Last night, Casque and Gauntlet senior society and Fire and Skoal senior society inducted their new members from the Class of 1997.
Casque and Gauntlet welcomed 31 new members and Fire and Skoal inducted about 15 new members. The senior societies at the College tapped new members from the Class of 1997 this weekend.
The seven senior societies include two all male secret societies, Dragon and Sphinx, two all-female secret societies, Cobra and Phoenix, and three coeducational societies, Casque and Gauntlet, Fire and Skoal and Griffin, which is a secret society created last term.
Casque and Gauntlet held its "induction or welcome" for 31 new members last night, said President of Casque and Gauntlet Ping Ann Addo '96.
Chris Schmidt '96, president of Fire and Skoal, reported that "there are about 15 new members" of Fire and Skoal but declined to comment on the actual number of people tapped at that society.
The "induction," Addo said, was held from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and allowed the new members to "come here, to meet new people, and learn about the traditions and history of the society."
The induction was followed by "a short fellowship" during which the new members "meet each other" as well as a reception, according to Addo.
"We took them around the house, and showed them around," she said.
"All of us are very pleased to have new people here," Addo added. "It brings a new sense of life; having new people to show new things to."
Members of Casque and Gauntlet decide which juniors to tap by pooling members' nominations then discussing the prospective recruits in an open forum, John Strayer '96, a senior society council representative for Casque and Gauntlet.
Strayer said membership recruiting, known as "tapping," began at 12:01 a.m. Friday and for 24 hours. The potential members then had until midnight Saturday to decide whether or not they wished to join.
"All tapping is done over the weekend," Schmidt said. "All societies follow the same rules."
Addo said, "On tapping weekend, along with all the other senior societies, on a set day, following certain procedures that cannot be given out, we tap."
Strayer said each society usually taps 32 to 35 new members. Prospective members cannot apply, he said.
"We spent 12 hours over three days deciding as a group," Strayer said. "We seem to have a more formal way of deciding than other societies."
Hosea Harvey '95, former programming co-chair of Fire and Skoal, told The Dartmouth last year that his society looked for members who would "actively contribute to the organization" and people who "want to get the most out of the Dartmouth experience."
Leaders of Dragon, Sphinx, Cobra, Phoenix and Griffin could not be reached for comment.
