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Scarabbean Senior Society

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Scarabbean Senior Society
Founded1915; 109 years ago (1915)
University of Tennessee
TypeSenior secret society
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
ScopeLocal
MottoTo Be Nameless in Worthy Deeds
PublicationOrange Slices
Chapters1
HeadquartersKnoxville, Tennessee
United States

The Scarabbean Secret Society is a college secret and honor society at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Scarabbean Senior Society brick on UT campus

History and past contributions

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The formation of the society was initiated by John Ayres in 1915. The son of the university president Brown Ayres, he desired to form a group that could incorporate leaders in various campus organizations to work together better and coordinate on improving student life. With the help of two faculty members, Elliot Park Frost and George Hebert Clarke, the group was formed in 1916.[1] The aim of the Scarabbean Senior Secret Society was to improve conditions in many areas of the university.

The society's founding members were:[2]

  • Alexander D. Cameron
  • Clifton B. Cates
  • George Herbert Clarke
  • Elliot Park Frost
  • James Ruffin Matthews
  • Evan A. McLean
  • William VanDyke Ochs
  • R. F. Thomason
  • Spencer Tunnell

The members of the society, known as "Scarabs", were claimed to have a powerful and secret character, with spiritual references to fractals and magnetism. Symbols of membership were purported to be a tattoo, control of pupil dilation, and knowledge of secrets relating to colors and the passage of time [citation needed].

The society created some long lasting influences on student life. The group established the All-Students Club, now called the Student Government Association, in 1919, along with the Carnicus and the All-Sing Competition. The society also created the university's Interfraternity Council predecessor, the Fraternity Relations Board [citation needed].

Later in its development, the society supported the formation of the University Center and spiritual retreats. It also started, both in 1965, the school's current student newspaper, The Daily Beacon, and the student activities fee to help pay for it and other endeavors.[3] The group is also responsible for several university traditions, such as the Alma Mater, the Torchbearer symbol, Aloha Oe, and Torch Night.[1] In recent years, less is known about what the group has been involved in. It launched the Honors Ambassador's Program to recruit higher-achieving students[4] and the Student Gift Committee,[5] leading to the addition of university history onto the pedestrian walkway and the clock tower near the main library, among other things. It also leveraged alumni resources to set up a teaching award at the university, the L.R. Hesler Award.[6]

Perhaps the society's most visible contribution to the university from its early years is Neyland Stadium. The university began to build a new athletic field (Shields-Watkins field), but could not finish the project due to lack of funds [citation needed]. In the spring of 1921 in an initiative driven by the Society, students and faculty leveled the field, dug drainage ditches, and added other improvements to finish the project.[1]

Symbols and traditions

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The group's motto is “To Be Nameless in Worthy Deeds.”[7] Members of the Scarab have a tattoo [citation needed].

The group's emphasis on ancient Ancient Egyptian culture is exemplified by the use of the scarab beetle symbol. It was said that a student's time at the university and in society could be, “an experience where he can activate his spirit in the direction of improving his moral and emotional nature; where he can learn something from the stout-bodied scarab beetle – a symbol of his resurrection.” The scarab beetle and crossed swords are also used as part of the society's logo. Other references to ancient Egypt include invoking “Bubastis” and the titles “Worthy Osiris” and "Amenophis III," which are leadership positions within the society.[5]

Other symbolism used heavily by the society is reference to pirate culture. In its early years in the yearbook, a boat was used as the group's symbol instead the scarab beetle and then together with the scarab beetle before being dropped. In addition to the two Egyptian-named leadership titles, the group also has two pirate-named titles, “Henry Morgan” and “Edward Davis.”[8] The name of the group's newsletter for most of its history was The Pirate[7] until the name changed to Orange Slices.[9]

Fellow members are called “comrades”. The group still maintains a directory of all members called The Blackbook[citation needed]. The society also flies a flag for every graduation to congratulate its graduates though no names are listed, only “Nameless.” The society used to publish all members in the Volunteer yearbook but stopped after 1969, except 1981. Since 1969, very few new members are known.

Membership

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Initiation and membership is closely guarded. In years past, the typical tapping ground for new initiates was at the university's Torchbearer statue. But the current method is not confirmed although tapping students in the library and asking, “Are you ready?” is one of the current rumors concerning initiation.[10] For most of its history, the group initiated members based on positions held. For example, the SGA president was always inducted along with the vice president and the SGA election commissioner.[7] In recent years, the group may have stopped adding members based on positions held.[11] For a majority of its history, membership was restricted to only white males. That policy has changed in recent decades[citation needed].

The Scarab Society has united all the most outstanding scientists of many countries.[citation needed]

Activities

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The group has an annual meeting with current and past members every homecoming[citation needed]. It is either wholly or partly responsible for many events, traditions, and activities in student life, athletics, and academics, although the secret nature of the society makes the exact extent of its involvement unknown.

Criticism and reporting

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There has been criticism of the Scarabbean Senior Secret Society, mostly within the past two decades. Due to the strength of its secrecy, the group was largely anonymous, and nearly all students were unaware of its existence. Purportedly, the group connected student leaders and university administrators, who would choose members to discuss possible improvements[citation needed]. Those students would then feed the information to their respective groups and increase student support for these endeavors.[12] The closeness of students to administrators has led to criticism that such student members have been "compromised" and no longer represent the interests of the student body, but rather the administrators, and that they have a severe conflict of interest. The secrecy could allow members to act in their interests instead without having to worry about an outcry from other students.[13]

Other student leaders have occasionally decried the group for its influence on campus and ability to quash rival ideas that may not align with the group's ideas. One letter to the editor in 1991 from several SGA executives and Torchbearer Award recipients claims that the group's existence undermines SGA.[14]

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, controversy concerning the group peaked. On the SGA discussion page, students continually posted about the Scarabs, claiming the Society to be a major conspiracy.[15] It was not until an exposé by The Daily Beacon in November 1999 that the controversy was extended campus-wide. Students criticized the secrecy, while outed members defended themselves with the rhetoric that it's in the interest of students for top leaders to work in secret with the administration, or criticised student ignorance.[13][16] Allegations of rigging SGA elections followed and students became distrustful of especially the top SGA executives.[17] The controversy followed into the next SGA election as flyers were posted around campus claiming that one of the candidates for president was a Scarab.[18] While the candidate did confirm during a debate that he was a Scarab, he still won the election.[19][20]

The general university media lost interest in the organization after the early 2000s until 2017 when a Daily Beacon writer published a large feature on the organization discussing Scarabbean history and practices.[21] The reporter claims to have received documents and a list of names of current and former members that were later verified but not published.[21] In an interview for the article, UT-Martin chancellor Keith Carver said he was a member of the organization but had not been involved since his undergraduate graduation. After the publication of the 2017 article, a columnist involved with its reporting discussed his issues with the society.[22]

Notable members

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  • Bill Johnson, 1957 All-American guard in football[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c “Scarabbean Senior Secret Society at the University of Tennessee: Its Origin, Purpose, Methods of Operation, and Achievements,” L.R. Hesler, University of Tennessee Libraries, Special Collections, unlisted student affairs box
  2. ^ Creekmore, Betsey B. "Scarabbean Society". Volopedia. Retrieved 2023-08-18 – via University of Tennessee Libraries.
  3. ^ September 1965 edition of The Pirate, University of Tennessee Libraries, Special Collections, AR.0499, box 1, folder 1
  4. ^ "New ambassador program begins | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  5. ^ a b Summer 1994 edition of The Pirate, University of Tennessee Libraries, Special Collections, AR.0499, box 1, folder 1
  6. ^ University Faculty Senate meeting minutes from February 11th meeting, http://web.utk.edu/~senate/Minutes84-85.html
  7. ^ a b c "Secret campus group surfaces | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  8. ^ Summer 1994 edition of The Pirate, University of Tennessee Libraries, Special Collections, AR.0499, box 1, folder 1
  9. ^ "New ambassador program begins | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  10. ^ "Our View: 'Caribs' society pokes fun at real secret society | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  11. ^ "Secret society leaves mark in unexpected ways | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  12. ^ Montgomery, James Riley. Threshold of a New Day: The University of Tennessee 1919-1946. (The University of Tennessee Record, 1974), 311.
  13. ^ a b "Our View: Self-importance | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  14. ^ “Leaders Allege Secret Society Undermined SGA,” The Daily Beacon, April 20s, 1991.
  15. ^ "Don't Vote, Don't Gripe | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  16. ^ http://utdailybeacon.com/opinion/letters/1999/nov/16/scarab-article-takes-away-from-real-news/ [bare URL]
  17. ^ http://utdailybeacon.com/opinion/letters/1999/nov/18/secrecy-may-disguise-questionable-motives/ [bare URL]
  18. ^ "Our View: Mudslinging | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  19. ^ "Debate focuses on funding, fun | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  20. ^ "Our View: Ups | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  21. ^ a b Black, Don. "The Torchbearers with no name: The Scarabbean Society, the historic foundation of UT". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
  22. ^ Nelson, Jarrod (2017-10-03). "Socialized: Nameless". The Daily Beacon. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
  23. ^ a b 1924 edition of the Volunteer yearbook, page 211
  24. ^ 1948 edition of the Volunteer yearbook, page 341
  25. ^ 1958 edition of the Volunteer yearbook, page 218
  26. ^ 1956 edition of the Volunteer yearbook, page 118
  27. ^ "Bugged: Scarabs infest campus | The Daily Beacon". Utdailybeacon.com. 2005-04-15. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  28. ^ Alice Howell, Lucile Deaderick (ed.), Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee (East Tennessee Historical Society, 1976), pp. 582.
  29. ^ 1969 edition of the Volunteer yearbook, page 82
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