Casque and Gauntlet - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Casque and Gauntlet is the second-oldest of the eight senior societies at Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...

. C&G was founded in 1886, just after the Sphinx, and moved to its current location at 1 South Main Street in 1893. The house was built in 1823 by Samuel Alden, and in 1915 the society installed a rear addition designed by Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson, New Jersey

Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...

architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

Fred Wesley Wentworth, a founding member. The house is the oldest and longest-occupied building of any society at Dartmouth.

C&G membership is co-ed, exclusive, and not secret. Members of C&G nominate and select tappees as a group. Tapping takes place at a time the College coordinates with the other senior societies, usually around Winter Carnival. Following coeducation at Dartmouth in 1972, the class of 1979 delegation voted unanimously to nominate women for membership. The first six women members of C&G joined the class of 1980 delegation.

While C&G's membership is not secret, some elements of the society are kept secret. Society meetings, held — like all Dartmouth senior societies — on Monday nights, are closed; the initiation ceremony and other details are also kept secret.

Elements of the legend of King Arthur

King Arthur

King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...

, particularly the Round Table

Round Table (Camelot)

The Round Table is King Arthur's famed table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his Knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status. The table was first described in 1155 by Wace, who relied on previous depictions of...

of Camelot and Holy Grail

Holy Grail

The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...

, are central inspirations and symbols of the society. The president of each delegation is called "King Arthur", the vice president is "Merlin," and other members bear the names of knights (and sometimes ladies) from the legend.

Notable members of past delegations include Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....

), Nelson Rockefeller

Nelson Rockefeller

Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...

, David T. McLaughlin

David T. McLaughlin

David Thomas McLaughlin was the 14th President of Dartmouth College, 1981–1987. Mr. McLaughlin also served as Chief Executive Officer of Orion Safety Products from 1988 to December 31, 2000. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Aspen Institute from 1988 to 1997 and its...

, James Nachtwey

James Nachtwey

James Nachtwey is an American photojournalist and war photographer.He grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Dartmouth College, where he studied Art History and Political Science ....

, and Robert Reich

Robert Reich

Robert Bernard Reich is an American political economist, professor, author, and political commentator. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997....

See also