Only one building on Main Street in Hanover can appropriately be described as "a castle." Although the building located next to the Dirt Cowboy Cafe might not resemble a castle from the outside, knights have lived there for more than 100 years.
These knights are the members of Casque and Gauntlet, the College's second oldest senior society which was founded based on the noble ideals of the Arthurian legends.
C&G and Fire and Skoal are the College's two coed senior societies. There are an additional six secret senior societies at the College.
More than a century of history
C&G has a long and colorful history and traditions that its members have followed ever since it was founded 110 years ago.
Albert Thomas, a member of the Class of 1887, conceived of the idea for the society.
He envisioned an organization modeled after the Knights of the Round Table, whose mission was to further the noble ideals of Arthurian chivalry.
The mission statement of C&G sets forth these ideals.
It states, "The object of the Casque and Gauntlet shall be to unite in fellowship men and women of strong character and high ideals; to promote their mutual welfare and happiness; to render loyal service to Dartmouth College and to aid and encourage one another in performing their duties to God and to their fellow man."
The Arthurian legends have always played an important role in the society's existence, according to C&G President Ping-Ann Addo '96.
The society's president is called King Arthur, the vice president is called Merlin and other members are called knights, she said.
C&G Vice President Josh Marks '96 started an Arthurian legends movie series every Monday, and copies of the legends are kept in C&G's library.
The Castle
Since 1894, "the castle" has stood on the corner of West Wheelock and Main Streets across from the Hanover Inn.
Originally, the College owned the land where C&G now stands and used it for an inn. But in 1782, after the construction of what is now the Hanover Inn across the street, the College decided to sell the land.
The location was last used for a boarding home before the members of C&G purchased the building more than 100 years ago.
Before then, the society did not have its own house.
C&G has existed there since 1894, except for a brief period during World War II, when the College took over the society's building to house students' parents.
During World War II, when the only people on campus were in the Navy, the house was not able to be kept up.
From 1942 to 1945 the College took it over to house parents or dates of students.
According to C&G history, although C&G was kidded by Sphinx for being "The Hostess House" and having a housemother, the College returned the building to the society in 1945.
Distinguished Alumni
Several of Dartmouth's most distinguished graduates were members of C&G.
Famous members include Theodore Geisel '25, also known as Dr. Seuss, and Vice President Nelson Rockefeller '30.
Three past members of C&G went on to become presidents of Dartmouth College: Ernest Martin Hopkins '01, John Kemeny '22 and David McLaughlin '54. Edmund Day '05 became president of Cornell University, and Joseph Palamountain, Jr. '42 became president of Skidmore College.
Famous political alumni include Massachusetts Governor Channing Cox '01, Vermont Governor Charles Smith '91 and Robert Reich '68, secretary of labor.
Who is selected?
Even though the newest members of C&G, who were selected just last term, include many student leaders, leading an organization is not a prerequisite for being tapped for the society.
"C&G by its nature ends up with a lot of people who are very involved on campus," C&G member John Strayer '96 said. "There are some heads of organizations and some who are not as recognized."
C&G House Manager Tim Cross '96 said the best way to describe the members of C&G is to say that "they are people who have in some way made an impact on Dartmouth or the community or have made some type of contribution to Dartmouth or the community."
Cross, who is a football player, a volunteer for the Tucker Foundation, a Sexual Assault Peer Advisor, a member of the gospel choir and president of the Green Key Society said he has met a diverse and talented group of people through the senior society.
Cross said it is "more of a coincidence" that many members of the senior society are leaders of organizations.
Marks, who has fenced, played with the marching band and served as an officer in Sigma Nu Fraternity, said, "Everyone has a broad background of things they do."
Although they are a diverse group, Cross said the members of C&G are united by a common cause: "a true desire to change something for the better."
Members of C&G are not told why they were chosen or what exactly their purpose as a member of the organization is, Addo said.
Addo said, "We were brought here with a certain purpose. It's sort of like a calling."
"We were told not to question why we were here," Addo said. "We were told to be proud or pleased" because we were selected "if that was how it made us feel."
"The questions the students ask each year are always the same," former C&G President Edwin Kania, Jr., '79 wrote in the December 1995 issue of The Castlegram, a newsletter for members and friends of C&G. "Why are we here? Why are others not here? What is our purpose? What activities should we undertake?"
Marks said as a member of the society, "I feel I get both new opportunities to serve and involve myself on campus in activities I might not have known about."
Strayer said C&G allowed him to make connections with other people on campus.
"C&G gave me the opportunity to meet a very diverse, very involved group of people that I would not have met otherwise," Strayer said.
C & G Secretary Kate Shanahan '96 said C&G provides "friendships, trust, understanding, respect and fun."
Cross, a brother at Chi Gam fraternity, said his fraternity and C&G are two very different experiences.
"They are two equally unique and fulfilling experiences, but in two very different ways," he said.
Activities
The term society does not openly indicate the nature of the organization, and each year C&G's members are left to create their own activities and traditions.
"There are not really any requirements" for belonging to the society, Strayer said. "Every Tuesday night we have meetings at 10."
The meetings, Strayer said, basically consist of hanging out and eating snacks.
Strayer said the group also holds brunches each Sunday morning and on some Sundays has tea in the afternoon.
"The teas provide a more intellectual atmosphere," he said.
The societies also have parties once in a while and last term had a formal with Fire and Skoal.
For the past two years, members of C&G have volunteered at the children's hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Strayer said.
Shanahan said the wider Dartmouth community benefits from the activities of the society.
"We hold performances for everybody on campus. The Untamed Shrews usually come once a term," she said. "The house is used in a variety of ways, not just solely to house members."
Most events held at the castle are open to members of the group and their friends.
