Robert A. Domingue
Phillips Academy, Andover Massachusetts

CHAPTER IV

THE SECRET SOCIETIES

The Andover Secret Societies were part of a movement among college undergraduates, initiated one to two generations earlier, as a protest against the monotony of student life. They were modeled after the Yale Senior Societies rather than the Greek-letter fraternities. They did fill a definite undergraduate need at the time of their existence --- that of providing institutions for the social life of the student. Later growth patterns within the school activity structure obviated their need but by that time they were firmly entrenched and not easily supplanted. In the 1870's the Academy's attitude toward these societies was hostile and in 1877 Principal Bancroft wrote to the Trustees "Secret societies so-called have caused us some anxiety but the Faculty have taken a positive stand forbidding them and it is hoped to quite crush them out next year." The students were forced to sign a pledge that they would not join any Secret Society; these apparently were not effective. The early societies had to meet under clandestine conditions --- changing the meeting day and time frequently, holding meetings after midnight and other such ruses --- to avoid faculty detection.

Within a few years Dr. Bancroft realized that his approach had not worked; the several societies were still in existence and the stronger ones were showing no signs of being crushed. He determined that it would be much wiser to regulate the societies than to eliminate them. In 1883 the Faculty voted to substitute stricter regulations for the policy of suppression. All societies were to have Faculty guardians, students must obtain Faculty approval prior to joining a society and any newly formed society would require a Faculty charter.

By the turn of the century there were four Secret Societies firmly established plus several others which were destined to fail. During the twentieth century many of the societies constructed impressive Society Houses on land sold to them by the Academy. The power of these societies also grew in the present century and led to a serious controversy over their role in the academic life. This role is quite adequately discussed in Fritz Allis' book, "Youth From Every Quarter". Suffice it to say that Dr. Fuess made an unsuccessful attempt to abolish them in 1943. That action was not accomplished the first attempt.

Since this book is intended to present the history of the physical plant, we will leave the discussion of the pros and cons of the Secret Societies and their value to other historians and debates. This chapter will trace the residences of the major Secret Societies. Most of the short-lived societies will not be discussed unless their "House" was one not presented under the major societies and is needed to round out the intended coverage.

 

KAPPA OMEGA ALPHA (KOA)

The first Secret Society to be formed at Phillips Academy was organized in September 1874. The five members present at that first meeting were under the leadership of Roland David Swope, Class of 1876. The first several meetings were held in a room in Latin Commons. They later moved to the basement of "Hatch's", later "Chap's", and now the location of The Andover Shop. For many years this pioneer society had to employ evasive techniques to avoid Faculty detection. Following the administration attitude change, Prof. Graves became the Faculty Guardian.

57. KOA House at 10 Locke St.

Eventually the Society outgrew their basement facilities --- either in physical size or in stature or both--- and the members moved their activities to the house located at 10 Locke Street.

The affluence of this society and its members, its well established position in the school life and the prospects of a bright future resulted in the construction of a stately brick Society House on School Street in 1901. This edifice served its members very well throughout the first half of the twentieth century and when the societies were phased out in 1950 it became Alumni House under the ownership of the Academy. It served as the site of teas after the football games and as a lodging facility for returning young alumni.

58. KOA House/Alumni House

Opened in October 1950, Alumni House boasted a spacious living room on the first floor with a beautiful memorial fireplace an integral part of it. A writing room was located off the living room and a small kitchen was also contained on the first floor. A pew from the old Stone Chapel was located in the broad hall of the second floor which led to the Wentz Memorial Meeting Room, not open to the general public, which served as the repository of the records of all the Secret Societies. A main room also located on the second floor could be transformed into a dorm; this room contained a ping pong table in place of the pool table previously located there which had been moved to Senior House. The Alan Parker Memorial Room located off the main room rounded off the second floor by serving as a quiet place for talks. The third floor was a dormitory with twelve beds and generous bathroom facilities. The entire facility was converted to a school dormitory in 1977.

 

59. AUV House at 123 Main St.

AUCTORITAS, UNITAS, VERITAS (AUV)

The AUV Society resulted from the merger of two previously established societies --- ODA and Delta Tau Delta. ODA had been born in the Brick House which formerly stood in front of Adams and Bishop Halls. Unfortunately this society did not prosper and by 1876 had only four members. Delta Tau Delta was not strong either and by 1877 the two merged to become one of the four major societies to transcend into the twentieth century. This society had better housing than the others in their earlier days for in 1894 it constructed a new Society House which still stands today as a private residence at 123 Main Street.

60. AUV/Graham House

Becoming incorporated in 1902, the Society purchased a lot on Wheeler Street from the Academy in 1901. In 1915 they built a brick Society House on that lot and remained there for the rest of their existence. Following the society phaseout in 1950, this building became the center for the Religion Department of the Academy and was named Graham House in honor of James Chandler Graham, instructor in the Natural Sciences from 1892 to 1937. This facility also doubled as an oasis for visiting parents on Sunday mornings. The edifice was remodeled again in 1967, this time to become the home office for Outward Bound, Inc. A further use was made of it as a counseling center when that activity moved there from Isham Infirmary.

 

PI ALPHA EPSILON (PAE)

PAE was founded in the late 1870's primarily for literary purposes and was intended as a reward of merit. Dr. Bancroft used the founding to conduct an experiment which led to his philosophy change from "elimination" to "regulation". Prof. Edward Coy was selected to be the Faculty guardian for this society and the positive results of this experiment led to the attitude of tolerance and control.

61. Old PAE House at 131 Main St.

62. New PAE House at 131 Main St.

PAE's first Society House, a wooden, high-peaked structure, was located at the northwest corner of Main and Morton Streets. This house was moved to its present location behind The Andover Shop in the late 1880's and was replaced by the edifice presently located on that corner. The society remained in this new house until 1908 at which time they built their new brick facility now known as Cooley House.

63. PAE/Cooley House

Following the phase out of the societies in 1950 this building was renamed Cooley House and was used in conjunction with Memorial Gymnasium as the headquarters for the Athletic Association meeting center. It also served visiting teams as a restroom or as overnight quarters.

In 1963 the building was enhanced by the addition of Brooks Hall Room. Dedicated on May 18, 1963, this facility doubled the capacity of the house. The $50,000 addition was given by the family and friends of Brooks C. Hall, Class of 1959, who was killed in the summer following his graduation.

On February 1, 1980, under the direction of Dean of Residence David Cobb and his wife Sumida, the building was opened as a pro tem Student Center and snack bar. Operated by student volunteers with Faculty on hand in a supervisory and working capacity, the second floor was converted from a guest dorm to a gameroom.

 

PHI BETA CHI (PBX)

PBX, formed during the last decade of the nineteenth century as a "Commons" society, was first located in the house presently situated at 63 Highland Road.

64. PBX House at 63 Highland Rd.

The society purchased land on the northeast corner of Highland Road and Salem Street in the early part of the century and in late spring 1921 broke ground for a new Society House. It was designed by Guy Lowell and modeled after a famous colonial house in Salem, Mass. The first floor contained a large living room and a billiard room; the second floor had a council room, several bedrooms and baths. As with many of the other Society Houses, the dining room and kitchen were located in the basement.

65. PBX/Newton-Hjnman House

This wooden building with brick ends became the Newton-Hinman House, or Senior House, in 1950 following the phase out of the societies. It served as a club house and common room for the Senior Class. The facility was later converted to use as a dormitory.

 

66. FLD House on Highland Terrace

PHI LAMDA DELTA (FLD)

FLD was the last society founded in the nineteenth century which maintained its existence into the next century. Founded in 1898, its initial recorded location was at 10 Locke Street at the former KOA House. The organization remained here until 1911-12 at which time they relocated to a house closer to campus on Highland Terrace.

67. FLD/Davison House

In 1928 FLD joined the other affluent societies by building a new, centrally-located Society House. Ground was broken on November 17, 1928, on land behind Farrar House facing the Old Campus --- formerly the site of the faculty tennis courts. The architects were the prestigious firm of Perry, Shaw and Hepburn of Boston. Construction was under the direction of Davison Associates, Inc., an organization composed of the Alumni of FLD. The corporation and the Society House were named in memory of Alden Davison, PA 1915, who lost his life in the first World War. Constructed using brick with stone trimmings, it measured out at 70 feet by 38 feet. The ground floor consisted of a vestibule which led through a large hall to a living room equipped with a fireplace, a coat room, a lavatory, a billiard room and a kitchen. There were two bedrooms on the second floor as well as a bath and a chapter room equipped with a fireplace. The banquet hall was in the basement along with the furnace room and storage space.

Davison House became a faculty quarters when the societies were phased out in 1950.

 

PHI LAMDA SIGMA (PLS)

PLS was the first society to be formed after the turn of the century. Rather nomadic in its early existence, the society was housed in five different locations over its four decade lifetime. The society started out in the former SPA House on Highland Road (see below). In 1905 they were located in a house now privately owned at 61 Bartlet Street. Two years later they were operating out of the former PAE House at 131 Main Street. Staying there for about ten years, the society then moved to a new house located at 3 Hidden Road.

68. PLS House at 61 Bartlet Street

On March 3, 1930, PLS broke ground for a new Society House on the west side of the Old Campus next to the FLD House. The building was of the Georgian Colonial design using Harvard antique brick and a mottled slate roof. The kitchen, banquet rooms and society rooms were located in the basement; a large living room and a reading room comprised the first floor. A circular staircase led to a billiard room, alumni room and dormitory quarters on the second floor.

69. PLS House at 3 Hidden Road

70. PLS/Tilton House

In the spring of 1940 PLS ran into financial problems and was forced to turn their house over to the Trustees of the Academy who held the mortgage. It was named Tilton House. By the fall of 1940 the facility had been remodeled into a dormitory to house five juniors and a master as part of the Williams Hall complex. Mr. Woolsey was the master.

 

71. AGG House off Bartlet Street

ALPHA GAMMA CHI (AGC)

AGC was founded in 1904 by ten students; Zeus Benner was appointed their Faculty Advisor. The founders believed that the true function of a society should be "real interest in working for the school and scholarship". Their first house, called "Bill's", was located "off Bartlet Street". In 1915 they acquired a cottage on Salem Street so the society could be closer to the school and its activities. Legend indicates that this facility was no bargain but they stayed there until 1927 when they built their new Society House at the southwest corner of Salem Street and Highland Road.

72. AGC House on Salem Street

73. AGC/Benner House

Shortly after erecting their new Society House, the great depression hit and seriously impacted AGC to the point that they were never free from financial troubles for the rest of their existence. They did, however, survive until the society phase out of 1950 and their house, renamed Benner House, was converted to use as a grill for the undergraduates seeking snacks, alternate meals and a gathering place. It was named for Dr. Allen Rogers Benner, AGC's first advisor and Professor of Greek at the Academy for many years. (It is interesting to note that the former Biery House further up Salem Street was named Benner House when it was converted to dormitory use in 1940 but was changed to the Erving House when the AGC Society House reverted to Academy control and was called Benner House.) In 1977 the "Beanery" ceased and the edifice was converted to house the Academy ceramics studio.

 

EPSILON DELTA PHI (EDP)

EDP was founded in 1915, the last of the Secret Societies to be established at Phillips Academy. For the first four years of its existence it was a completely secret organization, had no Faculty "guardian" and was therefore not recognized by the school. Following this period, the members applied for and received recognition and became an "open" Society. Being "open" signified that non-members could visit it, contrary to the rules established by KOA, AUV and AGC. The society acquired a modest shingled cottage on Highland Road which served as its house for its entire existence. This house had previously belonged to PBX and has been illustrated above. It was converted to Faculty use after the society phase out in 1950.

 

74. Sphinx House at 5 Locke Street

SPHINX

The Sphinx was a short-lived Secret Society which existed in the last half of the 1890 decade. Its Society House, located at 5 Locke Street, was built by O. Chapman in 1897. It is currently a privately owned residence.

 

75. SPA House on Highland Road

SIGMA PHI ALPHA (SPA)

SPA was apparently another short-lived society which saw its existence about 1902. It was housed in the building on Highland Road which was named in 1941 for Matthew Scoby McCurdy, Math teacher at the Academy for almost 50 years.


Chapter Five

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