We percussionists are crazy smile but that's because our director gives us way too easy songs and we have a lot of imagination and laziness.
I guess at our school, both the altos and the sopranos are the same. If anything, the Alto's are WAY more apt to speaking their opinion, and the Sop's will just glare at the cause of their unhappiness.
I don't see why the altos always want the melody line. I'm one of the sopranos who want to be an alto. In casual rehersals(like end of school, end of semester, times where there's no concerts coming up) sometimes I'll go sit with some of my alto friends and sing with them, because I do have the range.