St. Elmo (secret society)

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For other uses, see St. Elmo (disambiguation) and San Telmo (disambiguation).

St. Elmo Society is a secret society at Yale University.[citation needed] It was founded in 1889 as an independent entity for seniors within the nationally chartered fraternity, Delta Phi (ΔΦ), Omicron Chapter (1889-1925).

Contents

[edit] History

Founded in 1889, ‘Elmo’s’, as many refer to it, was the third senior society to be established in the Sheffield Scientific School, which from 1854-1956, was the sciences and engineering college of Yale University. St. Elmo's Sheffield predecessors Berzelius (1848) and Book and Snake (1863) both still exist today. Like the other Sheffield Societies, the building was once populated by admitted members from the sophomore, junior, and senior classes, who maintained separate residential quarters within the tomb. St. Elmo became a secret society in the traditional sense of Skull and Bones (1832), Scroll and Key (1841), and Wolf's Head (1883), which had selected its members from the Academic Department (the liberal arts college), in 1965, long after the Sheffield Scientific School had been gradually integrated into Yale College — from the end of World War I through 1956.[1] While some Sheffield Organizations sold their buildings in the 1930s as the residential college system was established in 1933, others, such as St. Elmo, continued to flourish,[2] incorporating itself as the Rhinelander Trust Association, Inc. St. Elmo also claims it is the sixth oldest senior society on campus, although Elihu (1903) also argues they lay claim to that spot. In fact, St. Elmo's change to being senior society in 1965 means it actually is the eighth oldest above-ground senior society. In addition, the Society claims it was the first to admit women into the delegation. Manuscript and Elihu, two other senior societies, and St. Anthony Hall, a three-year society, both vie for that distinction as well.

St. Elmo Tomb, 1895, at 111 Grove Street

Furthermore, St. Elmo Society was an unincorporated association within Delta Phi from 1889 until June 1905. While still an entity within Delta Phi, the Society filed with Connecticut Secretary of State to form the St. Elmo Corporation, with the primary purpose of holding the title to the property, the building, and all financial assets. In July 1925, the Omicron Chapter of Delta Phi, and, in turn, the Society, severed its ties with the national fraternity and became an independent organization. At the end of 1956, due to clerical errors, the Corporation lost its incorporation status; however, in 1964, the Society refiled successfully as St. Elmo Incorporated.

[edit] Architect of the building

St. Elmo Tomb, 1912, at 109 Grove Street

The Society’s original Club House, located at 111 Grove Street, was built in 1895.[3] In 1912, St. Elmo Hall, which was constructed from designs of Kenneth M. Murchison, was erected on the adjacent property of 109 Grove Street. It is said that aspects reminiscent of an Elizabethan manor house inspired Kenneth's architectural details.

Beginning in 1945, the University leased the upper part of the building from the Society for dormitory facilities and eventually purchased the Hall from Elmo’s in 1962.[4] Yale then leased sizable space to the Society with the understanding that the University would continue to do so because of the Club’s historical significance to the College. However, in 1985, the St. Elmo delegation was denied renewal of the lease by the University, and was left with little time to move out and no relocation site.

Today, renamed Rosenfeld Hall, the building is used for residential annex and classroom space. Most unfortunately, the majority of the cryptic and historic areas are now used for furniture storage or have been boarded up.[5]

In 1986, St. Elmo reestablished a new location on Lynwood Place. Today, like other “landed” or “above-ground” societies that are run by private organizations, St. Elmo Society, Inc. owns the property and continues to improve the tomb's architecture.

[edit] Mission

St. Elmo Society, 1985, on Lynwood Place

The secret society network is a significant facet of the many traditions on Yale's campus. St. Elmo prides itself on being one of the older societies, and one that provides its members with a culture that fosters personal growth. Within its diverse membership, St. Elmo Society embodies principles of family whereby every member, both current and past, are connected through a common experience. Accountability, open-mindedness, and respect are among a few of the copious attributes the Society impresses upon its members to instill in one and other.

Delegations are selected from the entire junior class pool based on students' scholastic standing, his or her seriousness of purpose, maturity, individuality, and other achievements at the University as well as representation of the different backgrounds and interests in each class.

The main goal of the Corporation, as it is also referred to as, is to provide supplementary education to its members through various activities and interactions. It is the hope that these methods will inspire new meaning to the students' Yale education. In return, the delegation must commit itself to by-laws, rules, and guidelines set forth by the Corporation's Board of Governors.

[edit] Membership

Notable members include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/NWO/Tombs_and_Taps.htm
  2. ^ http://darkdownhere.com/?p=27
  3. ^ http://www.library.yale.edu/mssa/YHO/ExtracurricularandSocialOrganizations.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.facilities.yale.edu/Campus/Building1.asp?lstBldg=1715
  5. ^ http://www.gadling.com/2008/05/29/connecticut-journal-inside-yales-secret-societies/
  6. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=jEJAAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=sheffield+scientific+school+st.+elmo&source=web&ots=IYifMwbRqc&sig=kzrme_YyD3M4itZGM5zTSwe-kPg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA37,M1
  7. ^ http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Manuscripts/dmginv/mg246.htm
  8. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=a7gIX6_9DX4C&pg=PA26&lpg=PA26&dq=charles+freeborn+yale&source=bl&ots=lPgVOOsH6e&sig=YoYypF8Uf5a6afT2-AkP2oIEX7Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result
  9. ^ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hutch/HUTCH/GUY/index.htm
  10. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=xkVPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=%22st.+elmo%22+society+yale&source=web&ots=8WpYTHh0dn&sig=Yxt1wmG2EbdoyihQ1ERS-LBrEiw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result
  11. ^ http://mssa.library.yale.edu/obituary_record/1925_1952/1951-52.pdf
  12. ^ http://www.asm-hartford.org/rockwelld.htm
  13. ^ https://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/158686675.html
  14. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9807E1DC133DF931A35750C0A9639C8B63
  15. ^ http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/04-00/04-30-00/zzzddobi.htm
  16. ^ http://people.forbes.com/profile/ivan-obolensky/83151
  17. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3DF1631F93AA35753C1A96F948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
  18. ^ http://www.silvershieldfoundation.org/jimbio.html
  19. ^ http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1988/09/26/71046/index.htm
  20. ^ http://alumni.yale.edu/classes/yc1962/obituaries/crunden.html
  21. ^ http://www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/2000-2001/memorials/Crunden/crunden.html
  22. ^ http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/15924
  23. ^ http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF001974/Coombs/Coombs02/Coombs02.html
  24. ^ http://research.yale.edu/afam/pagedocs/PROGRAM.pdf
  25. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/sports/baseball/03book.html?_r=1
  26. ^ http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/yotw/index.html

[edit] Sources

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