St. Elmo

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

Contents 1 History 2 Architect of the Building 3 Mission 4 Membership 5 References 6 Sources

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 Sheff predecessors Berzelius (1848) and Book and Snake (1863) both still exist today. Like the other Sheff 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 1933 as the Sheffield Scientific School was gradually integrated into Yale College from the end of World War I through 1956^[1]. While some Sheff 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]. St. Elmo is the sixth oldest senior society on campus, although Elihu (1903) also argues they lay claim to that spot. In addition, the Society was the first to admit women into the delegation, beginning with the Class of 1971^[3]. Manuscript, another senior society, and St. Anthony Hall, a three-year society, both vie for that distinction as well.

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 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 corporation status; however, in 1964, the Society refiled successfully as St. Elmo Incorporated.

Architect of the Building

The Society’s original Club House, located at 111 Grove Street, was built in 1895^[4]. 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^[5]. 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^[6].

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.

Mission

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.

Membership

Notable Members Include:

• Harry Valette Day (1895), President, manager, and first member of the Board of Directors of Custer Consolidated Mining Company, which in 1913 merged with the adjacent Tamarack & Chesapeake Mining Company, forming the Tamarack & Custer Consolidated Mining Company^[7][8]

• Charles James Freeborn (1899), Croix de Guerre recipient for his service in World War I and Captain in the United States Army^[9]

• Guy Hutchinson (1906), President of Proctor & Schwartz Electric Company, which merged with Silex Company to form Proctor Silex in 1960; he was also an All-American Football quarterback, 1905^[10]

• Arthur Harding Bosworth (1908), Founder and President of Bosworth, Chanute, Loughridge & Co, which eventually merged with RBC Wealth Management^[11]

• Robert Bensen Meyer (1914), Navy Cross recipient for his service in World War I and Lieutenant in the United States Navy^[12]

• James Augustine Farrell, Jr. (1924), Founder of Farrell Lines, a shipping company, Son of James A. Farrell (President of U.S. Steel Corporation, 1911-1932)

• Dudley Willis "Dud" Rockwell (1935), President of Stanley P. Rockwell Co., his company patented the Rockwell scale^[13][14]

• Fotzhugh Quarrier (1935), Colonel in World War II in the N.Y. Air Defense Wing and assisted Eleanor Roosevelt in organizing the WAACs^[15]

• William Moonan (1939), Senior Vice President Sherwin-Williams, Tau Beta Pi Award winner^[16].

• Ivan Obolensky (1947), Naval pilot, Pulitzer Prize publisher, Vice President of Shields & Company, long-time financial analyst, son of Prince Serge Obolensky, Russian Prince and Vice Chairman of the Board of Hilton Hotels Corporation, and grandson of John Jacob Astor IV, great-grandson of John Jacob Astor^[17][18]

• James E. Fuchs (1950), Olympic medalist, 1948 and 1952, Pan-American Games medalist, and former world record holder, shot put. President, Chairman, and Executive Director of the Silver Shield Foundation; Chairman and Co-Chief Executive of the Cosamar Group Inc.; former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Grenfox Group Inc.; former senior advisor to the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy; former CEO of Fuchs, Cuthrell & Co Inc.^[19][20]

• Alan K. McAdams (1952) Professor at Johnson Business School at Cornell and served as senior staff member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers

• Robert Morse Crunden (1962), Professor at the University of Texas, director of American Studies Department, 1985-1990, member of the History Department as well^[21][22]

• John Richard Sack (1963), author of The Franciscan Conspiracy, translated into 20 languages and a top-10 bestseller for many months in Germany, Brazil, France, Italy and Holland.

• John Ashcroft (1964), 79th United States Attorney General^[23]

• Barrington Daniels Parker, Jr. (1965), a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit^[24]

• Calvin Hill (1969), All-Pro NFL Running Back; Father of NBA All-Star, Grant Hill^[25]

• Dick Caples (1971), Executive Director Lar Lubovitch Dance Company

• Gandolfo Vincent DiBlasi (1975), Partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, recognized as one of the top litigation attorneys in America

• Arturo Cazares (1979), Physician Epidemiologist M.D., M.P.H., Program and Executive Research Coordinator at the National Institutes of Health, recognized contractor to the Department of Justice.

• Ben Eason (1986), President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board for Creative Loafing Inc.

• James L. Shulman (1987), Author and President of ARTstor

• Matt McCarthy (2002), Author of Odd Man Out, which was ranked number 21 on the New York Times Non-Fiction Best Seller List in March 2009^[26][27]

References

Sources

• How the Secret Societies Got That Way
• Yale Alumni Magazine 2001
• NY Times Article, St. Elmo Hall 1
• NY Times Article, St. Elmo Hall 2
• New York Times Article, St. Elmo Society
• Sheffield Scientific School Recordings
• Yale Organizations 1780-1960
• Sheffield Scientific School Obituary 1951-1952
• Tombs and Taps: An inside look at Yale's Fraternities, Sororities and Societies
• Buildings & Grounds
• Inside Yale's Secret Societies
• Secret societies: tombs and tradition
• Light and Truth
• St. Anthony