The NoZe Brotherhood is an American collegiate secret society. It was established in 1918 at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. From the society's inception through to the early 1960s, members were open about their participation, but they now keep their identities secret. It is the oldest men's social organization on the Baylor campus.

thumb|The NoZe Brotherhood, circa 2002

History

Founded in Brooks Hall in 1918, the society was originally formed as a joke regarding Leonard Shoaf, a freshman with a large nose. Shoaf's nose was of "such great length and breadth of nostril" that his friends proclaimed they could "form a club around it". The group was said to be named Nose Brotherhood just after Shoaf's nose. The group was formed by a group of men who often met inside Brooks and decided they wanted to create their own men's club, since the Baylor University Chamber of Commerce was the only other option. The group was expelled from campus in 1965 for publishing curse words in The Rope, its publication.

Symbols

The NoZe Brotherhood was named in honor of said to be named after a joke regarding Leonard Shoaf, a freshman with a large nose who was the group's first president.

From the society's inception in the 1920s through to the early 1960s, members were open about their participation, but they now keep their identities secret. Some members choose to reveal their identity at graduation by wearing their glasses around their neck.

Activities

The society has held its Annual Pink Tea since May 17, 1929.

The society is liberal in handing out awards, titles, and various sobriquets; in fact, if a NoZeman feels that his fellow members have not seen fit to bestow sufficient honors upon him, he is encouraged to come up with his own. NoZe honors typically begin with the prefix "Keko Keeper of...", the meaning of which is apparently lost to history.

In 1954, the society began publishing its own satirical newspaper, The Rope (spoofing the campus newspaper The Lariat), The group kept a record of everything they did as a group called the "Holy Law." Sadly sometime after World War II, the book was lost and has yet to be found. The group is also known to paint the noses of campus statues pink.

  • Mud flaps on Waco Hall
  • Turning Pat Neff pink
  • Taking the ozone layer hostage, 1970s
  • Cancelling Homecoming, 1978
  • Killing Herb Reynolds, 1980s
  • Cancelling Diadeloso, 2000
  • Winning Bear Downs via a four-man bike, 2002
  • Dropping 4,000 ping-pong balls in chapel, 2003
  • Stealing 'The Rock'
  • The Race for the Pure, 2004
  • Giant NoZe Glasses on Old Main, 2006
  • Bringing a Donkey to Chapel, 2007
  • Acting as interim Parking Service Attendants, 2009
  • 9.5 Theses on Waco Hall, 2016

Notable members

The current U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Rand Paul, was a member, according to GQ magazine.

Honorary members

thumb|Kinky Friedman, a.k.a. Bro. The Yellow NoZe of Texas

An ornery brother is an honorary member of the society.

  • Bennett Cerf (Bro. Board NoZe) – publisher and humorist
  • John Dean (Bro. Dean of Dirty Tricks) – White House Counsel for President Richard Nixon
  • Kinky Friedman (Bro. The Yellow NoZe of Texas) – country music singer and Texas gubernatorial candidate
  • Hayden Fry (Bro. Crotch Grabber) – college football coach
  • John Glenn (Bro. GemiNoZe) – U.S. Senator and NASA astronaut
  • Billy Graham (Bro. Cracker NoZe Graham) – evangelist
  • Bob Hope (Bro. SkiNoZe Hope) – comedian and actor
  • John M. Lilley (Bro. Easter NoZe) – President of Baylor University
  • Dan Rather (Bro. CBS Evening NoZe) – CBS News anchor
  • Robert B. Sloan (Bro. Liniment NoZe) – President of Baylor University
  • William D. Underwood (Bro. Pro BoNoZe) – President of Mercer University and interim President of Baylor University
  • 2011–12 Baylor Lady Bears basketball team (Bros. 40 and NoZe) – the entire team was inducted following their undefeated national championship season