Secret Societies at my University - The Palladian Order of Skull and Bones (Albert Pike)

This is my experience with a very old, previously only rumored-of secret society at my college. I am a sophomore, majoring in pre-med, and until this year I never believed in such things as secret organizations, etc. I am e-mailing my story to notable figures, such as Jordan Maxwell and Anthony Hilder. I will not reveal my name, and I do not seek anything but a venue to reveal what we have collectively uncovered.

Essentially, I had no business ever learning about one of the oldest student associations ever to exist at the University of Arkansas. I do not come from wealth; I am not an exceptionally bright student...but from behind I seem to look like someone named "Michael"...
This is my story.

I am a student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Last Fall semester, I was mistaken for a student called "Michael", and I was approached by an older student in an unforgettable way.

I was tapped very roughly on my left shoulder, spun around, and handed a black book with a tiny skull and bones pin stabbed into the front cover. Underneath the book was a parchment-colored scroll with a huge crimson colored wax seal on it. I couldn't see the design. As I was spun around, the person asked me something like, "Palladian Order of the Bones...Accept the Light?"
It scared the hell out of me, naturally. Just as I was about to ask what this was about, a tall student yelled something at us, ran up to us and grabbed the stuff from me.
He and the other guy turned and walked away.


I went on to the student Union and had lunch with some friends. I told them what happened. About a week later, one of them came to me with some info.

At out college, one of the oldest Greek-letter fraternities is the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Their house is gorgeous; an old, ivy-covered brick 3-story house. I started my search by talking with a senior-year Kappa Sigma man.

In 1912, the Kappa Sigma house created a Tap-Society called "Skull and Key"; the purpose was to select the best and brightest of senior-year fraternity men and unite them into a nepotistic network of old money and new talent.

He told us that the "Keys" were an offshoot of another, much older group called "The Palladian Order of Skull and Bones". The split - away happened because of newer pledges rebelling against the long-standing tradition of Bonesmen having to join the Masonic Lodge upon graduation. Skull and Key, on the other hand, only required that its men belong to a fraternity- any Greek-letter frat.

The man introduced my friends and me to several alumni in the area who had more information.

Fayetteville, Arkansas has the disctinction of having the first Masonic lodge in the state: "Washington 1 Lodge" (named after Washington County, I guess?)
Some of these University Alumni are former Freemasons, and they really filled in the holes in my search for answers about the Bonesmen.

It turns out that the University was originally a Teachers College and that the primary building was what we today refer to as "Old Main". Old Main is built with the Civil war as a theme; whereas, the North tower is slightly taller than its otherwise equal South Tower. This was done in symbolism of the post-civil war sentiment, I was told.
Old Main has huge, Palladian-style windows: I inferred that the Order was called "Palladian" due to this building style.
I was wrong.

Shortly after its inception, the college became the University of Arkansas (1871) Not many people outside of Arkansas have ever heard of Albert Pike, but apparently he was a lot more than just a famous Arkansas lawyer and civil war general (the south).

Albert Pike, a very powerful and influential 33rd-Degree Scottish-Rite Freemason, created the "Palladian Order of Skull and Bones" at the University of Arkansas on May 1, 1876.

Allegedly, the account is concealed inside the repository archive inside the Masonic lodge in Fayetteville.

From what the former freemasons told me, this senior-year secret society was founded on the ideal that Pike could control Arkansas politics by producing class year after class year of loyal, educated men who were bound to later join the Masonic Order.

Many cities in Arkansas have memorials, highways, and statues of Albert Pike. Even the Scottish Rite temple (A HUGE, immaculate building) is named in his honor, complete with library and marble-tiled flooring. The wealth this organization has is just incredible.

ANYWAY....point being that this group that I unwittingly encountered is very old, very secretive, and very disagreeable to revelation.

I do not know much about this organization, the Masons. From what I have read, they are either just a bunch of old farts with a penchant for holding secret meetings about raising money for sick kids... or else maybe they are powerful men of means. I don't know for certain.

Please forgive my lack of coherency as I type what I know... The University of Arkansas produced a once-powerful politician after whom many buildings and even a college has been named: Senator Fulbright.
Fulbright was a Rhodes Scholar who returned and was University President for a time.
Bonesmen tap seven college men each year, and may tap up to three faculty or area business men.

While University President, Fulbright was faculty-tapped in the Order of Skull and Bones. He later moved on to become a famous politician.

While teaching law at the University of Arkansas, a Rhodes Scholar named William was faculty-tapped into the Palladian Bonesmen: We later knew him as President Bill Clinton.

I have on good authority that the son of the head of the Federal D.E.A. (and former Arkansas congressman Hutchinson) was tapped.

It is strongly rumored that the son of a prominent Federal Judge in Arkansas was tapped in 1993; the son now works at a very prestigious Arkansas law firm.

********take a reading break, there's juicy stuff ahead!!*****************


Ok,
Now you know that "Why" of their existence.
We learned much more than we ever wanted to about the Skull and Bones of Arkansas, though!


It started with the founding of Chi Omega sorority. This large, national sorority was created at the University of Arkansas many years ago.

Part of the Chi Omega sisters' Initiation Ritual include a coffin and a death-burial-rebirth kind of thing.
Each year, the initiation coincides with the Palladian Skull and Bone's Initiation Ritual. The blindfolded pledge girls are brought before the pledge boys and are made to perform services upon them in order to complete their ceremony and join the sorority.
In exchange for this annual sexual event, the Bonesmen apparently swear to protect these young women, help them find work after college, get better grades or admission into graduate school, get them grant money,etc.

Now THAT is CREEPY stuff.

I have heard unsubstantiated rumors that the Bones Initiation is pretty gruesome. I hope to figure out where it's held and maybe tape it or something.

Anyway, now the group knows what we know:
At the very least, this very old, creepy thing - Founded on May 1, 1876 - seems to be still operating at my college.


Have any of you heard of the Arkansas group (Not the Yale Bonesmen, which everyone has heard of)?

Do any of you have any more information on this? This Pike man seemed pretty controversial on the internet research about him. What about any Freemasons reading this? Are you allowed to shed any light on it?
Is there no help for the widow's son?

Albert Pike was a noble man and contrary to what antimasons may say (I've heard nothing from them on this...) he was an Abolitionist as well, even though he served in the Confederate Army he employed indians and such in his units, and was a man true to his masonic ideals.

I doubt he created this group, unless you can get some hard evidence

And he's not controversial, his book is "Morals and Dogma" and really that isn't view my thread about some quotes in it...but Anti-Freemasons tend to take much of his work out of context and twist his words around to make Freemasonry look like a religious group, a satanic organization, and bent on rulling the world. (none of which is true).

But look to see if Bill Clinton was an "Arkansawer bonesman" if he was, than Masonry has nothing to do with it because they turned him down...which these days is RARE

Sincerely,
no signature

Lots of threads there...

There's a national "Skull and Key" society that has chapters all around the US. They're a typical university "secret society"... and the rituals that apparently spooked you are pretty traditional stuff dating waaaaayyyy back to the 1800's. I remember similar stuff at initiations in the 1970's.

"Palladian" refers to "Pallas Athena", the goddess of wisdom.

As to Pike and the Palladian Order, there's.... lots and lots of foo-foo stuff out there (like the site that links the Palladian Order and Pike with the Mafia and alien abductions and then ties all THAT to Harry Potter books. (we really need the tinfoil hat icon here on this board. We REALLY do!))

I don't find any reliable info that he created a Palladian order -- but don't find any striking reasons to not believe it. The jury's out on whether your info was historically accurate.

Ask the university librarian where you can find a list of sororities and fraternities on campus. Tell them you're researching the origins... which are the oldest, no longer existant, etc. There'll be records (student newspaper articles) that will give you more information.

As to Pike's ideal of getting Masons into the government, yes, I can see that being a motive. The thing is, just because you get a candidate out there and get some bigwigs to talk him up and spend money on him -- this does NOT guarantee he'll get elected. Or noticed. Nor does being a Mason mean that someone will turn out to be a successful businessman or even an influence in the community.

So, while I can even believe Pike might have had some sort of grand scheme, I have doubts that it ever amounted to anything.

So... I think that it's mostly true, but doubt that there's anything sinister in it.

What you have uncovered about the past is very interesting however your research on the present is not so impressive. The ritual you mentioned involving the sorority is a ridiculous rumor.No such thing exists.

If you are really looking for the truth, check out "The Facts on the Masonic Lodge" by John Ankerberg and John Weldon. It's a short booklet with excellent reference sources, most of them works of Pike and other famous masons. You might also read "En Route to Global Occupation" by Gary Kah. Read chapter 5 and check the references. The truth is out there!

reply to post by mistaken_identity


First of all, I am a member/president of a Chi Omega chapter. I understand that when information comes about that someone knows nothing about, it intrigues them. They may also feel the need to tell everyone what they have discovered...fine, so be it, BUT, please please please make sure you have proper information before you begin to spread rumors.

While looking online for sorority tee-shirts for my chapter, we stumbled upon this website when "chi omega secrets" appeared in a "do you mean..?" Google search. We were appalled.

Secrets of ANY fraternity/sorority are not to be discussed, but yes, things do sometimes get "leaked" to the wrong people, and yes, we do believe you are one of these "wrong people." What you have said deeply offends us. If you are aware of the public document that is known by every Chi Omega and is well known throughout the world, the Chi Omega Symphony, you would clearly see that Chi Omegas would not give "sexual favors" to get money or social standings. That, my friend, is prostitution. In saying what you have written, are you saying that Chi Omegas are prostitutes?

What happens in a sorority/fraternity's initiation is secret and precious. Tapping into it is a ridiculous thought. If you want to know so badly, join for yourself. All chapters are different, but initiations are the same. When things are told and made to be esoteric, you should have enough respect to leave it that way. A sisterhood bound is something you will never understand until you join and it is proved to you. Not all secrets are bad or "creepy" as I do believe you put it.

We, as a chapter and community, support free speech. That entitles us the right to say we are offended. Next time you feel the need to post something as difficult to find facts about as this, state what you "think," but known in your heart that you are insulting a group of very bright, respected women of the world. We do not request an apology because we know that what you have said is false; we do NOT sink to such levels of disgust as you have labeled us.

Sincerely,
President/Sister of Chapter of the Chi Omega Fraternity

reply to post by v_livey_v


hahaha, who knew?
You'll be happy to know tho that all aspects of every group are made fun of criticized and picked apart on ats.
i'm a christian. at first i got pissed off about it, but then i was like hey, muslims, atheists, brits, americans, iranians...we all get some conspiracy hawked our way.
.....regardless of gender.

to be honest, i don't see women these days having the need to do those types of things. i can see incapable, slutty women doing that kinda stuff, but any girl worth her salt these days is fully capable of going without help, imho.

It is so very amusing when something like this happens.

Good game on the post, kept me busy for a minute or two.

Happy Monday.

Taskurt One.

And while we are at it, could people stop dragging poor Albert Pike into every damn conspiracy theory?

I admit that Morals and Dogma is tempting stuff. You can hardly manage to read the whole thing, so it is very tempting to grab a sentence or two that stand out to show what a sinister figure Pike was. However, I have managed to read M&D as well as several other Pike works. He was clearly a genius... he read and wrote and spoke numerous languages, taught himself Sanskrit (!), was well versed in Philosophy, Classics, Comparative Religion, and traditions of Western esoterica. He single handedly, more or less, rescued the AASR from oblivion. As a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason who is well-read in the history of the Scottish Rite and Pike's work, I can truthfully say that:

1) Pike was too busy "herding the cats" of the Scottish Rite organization to worry about Arkansas politics and
2) Pike simply wasn't interested in politics.

Believe what you want, but now you have been told the truth. What you do with it, is, as usual, your choice.

Text Viewed from a distance, one might admire the author's effort to learn about Skull & Keys (FYI: "Keys" is plural, not singular). However, as a member of Skull & Keys (albeit from a different University), I am compelled to record my support for the message offered by the Chi Omega President, whose response was accurate, appropriate and remarkably respectful -- particularly in light of the author's offensive implications about her moral character and that of her Sisters. The remainder I address to the author of the original thread:

We understand your curiosity about Skull & Keys, and about secret societies in general. But your description of the Keys initiation rites is grossly inaccurate (inaccurate is being kind -- your description of the initiation is fictional in every possible respect). No part of your description can be traced to even the tiniest factual basis -- not even at the most distant and tangential level. Let me say this as clearly as I can: 100% of your description of the initiation is flatly wrong. To be sure, the Keys initiation is many, many things -- but it has zero relationship to the initiation rites you described.

I find it profoundly vexing that I cannot rebut your description of our initiation in methodical, step-by-step detail, without violating my oath of secrecy. Forgive me if this sounds arrogant or condescending, but I suspect that you cannot understand why we protect our secrets, or why we treat our mutual bond of secrecy with near-religious devotion. [No, it's not a religion, nor does it have anything to do with religion -- that was simply the best analogy I could think of to illustrate the value we place on safekeeping the secrecy of our society, and respecting our mutual commitment to the bonds of Brotherhood.] Thus, aside from the passion with which I express my thoughts, I recognize that you have no good reason to believe my word (and indeed, as a conspiracy theorist, I'm guessing you'll discount most of what I have to say without further thought). However -- and without betraying our secrets -- I'd like to make a few clear and definitive statements. First and foremost I'd like to state, unequivocally, that the Skull & Keys initiation DOES NOT -- in any way -- involve sexual activity. None whatsoever. Our initiation is many things, but it contains no elements that any reasonable person could view as even remotely sexual in nature. The initiation involves no contact whatsoever -- sexual or otherwise -- between the initiate and any female, including -- to be painfully clear -- any female member or pledge of Chi Omega (or any other Sorority). The tale you offered might be entertaining to an imaginative, but unknowing, mind. But it is pure and utter fantasy, and bears no relationship (not even minutely) to our actual initiation. [Out of respect, I will not accuse you of inventing or harboring these twisted fantasies (and I will give you the benefit of the doubt of assuming that some other twisted mind invented and fed you these fantasies for reasons beyond our comprehension). Let me be as explicit as possible: Females have absolutely no role (sexual or otherwise) in our initiation. Period. I don't think I can state it any clearer than that. You may not believe this, but I'm writing with knowledge of the facts -- whereas you sir, are not).

With respect to your speculation that members of Skull & Keys (or its older brother, Skull & Bones) exists wholly, or in part, for the purpose of placing members in powerful positions (whether political, business, etc.) -- this too is simply false. It is most certainly true that members of these secret societies have risen to the highest levels of government, business, etc. But these societies are not designed for, nor is it their purpose to secretly manipulate the levers of power to place our members in powerful positions. We have no grand design, no central control, and no sinister (or for that matter, benign) grand purpose -- beyond the development of bonds of Brotherhood. To be sure, our societies are secret. But to presume a grand conspiracy merely because we are selective with respect to who we will call Brothers, and because we find deeper meaning in maintaining the secrecy of our rituals -- to presume a grand conspiracy from this is not only a stretch (particularly given your total lack of evidence or knowledge regarding what we do) but more than that, such a presumption turns out to be simply wrong. Factually, literally, and entirely wrong. You are judging a society you know nothing about, and to judge without knowledge is an example of the highest form of ignorance.

The fact is, it isn't our purpose, our policy, or our practice to pursue -- any kind of coordinated or deliberate effort to insert our members into powerful positions, and/or to elevate them to increasingly powerful positions. As is the case in all social groups consisting of members who voluntarily self-assoicate -- individual members sometimes do support or assist fellow members based on any of a variety of reasons (e.g., friendship; affinity based on shared experiences; loyalty & respect; and even based on simple perceived merit and ability (which oughtn't be too shocking, since a Brother is likely to have a solid notion of another Brother's strengths & weaknesses -- certainly more so than the relative qualities of a stranger). But we are not a centralized organization, sharing a hive-mind with one singular perspective on how business and politics should be conducted, what philosophies ought to rule, what talents are superior to others, or who might best serve public and/or economic interests. Like all groups, our opinions vary across a wide spectrum, from extremely liberal on one end, to strictly conservative at the other -- and with most falling somewhere between these two outlying philosophical points. So on even the briefest reflection, it should be readily apparent how simplistic and reductive it is to ascribe to a society of men a single-mindedness in developing and implementing a broad set of conspiratorial objectives. Like all groups of humans, including those who associate based on common interests or principles -- it is naive, and indeed absurd, to presume that such a group could: 1) collectively agree on goals to be achieved via a grand conspiracy; 2) collectively agree on the strategy and tactics for attaining said goals; or indeed, perhaps most glaringly, 3) after collectively agreeing to #1 & #2, to actually pursue any one strategy in absolute secrecy, without so much as a single disgruntled member coming forward to expose the conspiracy. To the extent a conspiracy can be effective (regardless of its goals), its odds of success or failure will increase or decrease in direct proportion to the number of coconspirators. The more people in on a conspiracy, the more likely it is to fail. Imagine for a moment that you have hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of men acting as coconspirators. Hedge as much as you like, but viewed rationally, it's difficult to envision a conspiracy of that scope carrying on for any length of time without exposure, particularly since all it takes is for one disgruntled coconspirator to spill the beans and expose the (supposed) massive conspiracy. That this has not happened with regard to Skull & Keys' (or Skull & Bones') "grand plan" to run the world (and isn't this really what is meant when we talk about conspiracies to control economic & political power?) -- the fact that no member has ever stepped forward to blow the whistle should be more than enough proof for even the most skeptical skeptic to realize that these conspiracy theories are nothing more than that.

One final point, which is patently obvious to me, but perhaps not to an outsider, is this: It is useful to note that because we are members of a secret society, upon leaving college, we rarely encounter or learn of members beyond those we knew in college. I'm a reasonably successful person, but to my knowledge, I've never been hired by a Skull & Keys Brother, nor (to my knowledge) have I ever worked for one (directly or indirectly). This may not seem obvious, but the simple reality of the matter is that I cannot list "Skull & Keys" on my resume (for example, under activities, honors, organizations -- or whatever). If I were to do so, I would be explicitly betraying the fact that I'm in Keys. In case it's not clear, MY MEMBERSHIP IN KEYS IS A F-ING SECRET! You surely won't believe this, but we DO NOT keep a registry of our successful members that we might use to solicit a job, a favor, or any other career boost. We may know through oral tradition that a particular person is also a Keys alum. But even if we know or suspect that a person is also from Keys, there is no tasteful way to initiate contact, casually drop a reference to also being in Keys, and conclude by obsequiously asking for favorable consideration. I can't speak for all my Keys Brothers, but speaking for myself, I would not look favorably on this sort of gratuitous use of membership to sway my hiring (or other) business or political decision. If I'm hiring (or considering backing) a prospective employee, candidate, (etc.), I'm doing so from the perspective of a businessman seeking to hire the most talented person available, or as a citizen seeking to elect the most competent public official who best reflects my individual political philosophy, and who I think will do the best job in that position. It is utterly immaterial to me whether or not that person is a Brother -- and this is emphatically true if in my view he is the less capable candidate among the various choices. In any event, it is a mistaken assumption to think that members of secret societies (or at least member of mine) possess a phonebook listing all of the other members of this SECRET society. [The identities of members wouldn't remain secret for long if we published and circulated their names widely.] In point of fact, I am personally aware of the identities of only the Keys Brothers I knew in college. And since our membership is highly selective (and necessarily very limited), this means I've known about 30 Keys Brothers in my lifetime. Of that number, I remain in contact with about six of my closest friends from Keys. They're all successful in their own right (which makes sense, as we don't tap ordinary or average men). But I had nothing to do with securing employment or favors for any of these friends, nor have they had anything to do with boosting or assisting my success. We've all made it in our respective fields based mostly on merit, combined with the same sorts of fortuitous life events that every person experiences from time to time (in other words, luck).

As boring as this may sound, there really isn't any grand design, scheme, plan, etc. Most Keys members are extraordinary people before they're tapped -- such that they would likely have excelled in their chosen fields regardless of whether or not they were tapped (though to be sure, we don't have a perfect selection record, so there's no guaranty a particular Brother will achieve his apparent potential). I understand how tempting it is to look at us (a group of people you don't know, and a group that you likewise know nothing about) and think that our successes are unearned, and have been unfairly given to us at someone else's expense. But that's just not so. If you, the conspiracy theorist, have failed to achieve the success you hoped for, chances are you can find the cause of that failure by looking in the mirror. None of us want to admit that we possess only average intelligence (or heaven forbid, below average intelligence). But averages being what they are, mathematically speaking, it's more likely for a person to be average than to be extraordinary. Nature and nurture are such that most of us simply do not -- and cannot -- possess IQs in the range of 140 and above. Statistically, it's a safer bet to assume that most people possess no more than basic, average intelligence (that is, an IQ of 100). That's nothing to be ashamed of. But to resent those who are better equipped intellectually -- or to leap to the convenient conclusion that their success results from the game being rigged in their favor (rather than based on their capacity and merit), is a childish product of self-delusion. And this type of thinking often betrays the operations of a mediocre intellect -- one that habitually draws conclusions that are conveniently self-excusing, and ultimately founded on little or no basis in reality.

It is certainly true that mediocre people all too often slip through the cracks and achieve positions far beyond their competence or merit (President George W. Bush leaps to mind). But if you'll take the time to look closer, you'll notice that their success is more often the product of other circumstances (e.g., wealth, charisma, luck, etc.). I do understand that this explanation isn't nearly as satisfying as an elaborate conspiracy theory. It is no doubt far more entertaining to ponder the possibility that George W. Bush became President because he was in Skull & Bones, and because his fellow Brothers assiduously pulled hidden strings, thus boosting Bush to a position far beyond what he ought to have reached based strictly on his own merit. Alas, this sort of juvenile logic is intellectually sloppy -- in no small part because it ignores the many, and far more obvious, reasons for Bush's assent to a powerful position. I submit that Ockham's Razor offers far greater explanatory power in explaining Bush's (or any man's) success. Elaborate theories are admittedly far more entertaining than pedestrian explanations (see, e.g., "Lost"). But ultimately, the explanation that requires the fewest logical leaps is likely to be the correct one. This won't always be true, but more often than not, it will be.

In closing, I ask that you and your fellow skeptical readers use whatever intellect you possess to sort through cause and effect questions. You should always continue to ask questions. Because the moment we cease to question our surroundings will be the same moment we cease to develop individually and as a species. But it's useful to bear in mind that there's a difference between healthy skepticism (which I endorse and encourage without qualification) -- and fantasy, paranoia, sloppy logic, and conclusions founded on rumor, innuendo, and/or a gross lack of information. Your discussion of Skull & Keys exhibits the worst elements of these latter intellectual flaws.

If you must enquire into the nature and purpose of a secret society (which, by definition, is one you have not yet been admitted into) -- the least you could do is approach the enquiry in a logical and methodical manner. Before you adopt a particularly scandalous theory of a subject (particularly with regard to the behavior of fellow humans) you should analyze the truth or falsity of all of the possible explanations, applying rigorous skepticism throughout. And I shouldn't need to say this -- but before you choose to believe the worst about the motives or purposes of a person (or a group of people) the very least you could do is develop a meaningful factual basis before reaching a conclusion. A few whispered rumors do not justify conclusions about your fellow man, which impute the worst qualities of human nature. To draw such a harsh conclusion, you need to collect some quantum of reliable evidence. Your discussion of the "facts" about Skull & Keys is not merely lacking in evidentiary quality. Far worse than that, your "facts" are whole-cloth fabrications. I assume these fabrications were constructed by someone other than you. But since you're the one who chose to believe this far-fetched theory (and on the basis of so little evidence) -- and since you're the person who compounded the matter by publishing this discussion in a way that attempts to framed as a genuine or indeed probably theory -- in light of these factors, I believe my criticism is rightly aimed at you. Considering your propensity for adopting far-fetched theories -- founded on zero reliable evidence -- it's hard to imagine what sort of person might be less suited than yourself to serve as a juror, weigh the evidence, and draw conclusions that might impact a person's livelihood in a civil or criminal case. I apologize if that's a mean thing to say. But you can either learn from your poor reasoning, or you can just dismiss my words, and assume I'm to blame -- (after all, I am in Skull & Keys -- so obviously I occupy a favored position in the world -- and because of this, I've never had to work for or compete for anything -- everything I've received, earned or attained has been handed to me on a platter with a wink and a secret handshake -- because that's totally how the world really works (we're just really good at fooling people into thinking otherwise)).

Good luck sir. Whatever you do in life, never stop questioning (but try to keep it relatively sane). Thanks for listening.

Sincerely,
Uncle

^If you represent the general opinion of this Society then it is never something I would be proud to be a part of. You're a pretentious ass hole who fancies himself above those who are not on the same level of intelligence (because how smart you are measures how extraordinary you can become apparently). As a proud member of a secret society I can say that you have some work to do on your group. Not even knowing the men who came before you shows how weak you are. How dare you pretend like you are better than someone else simply based on their academic merit. You have given your society a terrible name and I can only hope that the other men you recruit have a better sense of what the word "extraordinary" means.
Thanks for listening,
Sam