the outside I can understand that people think we are a clique and not open to people. From being on the inside, I know that it''s not true,' she said.
Though Greek clubs are known for the social atmosphere they provide, this is difficult to do in Provo, Johnson said.
Provo City ordinances have restricted the way parties can be thrown. This has prevented many of the social activities that the Goldbrickers can organize, Quinn said.
'Our hands are being tied by ''the man,'' if you will. Sam Hall is a social organization and the base of it is to build friendships. Basically what we''re trying to do is being limited by other organizations,' he said.
The majority of Goldbricker activities are limited to weekly meetings, brotherhood activities and pledge.
The Goldbrickers recruit for members each fall by passing out flyers and through word of mouth, Johnson said.
'Rush' is an opportunity for members and pledges to become better acquainted, he said.
'The point of the fraternity is to build relationships. Rush and pledge allow the opportunity to get to know each other and do things together. We become friends for life,' he said.
Johnson said Goldbrickers look back on their experiences from rush and laugh, but society has portrayed the secrecy involved in fraternities as bad.
Once while passing out flyers to recruit new members, Johnson said the Goldbrickers were called a secret combination.
Quinn said, 'I want to know a combination of what? I don''t see anyone named Gadianton among us, do you?'
Though Greek clubs may carry a negative stereotype, members still enjoy the unity and friendship they provide.
'Basically, I would do anything for those guys and I know they would do the same for me,' Nichols said.