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illiberal policy of the only society of reputation existing." This "illiberal policy" refers to the displeasure with which the founders of the Signet greeted the established Final Clubs. These first members formed the society's admissions criteria to transcend the social politics that they perceived as dominating in the Final Club system.
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pavilion displaying the Signet arms... The design concept- cavalier enough, but very successful—discloses another guise of history-making in
Harvard architecture: to restore the house, not as it originally was, but in LaRose's words, as it "ought to have been." Thus the architectural solecism of the
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To distinguish the Signet from other exclusive organizations, the founding members stated in the original charter that members would be chosen according to "merit and accomplishment." Today, those membership criteria are still present in the club's constitution mandating that members "shall be chosen
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in favor of an induction, during which each new member receives a red rose. The rose is to be kept, dried and returned to the Signet
Society upon the publication of the member's first substantial published work. The Signet maintains a library of these works, which were originally literary, but now
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It seemed to the founders that there was room in the
College world for another association that should devote itself more exclusively to literary work than is possible with large numbers. Accordingly, they confined the membership to a few and required that new members shall be, so far as possible,
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Signet membership is open to any undergraduate student at
Harvard. It admits both men and women without prejudice, unlike final clubs. Membership in Signet celebrates achievement in the arts, including music, the visual arts, and theater. Members are active in most undergraduate publications and
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The opening remarks of the Signet's minutes state: "On
Tuesday evening, November 1, 1870, a meeting was held at 10 Grays Hall preliminary to the organization of a senior society, which was to afford to a select number a pleasant means of intercourse with each other, not to be expected from the
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A select number of individuals working in the arts in the
Cambridge community or wider Harvard community are elected to join Signet as part of The Signet Affiliates Program. These members include administrators, Harvard alumni, fellows, instructors, scholars, and visiting artists.
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about their intellectual, literary and artistic ability and achievements." While these criteria are central to the put-up process (admissions procedure), personal character is also considered. The Signet celebrates most of the arts, including music, the visual arts, and theater.
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The Signet
Society's residence is located at 46 Dunster Street in Cambridge. Architectural historian Douglass Shand-Tucci includes an in-depth discussion of Signet's building in his history of Harvard's campus, relating the oddity that a firm known for its preeminence in
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The emblem of the Signet was, at one time, "a signet-ring enclosing a nettle," the signet-ring symbolizing unity and the nettle symbolizing impartiality. The emblem which appears over the door of the Signet includes a beehive and bees, and a legend in
Ancient Greek:
373:(of all things)—a welcome touch of flamboyance for what would otherwise have been a rather staid clubhouse for the Signet... the graphic quality of Cram & Goodhue's and LaRose's new frontispiece is actually rather reminiscent of book design (not to mention the
339:. Membership dues are required but are pro-rated by Harvard's financial aid calculations, allowing all members of the college community to be considered for membership. Harvard faculty and administrators have been and are Signet officers, associates, and members.
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include programs or other artifacts marking the performance of music, films, or displays of the visual artistry of members. Dried roses hang on the walls of the Signet near the works that occasioned their return. Particularly noteworthy is
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was employed to renovate an 1820s
Colonial residence (converted in 1880 to a Victorian clubhouse) into a neo-Federal structure with baroque details. Regarding its distinctive features, Shand-Tucci writes:
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Signet
Society, 46 Dunster Street. An 1820 Colonial residence, modified in 1880 into a Victorian clubhouse, then converted in 1902 by Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson into this Federalist structure.
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Since 1910, the Signet has hosted an Annual Dinner honoring poets, authors, musicians, and social commentators. The Signet has a longstanding, reciprocal relationship with the
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An alumni corporation administers the Signet's endowment, property, and staff. Since 2010, the Society has hosted Artists-in-Residence in a second-floor apartment.
297:. The two organizations sporadically hold a lawn croquet tournament, for which a handled and engraved silver pudding cup in a mahogany case serves as the trophy.
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208:. It was, at first, dedicated to the production of literary work only, going so far as to exclude debate and even theatrical productions. According to
265:-- "So do you bees make honey, not for yourselves." From this comes the Society's tradition of referring to its undergraduate members as "drones."
196:. It was founded in 1870 by members of the class of 1871. The Signet celebrates most of the arts, including music, the visual arts, and theater.
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After a few years in quarters on university property, the Signet moved to an off-campus location at 46 Dunster Street.
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The Signet Society was founded in 1870 by members of the class of 1871. The first president was
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216:"representative men," and that at least five should be in the first half of their class.
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rose, which hangs along with his original letter of acceptance to the society.
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One of the Signet Society's "gravest mistakes" was their rejection of cellist
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527:(p.92, "The Campus Guide: Harvard University", Princeton Architectural Press
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of several Tory Row mansions), and centers on a two story pedimented
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The Signet's baroque cartouche contrasts with its neo-Federal façade.
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Signet Society plaster cartouche by heraldic artist Pierre LaRose
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The Signet eschews initiation rituals common to Harvard's
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organization and activities include correspondence,
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192:is a literary and art recognition final club at
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545:Conversations with Mark Hruby, Volume I
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249:μουσικήν ποίει και εργάζου
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509:The Signet Society
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