Dragon Society

Dragon Society
Founded1898; 126 years ago (1898)
Dartmouth College
TypeSenior secret society
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
ScopeLocal
Chapters1
HeadquartersPO Box 801
Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
United States

The Dragon Society or Society of Dragons is a secret society of senior men at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The group's membership and organizational structure are unknown, with notable exceptions. Dragon has been in continuous operation since its founding in 1898.

History

The Dragon Society or Society of Dragons was established as a senior men's secret society at Dartmouth College.[1][2] Because it is a secret society, little verifiable information is available about its activities, membership, and organizational structure.[3]

Dragon Society logo, 1926

Membership

Membership consists of a small number of senior men who are selected during their junior year in a school-wide selection process known as "tapping." Every winter and spring, juniors are tapped for the senior societies through a process semi-coordinated through the College. Members are thought to be leaders of Dartmouth's athletic teams and fraternities. Taps are voted on by the membership.

Members do not carry identifying canes at commencement, nor do they identify themselves in Dartmouth's yearbook, The Aegis. Members of Dartmouth's other secret societies identify themselves in either or both ways.[4]

Dragon Society Hall, Dartmouth College, 1926

Notable members

Despite the secrecy that surrounds the society, the Dartmouth Board of Trustees website lists trustee Jeff Immelt, the former CEO of General Electric, as a member of the Dragon Society.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Evolution of Senior Societies". Archived from the original on 2015-11-12. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  2. ^ "Ivy League Secret Societies | Ivy Coach College Admissions Blog". Ivy Coach. July 14, 2011.
  3. ^ Francis, Arthur Morius (20 February 2015). Dragon. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781312932852.
  4. ^ "What's the Story With Those Walking Sticks?". Archived from the original on 2015-07-21.
  5. ^ "This page has moved". www.dartmouth.edu.
  6. ^ "General Electric CEO Made Rapid Rise," The Harvard Crimson (newspaper), June 8, 2005