Kansas State Council of ESA
The basics of ESA are very simple to learn and speak to the heart of ESA and its traditions. It is fitting that your lessons begin with how we start and finish each meeting. These rituals speak to the core values of our membership.
The Pledge Master will contact your Chapter President at the end of your 6 month lesson period to determine if you have learned the opening & closing ritual. This will signal the successful completion of lesson 1.
As a new member of ESA - you will be going through a 6 months pledge period where you will learn about ESA before you become a full-fledged member of ESA. This pledge period begins with you receiving half of your pin. It is a small lamp pin which is symbolic of "learning."
You will receive the remainder of your pin combination after your pledge period at what we call the "Jewell Pin Ceremony". After receiving that you are no longer classified as a pledge. Since you have signed up for the Pledge lessons, At the end of this period you will receive a "certificate of completion" and be ready to receive your Jewel Pin.
As a new member of ESA, It is important to develop a connection with what we do - how we operate - and what are the basic values of ESA. I hope that you will find it informative as well as useful to learn about ESA.
These lessons are kept short so you don't have a lot of information to absorb all at one time. There will be times when you will need to read from your "IDEALS" book and report back with an answer. You will receive your "Ideals" when you complete the registration into ESA from ESA Headquarters. (If you have not receive that book please ask your Chapter President to help you find it.)
Pledge lesson #1 has to do with the opening and closing rituals of ESA. We begin and end each of our meetings with these verses. These relate the important ideals of your chapter and organization.
They speak of kindness for each other and our goals of loyalty, continuous education for our self-improvement and service. Our members have said them enough that we know them by heart and we'd like for you to be able to do that as well. It gets easier as you go along and if you need to read it out of the book at meetings we don't mind that either until you can recite them from memory.
There are several versions of the opening and closing rituals but these are the main two that are used. We can even make up our own opening and closing rituals. Begin now to learn these short verses. Hopefully by the end of your pledge training you will be able to repeat these from memory.
and repeats the rituals together.
Opening Ritual | Sisters of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, we meet again to pledge ourselves anew to the vows of our ritual, which we accepted in the golden glow of a candle lighted room. Let us be ever mindful of the responsibilities we pledge to our sorority, keep faith with ourselves and our sisters, be tolerant and sincere and ever worthy to wear the badge that symbolizes virtue, honor, truthfulness, friendliness and loveliness. |
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| Closing Ritual
| Eternal Father, master of all good works, guide and direct us that we may remain steadfast in our hearts and faithful to our pledge. May we be reminded that graciousness poise and friendliness are our goals; and as we go our separate ways to ever hold aloft the ray from the lamp of learning that those who follow may be guided by its light. |
Begin now to learn and memorize the opening and closing ritual. Practice as you attend your chapter meetings. In the mean time we can move along to Lesson Number 2. If by chance your chapter repeats a different opening and/or closing ritual you may choose to learn what your chapter uses for the rituals.