Owl Club (Harvard)
Encyclopedia
The Owl Club is a men's only final club
at Harvard College
, founded in 1896. Its clubhouse is located at 30 Holyoke Street in Cambridge, in close proximity to Lowell House
.
; the A.D. Club
; the Fly Club
; the Delphic Club; the Phoenix SK Club; the Fox Club
; and the Spee Club. The club participates in "punch season" every fall with the other final clubs and elects sophomores and juniors to become members.
In 1901, land on the corner of Holyoke Street and Holyoke Place was purchased. In 1905, architect James Purdon of Purdon and Little drew up plans for the Georgian
clubhouse, and on June 24 of that year the cornerstone of the present clubhouse was laid. The new building was formally opened on March 24, 1906, the tenth anniversary of the Club.
In 1916, it was voted officially to change the name from “Phi Delta Psi Club” to “The Owl Club”. The club had become informally known as the Owl as an abbreviation of its Greek name, Αvλòζχαι’‘Εχπωμα.
Final club
A final club is an undergraduate social club at Harvard College.- Origins :The historical basis for the name final clubs is that Harvard used to have a variety of clubs for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, with students of different years being in different clubs, and the "final clubs"...
at Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, founded in 1896. Its clubhouse is located at 30 Holyoke Street in Cambridge, in close proximity to Lowell House
Lowell House
Lowell House is one of the twelve undergraduate residential houses within Harvard College, located on Holyoke Place facing Mount Auburn Street between the Harvard Yard and the Charles River...
.
The Owl Club
The Owl Club is one of eight final clubs at Harvard, including the Porcellian ClubPorcellian Club
The Porcellian Club is a men's-only final club at Harvard University, sometimes called the Porc or the P.C. The year of founding is usually given as 1791, when a group began meeting under the name "the Argonauts," or as 1794, the year of the roast pig dinner at which the club, known first as "the...
; the A.D. Club
A.D. Club
The A.D. Club is a final club established at Harvard University in 1836, the continuation of a chapter of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity existing as an honorary chapter until 1846, and then as a regular chapter until the late 1850s...
; the Fly Club
Fly Club
The Fly Club is a male-only final club at Harvard University, founded in 1836.Both the Fly and A.D. Club, another Harvard final club, trace their beginnings to the Harvard chapters of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. The A.D. surrendered its chapter credentials in 1865 and broke off from the national...
; the Delphic Club; the Phoenix SK Club; the Fox Club
Fox Club (Harvard)
The Fox Club is a Final Club at Harvard University. The Club was founded in 1898 as the Digamma Club, by a group of six undergraduates. The name "Fox" and the club’s symbol, a rampant fox carrying the letter "F" grew from the similarity between the Greek character for Digamma, HJH, and the letter...
; and the Spee Club. The club participates in "punch season" every fall with the other final clubs and elects sophomores and juniors to become members.
Early history
The Owl Club was founded in 1896 by Reginald Mansfield Johnson, Malcolm Scollay Greenough, Jr., Frazier Curtis, Preston Player, Charles Clifford Payson, Austen Fox Riggs, and Dudley Hall Bradlee, Jr. It originally went under the name Αvλòζχαι’‘Εχπωμα (meaning the Pipe and Mug), or Alpha Epsilon.In 1901, land on the corner of Holyoke Street and Holyoke Place was purchased. In 1905, architect James Purdon of Purdon and Little drew up plans for the Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
clubhouse, and on June 24 of that year the cornerstone of the present clubhouse was laid. The new building was formally opened on March 24, 1906, the tenth anniversary of the Club.
In 1916, it was voted officially to change the name from “Phi Delta Psi Club” to “The Owl Club”. The club had become informally known as the Owl as an abbreviation of its Greek name, Αvλòζχαι’‘Εχπωμα.
Notable members
- Christopher Wojcik '96 — Current Head Coach of Harvard University Men's Lacrosse Team, former dual captain of Harvard University Men's Lacrosse and Soccer teams.
- Roger Irving Lee '02 — physician, inventor of the Lee-White method of measuring blood coagulation, President of the American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical AssociationThe American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
- Edward B. ColeEdward B. ColeEdward Ball Cole was an officer in the United States Marine Corps during World War I. He was a leading expert on machine guns; he was killed in action during the Battle of Belleau Wood.-Biography:...
' 02 — United States Marine Corps Major, expert on machine guns, casualty at the Battle of Belleau WoodBattle of Belleau WoodThe Battle of Belleau Wood occurred during the German 1918 Spring Offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France. The battle was fought between the U.S... - Harry Elkins WidenerHarry Elkins WidenerHarry Elkins Widener was a businessman and book collector from the United States.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was the son of George Dunton Widener and Eleanor Elkins Widener, and the grandson of the extremely wealthy entrepreneur, Peter A. B...
'07 — Benefactor and namesake, Widener LibraryWidener LibraryThe Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, commonly known as Widener Library, is the primary building of the library system of Harvard University. Located on the south side of Harvard Yard directly across from Memorial Church, Widener serves as the centerpiece of the 15.6 million-volume Harvard...
of Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
; casualty on the wreck of the RMS Titanic ocean liner. - George MinotGeorge MinotGeorge Richards Minot was an American medical researcher who shared the 1934 Nobel Prize with George Hoyt Whipple and William P. Murphy for their pioneering work on pernicious anemia.-Life:...
'08 — winner of the 1934 Nobel Prize in MedicineNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will... - Robert Woods Bliss '10 — U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, U.S. Ambassador to ArgentinaUnited States Ambassador to ArgentinaThe United States Ambassador to Argentina is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Argentina....
, founder of Dumbarton OaksDumbarton OaksDumbarton Oaks is the conventional name for the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, situated on a historic property in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The institution is administered by the Trustees for Harvard University. Its founders, Robert Woods Bliss and his wife... - Hanford MacNiderHanford MacNiderHanford “Jack” MacNider was a United States diplomat and United States Army General, serving in both World War I and World War II. He was a Scottish Rite Freemason.-Biography:...
'11 - United States Diplomat and United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
General - Bobby Jones, '24 — Amateur golfer and winner of the Grand SlamGrand Slam (golf)The Grand Slam in golf is winning all the golf's major championships in the same calendar year.-The Men's Grand Slam:The Grand Slam in men's golf is an unofficial concept, having changed over time. In the modern era, The Grand Slam is generally considered to be winning all four of golf's major...
in 1930; Founder of Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
and the Masters Tournament. - Theodore Roosevelt IIITheodore Roosevelt IIITheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt III was the grandson of United States President Theodore Roosevelt and the son of politician and World War II military leader Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt II.-Early years:...
, '36 — Grandson of President Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. - Robert G. Stone, Jr., '45 — Former Chairman of the Harvard Corporation.
- Galen L. Stone, '43 - '46 — U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of CyprusUnited States Ambassador to CyprusThis is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Cyprus.Until 1960 Cyprus had been a colony of the British Empire. On August 16, 1960 Cyprus gained its independence from the United Kingdom. The United States recognized the new nation and established an embassy in Nicosia on August 16, 1960,...
. - J. William MiddendorfJ. William MiddendorfJohn William Middendorf II was a Republican United States diplomat.-Biography:Middendorf received a Bachelor of Naval Science from College of the Holy Cross in 1945. He served in the Navy just at the end of World War II as engineer officer and navigator of USS LCS 53, being mustered out in 1946...
, III, '47 — U.S. Secretary of the Navy under Presidents Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and Gerald FordGerald FordGerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
from 1974 to 1977; U.S. Ambassador to the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Organization of American StatesOrganization of American StatesThe Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
. - Edward M. Kennedy, '54 - '56—U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
- Richard DarmanRichard DarmanRichard Gordon Darman , known as Dick Darman, was an American economist and businessman who served under five U.S. presidents but is best remembered as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget during the administration of George H. W...
, '64 — Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George H.W. Bush. - Ford M. FrakerFord M. FrakerFord M. Fraker, of Massachusetts, is a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.-Career highlights:Prior to his nomination, Fraker was serving as chairman of the Trinity Group Limited, a private investment banking firm in the United Kingdom, and as consultant for Intercontinental Real Estate...
, '71 — U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia under President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. - Hassan NemazeeHassan NemazeeHassan Nemazee styled himself as a multimillionaire Iranian-American investment banker. Nemazee was born in Washington, D.C. on January 27, 1950 and attended Landon School, graduating in 1968. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from Harvard University in 1972. Nemazee has not...
, '72 — U.S. Ambassador to Argentina under President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. - Thomas MesereauThomas MesereauThomas Arthur Mesereau, Jr. is an American attorney best known for defending Michael Jackson in his 2005 child molestation trial.-The Robert Blake murder trial:...
, '73 — Trial lawyer. - David L. Weinberg, '74; Richard M. Cashin, '75; Alan W. Shealy, '75; Christopher R. Wood, '75 — Members of 1976 U.S. Olympic Crew TeamRowing at the 1976 Summer OlympicsRowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal featured races in 14 events, all held at the rowing basin on Île Notre-Dame. Women's events held at 1000 m debuted ....
. - Andrew D. Cadiff, '77 — Director, Chasing LibertyChasing LibertyChasing Liberty is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Cadiff, and starring Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode.-Plot:Anna Foster is the daughter of President James Foster and First Lady Michelle Foster . After Secret Service agents ruin a first date, Anna demands some freedom...
; Producer, Home ImprovementHome ImprovementHome Improvement is an American television sitcom starring Tim Allen, that aired from September 17, 1991 to May 25, 1999. The show was created by Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra and David McFadzean. In the 1990s, it was one of the most watched sitcoms in the American market, winning many awards...
and Growing PainsGrowing PainsGrowing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
. - John M. Bridgeland, '82 — Director, USA Freedom Corps; Director of Domestic Policy Council.
- Thomas S. Strickler, '84 — Co-Founder, Endeavor Talent Agency.
- Larry ScottLarry Scott (sports administrator)Larry Scott is an American sports administrator and former professional tennis player who is currently the Commissioner of the collegiate Pacific-12 Conference...
'86 - Commissioner, Pac-12 - Charles VeleyCharles VeleyCharles Veley is an American claimant to the title of the world's most traveled person. At age 37 he became the youngest recorded person to visit all countries of the world as defined by the Travelers' Century Club....
, '87 — World's most-traveled man. - David M. Forst, '98 — Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
Assistant General Manager.
Further reading
- Burggraf, Charles H., The Owl club; a comedy drama in three acts, satirizing secret societies, Albany, ORAlbany, OregonAlbany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is...
: Smiley, printer, 1900. - Owl Club of Harvard College: founded in 1896, Crimson Printing Co., 1966