Email This StoryNoZe Brotherhood continues tradition of satire despite underground limitations, university ban
Oct. 7, 1997By Stephen Ratcliff
Reporter for The Baylor Lariat
The secret life of the outlandish society known as the NoZe Brotherhood has been making Baylor officials quake for more than 50 years.
Although the administration has repeatedly suspended the mysterious organization for disrupting campus activities and being destructive, there has continually been an undying support for the NoZe Brothers.
President Abner McCall suspended the NoZe Brothers in 1978 for being 'lewd, crude and grossly sacrilegious' until the society could 'straighten up and fly right.'
Since then, the Brotherhood has continued in an unofficial capacity.
'The NoZe Brothers bring a balance to the 'perfect image' Baylor has,' Aric Harding, a Dayton junior, said. 'Although not everyone agrees on the things they do, everyone usually does enjoy watching them do things like storm into the chapel to make fools of themselves and others.'
Established in the 1920s, the NoZe Brotherhood has consistently made a name for themselves on campus.
During the 1960s, the Chamber of Commerce built a white wooden bridge across Waco Creek. The NoZe Brothers arrived later that evening and painted it pink and blue. The next day, Chambermen painted the bridge white again. The Brothers, tired of painting the bridge, simply blew it up.
During the 1970s, they erected a twelve-foot-high Ultra Ban can and claimed that they were taking the ozone layer for ransom until McCall turned off his pacemaker, which, they announced, was interfering with their CB.
The 1980s found the NoZe Brothers trying the patience of Herbert Reynolds. The Brotherhood acquired the Lariat masthead and printed a fake Lariat that appeared in February 1988. In it, the NoZe Brothers proclaimed Herbert Reynolds had died and published his obituary.
'The reason for the NoZe Brothers has consistently been campus beautification and bible study,' Bro. AristophaNoZe, Cunning Linguist, said.
The purpose of the NoZe Brothers has not solely been these two objectives considering their history, however. Their continual dedication to making surprise on-campus appearances, publishing the satirical student newspaper called The Rope and causing the general disruption of the clean atmosphere at what they call the Baylor Barber Kollege of Knowledge have also been three of their goals.
Although the NoZe Brothers differ at times from what many people at Baylor consider to be tasteful and couth, the members of the organization rank among the top of the university's scholars.
Each NoZe Brother maintains grades above a 3.8 grade point average or below a 1.0 GPA. When asked about the reason for such a low GPA, they replied that these students must have some kind of inside connection at Baylor if they've got a 1.0 and are still here.
Members who have gone through their 'unrush' also had to submit an acceptable satirical essay of '10,622 words or less' and share a suave disregard for the Baylor community.
The NoZe Brothers have clung to their practices with all the loyalty of a small tribe resisting acculturation and vow to 'assume the position of campus gadfly.'
This will continue, they say, until the entire Baylor campus is at a state of unrest and their own Lord Mayor has been appointed president of the university.
Copyright © 1997 The Lariat
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