Mace and Chain is an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. One of eight such groups that own their own clubhouse, or "tomb", it was founded in 1956 with the mission of providing fifteen rising seniors with the traditional senior society experience in a freer, more modern setting.[1]
| Mace and Chain | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1956 Yale University |
| Type | Senior society |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Active |
| Scope | Local |
| Chapters | 1 |
| Members | 300+ lifetime |
| Headquarters | Trumbull Street New Haven, Connecticut United States |
History
editMace and Chain was founded by Yale student Thornton Marshall in 1956 after he failed to receive an invitation to join a secret society.[2] His goal was to create a group that would be "a more a representative and engaged community".[3] Yale professor Robert Penn Warren gave Marshall advice on structuring the society, starting off the tradition of the group seeking input from Yale faculty.[1][2]
Marshall recruited six friends to join his new society, which met in an apartment on Wall Street. They chose the name Mace and Chain based on discussions about chivalry.
The society ran out of money, went inactive,[3] reformed, them went dormant on May 1, 1970, when it lost its lease.[3][1][4]
In 1993, Mace and Chain was revived by alumni Tom Haines and William "Biff" Folberth, who helped the club secure a house near campus for the group in 2001.[2][3][5] Mace and Chain is considered a "landed" society because it owns its meeting place.[6] Located on Trumbull Street in downtown New Haven, the six-bedroom Colonial-style house was in built in 1823 with salvage from Benedict Arnold's home.[7][1] The society's alumni trust, the Knight's Trust Foundation, owns and operates the tomb.
The tomb contains military artifacts and Revolutionary War documents. As is tradition for Yale secret societies, the tomb is open only to club members and alumni.[1]
Activities
editEach year, the society admits a new tap class of fifteen rising seniors.
Like other societies at Yale, Mace and Chain conducts meetings on Thursday and Sunday evenings. Among other activities and traditions, each member takes one evening to relay their life story and personal development to the rest of the group.
The group's leader rotates weekly.[1] Unique among Yale secret societies, it allows each delegation or new senior class to determine the society's by-laws, excluding a few secret guidelines.[1][3]
Mace and Chain alumni have gone on to become journalists, authors, academics, filmmakers, and members of Congress. The society hosts Yale professors and outside guests during its weekly dinners. Past faculty advisors to Mace and Chain include Charlie Hill, a former senior advisor to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and John Wilkinson, a former vice president of Yale.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Ron, Schachter (July 2007). "Light & Verity: The Youngest Secret Society". Yale Alumni Magazine. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
- ^ a b c Garza, Joe (2023-05-06). "Yale Has More Secret Societies Than You Realize. Here's The History". Grunge. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ^ a b c d e Schenkel, Ben (March 30, 2012). "Tapping in to Yale's secret societies". UWire. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ^ Richards, David Alan (2017-09-05). Skulls and Keys: The Hidden History of Yale's Secret Societies. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-68177-581-4.
- ^ "William M. Folberth (Biff) to Receive the Yale Medal". My Hometown Bronxville. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ^ "Yale's secret social fabric". Yale Daily News. 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ^ "Yale | History". Plexuss. Retrieved 2023-07-04.