Signet society

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Signet Society Coat of Arms (Architectural detail above front door by heraldic artist Pierre LaRose)
Signet Society Coat of Arms (Architectural detail above front door by heraldic artist Pierre LaRose)

The Signet Society of Harvard University was founded in 1870 by members of the class of 1871. The first president was Charles Joseph Bonaparte. It was, at first, dedicated to the production of literary work only, going so far as to exclude debate and even theatrical productions. According to one source (The Harvard book : a series of historical, biographical, and descriptive sketches, 1875. The Signet Society):

It seemed to the founders that there was room in the College world for another association that should devote itself more exclusively to literary work than is possible with large numbers. Accordingly, they confined the membership to a few, and required that new members shall be, so far as possible, "representative men," and that at least five should be in the first half of their class.

After a few years in quarters on University property, the Signet moved to an off-campus location at 46 Dunster Street.

Contents

[edit] The Signet Society's Mission

In many ways, the Signet is distinct from other off-campus societies. In contrast to the Harvard Lampoon, it does not publish a regular journal, although its members are active in the various undergraduate publications, and a contemporary Signet class usually includes a large number of board members from the University's artistic and literary organizations, especially the Harvard Advocate. In contrast to the Final Clubs, its mission is explicitly artistic and not social, and, in addition, the Signet admits both men and women without prejudice. Membership dues are required, but are pro-rated relative to financial aid status to allow talented members of the University community to apply. In contrast to both abovementioned groups, the Signet enjoys a relatively happy relationship with the University administration. The contemporary tenor of the Signet might be described as a relaxed liberalism; open competition between members is discouraged. The mandate of the Signet has broadened from literary arts alone to include music, the visual arts and theater.

The opening remarks of the Signet's minutes state: "On Tuesday evening, November 1, 1870, a meeting was held at 10 Grays Hall preliminary to the organization of a senior society, which was to afford to a select number a pleasant means of intercourse with each other, not to be expected from the illiberal policy of the only society of reputation existing." This "illiberal policy" refers to the displeasure with which the founders of the Signet greeted the established Final Clubs. These first members formed the society's admissions criteria to transcend the social politics that they perceived as dominating in the Final Club system. Whether this has been a successful initiative depends, to an extent, on the membership at any given time. To distinguish the Signet from other exclusive organizations, the founding members stated in the original charter that members would be chosen according to "merit and accomplishment." Today, those membership criteria are still present in the club's constitution mandating that members "shall be chosen with regard to their intellectual, literary and artistic ability and achievements." While these categories weigh heavily in the put-up process (admissions process), social character is also a crucial variable.

[edit] Architecture

Signet Society, 46 Dunster Street
Signet Society, 46 Dunster Street

Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson (building) and Pierre LaRose (heraldic crest). (Early 20th c., Renovation of an 1820 Federal Style structure.) Architectural historian Douglass Shand-Tucci includes an in-depth discussion of Signet's building in his history of Harvard's campus, relating the oddity that a firm known for its preeminence in Gothic Revival was utilized to renovate an 1820s Federal Style house. Regarding its distinctive features, Shand-Tucci writes “It is in feeling wildly Baroque (of all things)—a welcome touch of flamboyance for what would otherwise have been a rather staid clubhouse for the Signet… the graphic quality of Cram & Goodhue’s and LaRose’s new frontspiece is actually rather reminiscent of book design (not to mention the Palladianism of several Tory Row mansions), and centers on a two story pedimented Ionic pavilion displaying the Signet arms…. The design concept- cavalier enough, but very successful—discloses another guise of history-making in Harvard architecture: to restore the house, not as it originally was, but in LaRose’s words, as it “ought to have been.” Thus the architectural solecism of the two orders of the porch—the Doric columns and Ionic pilasters—was retained.” (p.92, "The Campus Guide: Harvard University", Princeton Architectural Press ISBN 1568982801)

[edit] Traditions

The emblem of the Signet was, at one time, "a signet-ring inclosing a nettle," the signet-ring symbolizing unity and the nettle symbolizing impartiality. The current emblem, which appears over the door of the Signet, includes a beehive and bees, and a legend in Ancient Greek. Another motto, attributed to Virgil, read Sic vos non vobis Mellificatis apes -- So do you bees make honey, not for yourselves. From this comes the tradition of referring to Signet members as "drones."

Although Signet eschews, to an extent, extensive initiation procedures or rituals more common to some of Harvard's Final Clubs or the Lampoon, one enduring tradition is that upon induction into the Signet Society, each new member receives a red rose. The rose is to be kept, dried, and returned to the Signet Society upon the publication of the member's first substantial literary work. Many dried roses hang on the walls of the Signet next to copies of the works that occasioned their return. Particularly noteworthy is T.S. Eliot's rose, which hangs along with his original letter of acceptance to the society.

[edit] Secrecy

The Signet is considered by its members to be a "semi-secret" society at Harvard, owing to the opaque nature of its selection process, avoidance of publicly fully listing who its members are, and discretion. Its existence is not mentioned in official University publicity, and applicants to the society usually first come by word of mouth. It has a longstanding and informal reciprocal relationship with the Elizabethan Club, or 'Lizzie' of Yale University, and the two organizations sporadically hold a lawn croquet tournament, for which a handled and engraved silver pudding cup in a mahogany case serves as the trophy. Another tradition has been that some business letters sent between the Signet and Lizzie over the decades and archived at Yale were written in Latin, not English. Images at:[[1]][[2]][[3]] An alumni corporation administers the property, staff, and endowment.

[edit] Some Notable Members

[edit] Diplomacy, National Security

[edit] Journalism

[edit] Media & Entertainment

[edit] Arts and Letters

[edit] The Sciences

[edit] References

  • Signet Society Website
  • Documents relating to the Yale Elizabethan Club's organization and activities include correspondence, some written in Latin, with the Signet Society and are viewable through the online Yale Manuscripts and Archives Collection: [4]
  • Episode 8, Season 2 of 30 Rock cites the Signet. Frank walks into the writers’ room, dressed in a Harvard sweater, knee pants, argyle socks, coat, tie, and top hat marked “HARVARD”, and claiming to be a Harvardian. He lived in Lowell House and was a member of the Signet Society. Toofer, annoyed, tells him a real Signet Society member would have a pin like his. Frank reveals the pin attached to the fly of his pants. Josh finds this last touch hilarious.