Well, that’s a rather difficult question to answer, since the secret societies are, by definition, “secret.”
Actually, the societies are known at Dartmouth as “senior societies”; seven of the eight senior societies keep their membership secret until Commencement, when members of all senior societies can be identified by the carved canes they carry in the procession.
The earliest senior societies of Dartmouth date back to 1783, and while they have evolved over the years, they continue to be a vibrant tradition within the campus community. Each senior society is unique in character and composition. Some are single sex and others are coed, some are residential, others are not. Approximately 25% of the senior class members are affiliated with a senior society.
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