| Myth and Sword | |
| Caption: | The emblem of Myth and Sword |
| Status: | Active |
| Type: | Senior secret society |
| Crest: | Myth and Sword Society seal, drawing.jpg |
| Founded: | until 1965; 1990s |
| Birthplace: | Yale University |
| Scope: | Local |
| Affiliation: | Independent |
| Chapters: | 1 |
| City: | New Haven |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Country: | United States |
| Free Label: | Originated as |
| Free: | Phi Gamma Delta |
Myth and Sword, also known as the Order of Myth and Sword, is a co-ed secret society for seniors students at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.[1] It was originally established in 1875 as a chapter of Phi Gamma Delta and, after going dormant in 1965, was reformed in the 1990s.
The organization traces its origins to the Nu Deuteron chapter of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, established in 1875 as a three-year society at Yale University.[2] [3] It was commonly known as Vernon Hall, the name of its chapter house. The chapter went dormant but was reestablished in 1888. In 1908, its membership became exclusively open to students of the Sheffield Scientific School. When Yale implemented its residential college system in 1933, Vernon Hall began to have financial difficulties. It closed in 1965.
The organization was revived as a senior secret society in the early 1990s under the new name, the Order of Myth and Sword. This process occurred alongside the refounding of several older Yale societies, including Mace and Chain and the Torch Honor Society.
Like other senior societies at Yale, Myth and Sword conducts meetings on Thursday and Sunday evenings. A central activity of the group is the "bio," in which each member takes one evening to relay their life story and personal development to the rest of the group.
Like most other Sheffield societies then, Phi Gamma Delta maintained both a residential house and a "tomb" meeting space. The society's original tomb was an Egyptian Revival building constructed in 1900 at 416 Temple Street. This building was sold to the university in 1927 and was eventually demolished to make way for Helen Hadley Hall.
The fraternity's first residence was Vernon Hall on Trumbull Street. It was used for five years. Around 1915, the fraternity built a new dormitory residence at the corner of Temple and Grove Street.[4] Its construction was significantly funded by alumni Edward D. Page and J. N. H. Campbell. The house incorporated a pre-existing cloister, originally part of a residence for St. Mary's Church. It was a four-story brick and limestone English manor house. Above its entrance was a carving of the fraternity's coat of arms with the motto, "Friendship, the sweetest influence", in Greek. The fraternity sold its chapter house to Yale in 1934, following the start of the university's residential program. Renamed Dow Hall, it was used as graduate student housing and university office and has housed the Linguistics Department since 2002.
From 1944 to 1954, the society occupied the Old Hall building first constructed for Wolf's Head Society on Prospect Street.[5]
When it reformed, Myth and Sword became co-ed. Today, the society elected each new delegation of members at the end of their junior year.[6] Membership is reputedly based on character and achievements in the field of public service following the Order's mission and values.