Berzelius
Encyclopedia
Berzelius is a secret society
at Yale University
named for the Swedish scientist Jöns Jakob Berzelius
, considered one of the founding fathers of modern chemistry. Founded in 1848, 'BZ', as the society is called often, is the oldest of the societies of the now-defunct Sheffield Scientific School
, the institution which from 1854-1956 was the sciences and engineering college of Yale University. Berzelius became a senior society in the tradition of Skull and Bones
, Scroll and Key
, and Wolf's Head
in 1933 when the Sheffield Scientific School was integrated into Yale University. Book and Snake
and St. Elmo
societies from Sheff, followed suit. Skull and Bones
, founded in 1832, Scroll and Key
, founded in 1841, and Wolf's Head
, founded in 1883, catered to students in the Academic Department, or liberal arts college.http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2004_09/old_yale.html http://mssa.library.yale.edu/madid/showzoom.php?srchVal=berzelius&id=txt&pg=1&imgNum=1179 http://www.yale.edu/lt/archives/v8n1/v8n1tombs.htm
The alumni trust organization, the Colony Foundation http://www.bear-left.com/original/2001/0506yale.html, owns the society's building. Outsiders refer to the building as a 'tomb', the customary appellation for a secret society structure at Yale, however, many BZ members refer to their building as "The Hall." This is likely a transferred linguistic remnant of the tradition of the 'Sheff' secret societies, which had 'halls' for residential use and 'tombs' as separate meeting places, in contrast to the Yale College senior secret societies, which maintained only 'tombs.' (The Architects section below describes BZ's former second building.)
Architectural historian Patrick L. Pinnell notes in his 1999 book "Yale University" Princeton Architectural Press ISBN 1568981678 http://books.google.com/books?id=alnup81pmkAC&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=patrick+pinnell+yale+anthony&source=web&ots=Mzn6w25dre&sig=KRPoISsYFKMPZl6SIOhSU_aDMtE.) that Berzelius sold to the Scroll and Key Society
the site on which the latter erected its own tomb.
Architectural historian Scott Meacham cites both Berzelius buildings in his study of Yale and Dartmouth society and fraternity architecture. http://www.dartmo.com/halls/hallscontent4.html
The surviving ca. 1908-10 building's location, set off from the more active center of Yale's campus, lends privacy to Berzelius' members, and its unadorned largely blank exterior conveys to outsiders the deceptive sense that nothing much happens inside - a strategy arguably more effective at discouraging prying eyes than the unmistakable 'stay out' message architecturally conveyed by the monumental buildings of others of Yale's societies, such as Skull and Bones
and Wolf's Head
. In addition to the meeting room, dining area, and numerous study rooms, there are below-ground activity rooms with a pool table and ping pong table for recreation. BZ recently underwent a major restoration. http://www.lelandtorrenceenterprises.com/projects.html
Secret society
A secret society is a club or organization whose activities and inner functioning are concealed from non-members. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence agencies or guerrilla insurgencies, which hide their...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
named for the Swedish scientist Jöns Jakob Berzelius
Jöns Jakob Berzelius
Jöns Jacob Berzelius was a Swedish chemist. He worked out the modern technique of chemical formula notation, and is together with John Dalton, Antoine Lavoisier, and Robert Boyle considered a father of modern chemistry...
, considered one of the founding fathers of modern chemistry. Founded in 1848, 'BZ', as the society is called often, is the oldest of the societies of the now-defunct Sheffield Scientific School
Sheffield Scientific School
Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffield, the railroad executive. The school was...
, the institution which from 1854-1956 was the sciences and engineering college of Yale University. Berzelius became a senior society in the tradition of Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
, Scroll and Key
Scroll and Key
The Scroll and Key Society is a secret society, founded in 1842 at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the wealthiest and second oldest Yale secret society...
, and Wolf's Head
Wolf's Head (secret society)
Wolf's Head Society is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. Membership is recomposed annually of fifteen or sixteen Yale University students, typically juniors from the college...
in 1933 when the Sheffield Scientific School was integrated into Yale University. Book and Snake
Book and Snake
The Society of Book and Snake is the fourth oldest secret society at Yale University. Book and Snake was founded at the Sheffield Scientific School in 1863 as a three-year society bearing the Greek letters Sigma Delta Chi...
and St. Elmo
St. Elmo (secret society)
St. Elmo Society is a secret society at Yale University. It was founded in 1889 as an independent entity for seniors within the nationally chartered fraternity, Delta Phi , Omicron Chapter .-History:...
societies from Sheff, followed suit. Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
, founded in 1832, Scroll and Key
Scroll and Key
The Scroll and Key Society is a secret society, founded in 1842 at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the wealthiest and second oldest Yale secret society...
, founded in 1841, and Wolf's Head
Wolf's Head (secret society)
Wolf's Head Society is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. Membership is recomposed annually of fifteen or sixteen Yale University students, typically juniors from the college...
, founded in 1883, catered to students in the Academic Department, or liberal arts college.http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2004_09/old_yale.html http://mssa.library.yale.edu/madid/showzoom.php?srchVal=berzelius&id=txt&pg=1&imgNum=1179 http://www.yale.edu/lt/archives/v8n1/v8n1tombs.htm
The alumni trust organization, the Colony Foundation http://www.bear-left.com/original/2001/0506yale.html, owns the society's building. Outsiders refer to the building as a 'tomb', the customary appellation for a secret society structure at Yale, however, many BZ members refer to their building as "The Hall." This is likely a transferred linguistic remnant of the tradition of the 'Sheff' secret societies, which had 'halls' for residential use and 'tombs' as separate meeting places, in contrast to the Yale College senior secret societies, which maintained only 'tombs.' (The Architects section below describes BZ's former second building.)
Architects of Berzelius Buildings
- Don Barber. (1908 or 1910, current society building. Style likened to "blank cube" but with classical ornamentation.) http://www.lelandtorrenceenterprises.com/projects.html
- Henry BaconHenry BaconHenry Bacon was an American Beaux-Arts architect who is best remembered for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. , which was his final project.- Education and early career :...
and James Brite. (completed 1898, residential building, no longer extant, brick Neo-RenaissanceNeo-RenaissanceRenaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...
-style dormitory. Bacon was an American Beaux-Arts architect best remembered for his severe Greek Doric Lincoln MemorialLincoln MemorialThe Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
in Washington, D.C. (built 1915–1922), which was his final project. Yale purchased the building in 1933 for student housing and later used it for faculty offices. The building was demolished in 1969 to make way for construction of the Yale Health Services Center, 17 Hillhouse Avenue. Pictured at http://mssa.library.yale.edu/madid/showzoom.php?srchVal=berzelius&id=txt&pg=1&imgNum=1179 and http://mssa.library.yale.edu/madid/showzoom.php?srchVal=berzelius&id=txt&pg=1&imgNum=1899
Architectural historian Patrick L. Pinnell notes in his 1999 book "Yale University" Princeton Architectural Press ISBN 1568981678 http://books.google.com/books?id=alnup81pmkAC&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=patrick+pinnell+yale+anthony&source=web&ots=Mzn6w25dre&sig=KRPoISsYFKMPZl6SIOhSU_aDMtE.) that Berzelius sold to the Scroll and Key Society
Scroll and Key
The Scroll and Key Society is a secret society, founded in 1842 at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the wealthiest and second oldest Yale secret society...
the site on which the latter erected its own tomb.
Architectural historian Scott Meacham cites both Berzelius buildings in his study of Yale and Dartmouth society and fraternity architecture. http://www.dartmo.com/halls/hallscontent4.html
The surviving ca. 1908-10 building's location, set off from the more active center of Yale's campus, lends privacy to Berzelius' members, and its unadorned largely blank exterior conveys to outsiders the deceptive sense that nothing much happens inside - a strategy arguably more effective at discouraging prying eyes than the unmistakable 'stay out' message architecturally conveyed by the monumental buildings of others of Yale's societies, such as Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
and Wolf's Head
Wolf's Head (secret society)
Wolf's Head Society is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. Membership is recomposed annually of fifteen or sixteen Yale University students, typically juniors from the college...
. In addition to the meeting room, dining area, and numerous study rooms, there are below-ground activity rooms with a pool table and ping pong table for recreation. BZ recently underwent a major restoration. http://www.lelandtorrenceenterprises.com/projects.html
Membership
Notable members include:- A. Peter DeweyA. Peter DeweyAlbert Peter Dewey , shot by accident by Viet Minh troops on September 26, 1945. Dewey was the first American fatality in French Indochina, killed in the early aftermath of World War II. ....
(1916-September 26, 1945), shot by accident by Viet Minh troops on September 26, 1945, the first American casualty in the Vietnam War. Pictured with his BZ Class of '39 http://mssa.library.yale.edu/madid/showzoom.php?imgNum=5565 - William Warren ScrantonWilliam ScrantonWilliam Warren Scranton is a former U.S. Republican Party politician. Scranton served as the 38th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1963 to 1967. From 1976 to 1977, he served as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.-Early life:...
, (b. 1917), Republican Governor of Pennsylvania from 1963 to 1967. United States Ambassador to the United Nations 1976 to 1977. Also pictured with his BZ Class of '39: http://mssa.library.yale.edu/madid/showzoom.php?imgNum=5565 - Levi JacksonLevi JacksonLevi Jackson , a football standout at Hillhouse High School , was the first African-American football captain at Yale University, and the first African-American executive at Ford Motor Company. He was a member of the Yale Class of 1950, and captained the 1949 football team, the election taken soon...
(1926 - 2000), first African American member of a Yale secret society. Elected by his teammates the first African American to captain an Ivy League football team. http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/documents/blkfeatures.asp