The Raven's Claw Society is an all-male senior

honor society In the United States, an honor society is an organization that recognizes individuals who rank above a set standard in various domains such as academics, leadership, and other personal achievements, not all of which are based on ranking systems. ...

Dickinson College Dickinson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, ...

. It was founded in 1896 and is the oldest senior or "hat society" on campus.

History

The Raven's Claw Society was founded in 1896 at

as a senior honor society for male students. Formed by seven members of the class of 1896, it was the college's first honor society. Its founders wanted to encourage class and collage loyalty, create good fellowship, and continue college traditions. Historically, the Raven's Claw membership has consisted of seven students and two faculty advisors, with many members also belonging to social fraternities on campus. The society served

and

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...

communities through discreet service activities. The society's members participate in community service activities and raise funds for charities. In honor of its centennial in 1996, it established the Raven's Claw Scholarship which is awards to students based on financial need.

Symbols

While the members of the group are known, the majority of their actions and traditions are concealed. Originally, the society's badge was a gold number seven on a black raven's claw. In the 1920s, student members started wearing a white hat for special days on campus, resulting in Raven's Claw being known as one of Dickinson's "hat societies". The hats represent unity and loyalty. Members are called Claws or White Hats.

Membership

Membership is limited to seven senior men who are selected by the seven previous members. The new members are chosen based on character, leadership, and involvement in the campus and community during their first three years at Dickinson College. Infrequently, the society breaks with its traditions and inducts a faculty or staff members, such as coach Richard MacAndrews in 1943. During commencement weekend, members are inducted in a tapping ceremony at the old stone steps

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...

Notable members

Academia

John E. Jones III John Edward Jones III (born June 13, 1955) is the 30th President at Dickinson College and a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He is best known for his presiding role ...

, 30th President at Dickinson College and a former

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district. Each district covers one U.S. state or a portion of a state. There is at least one feder ...

of the

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (in case citations, M.D. Pa.) is a district level federal court with jurisdiction over approximately one half of Pennsylvania. The court was created in 1901 by subdividing t ...

Business

* George V. Hager, chairman and CEO of

Genesis HealthCare Genesis HealthCare is a provides short-term post-acute, rehabilitation, skilled nursing and long-term care services. According to data provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, as of November 1, 2023, Genesis owned or operated 290 skilled ...

Corporation * John R. Stafford, CEO of

American Home Products Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. was a pharmaceutical company until it was purchased by Pfizer in 2009. The company was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1860 as John Wyeth and Brother. Its headquarters moved to Collegeville, Pennsylvania, ...

Entertainment

Philip Capice Philip Capice (June 24, 1931 – December 30, 2009) was an American television producer, most notable as the executive producer of the dramedy '' Eight Is Enough'' and the first nine seasons of the soap opera ''Dallas''. Early life Capice graduat ...

, television producer, former president of Lorimar Production, and founder of Raven's Claw Productions

Politics

Jim Gerlach James William Gerlach (born February 25, 1955) is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2003 to 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party. Gerlach retired from Congress after completing his sixth term. Early life, education and c ...

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

* John D. Hopper Jr., Pennsylvania State Senator * Robert E. Woodside,

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

Pennsylvania Attorney General The Pennsylvania attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It became an elected office in 1980. The current attorney general is Republican Dave Sunday (politician), Dave ...

and Justice of the

Pennsylvania Superior Court The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is one of two Pennsylvania intermediate appellate courts (the other being the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania). It is based in Harrisburg. Jurisdiction The Superior Court hears appeals in criminal and mos ...

Sports

Jim Engles Jim Engles (born August 18, 1968) is an American college basketball coach and the former coach of the Columbia Lions men's basketball team. He has also been the head men's basketball coach at the New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jerse ...

, head men's basketball coach at the

New Jersey Institute of Technology New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is a Public university, public research university in Newark, New Jersey, United States, with a graduate-degree-granting satellite campus in Jersey City. Founded in 1881 with the support of local indust ...

* W. J. Gobrecht,

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

and

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player and coach * Benjamin James (Honorary) athletics coach, educator, and college administrator * Pete Sivess,

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

pitcher *

Dave Webster David A. Webster Jr. (July 23, 1937 – June 23, 2006) in Atlanta, Texas, was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for two seasons with the American Football League's (AFL) Dallas Texans (1960–1961). He was an All-A ...

, head lacrosse coach at Dickinson College *

Tyler White Brian Tyler White (born October 29, 1990) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and in the KBO League for the SK Wyverns. Career Af ...

, head lacrosse coach at

Baylor University Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...

References

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External links

Raven's Claw Website
Collegiate secret societies Student societies in the United States Dickinson College Student organizations established in 1896 1896 establishments in Pennsylvania Local fraternities and sororities