About The Signet Society
Introduction
The Signet Society, founded in 1870, is an unincorporated student and faculty arts and literary society at Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Society is maintained, and its building at 46 Dunster Street is owned, by the Signet Associates, a non-profit, educational, and charitable corporation organized in 1902 under Massachusetts law.
Comprised of students, faculty, and other persons at Harvard College, the Signet Society is officially recognized by Harvard College as an active undergraduate extracurricular organization.
Mousiken Poiei Kai Ergazou
"Create Art and Practice It"
"Mousiken" refers to any activity over which the Muses preside. "Poiei" means literally "make" and here refers perhaps to the imaginative idea, the inspiration, while "Ergazou" urges us to do the work necessary to realize it.
Greek translation courtesy of Signet Associates Co-Vice-President John W. Cobb, Classics Scholar.
Memberships
The membership of the Signet Society is of four classes: Undergraduate, Graduate, Associate, and Honorary.
Undergraduate members are elected in their Sophomore, Junior, or Senior year. They are chosen with regard to their intellectual, literary and artistic ability and achievements and with regard for the purposes for which the Society was founded.
Graduate members are made up of all former Undergraduate members.
The Undergraduate membership of the Society also elects Associate members from the Harvard community to participate in the life of the Society. Any Signet member-Undergraduate, Graduate, or Associate-may propose Associate members.
Signet Life
The Signet is open from 9am to 11pm Monday through Friday, and from noon to 11pm on Saturday and Sunday. It is closed on holidays observed by the University, during breaks, and during the summer. Members can read, relax, play the piano, converse, etc.
Lunch is served weekdays at 1pm, and no reservation is required. Members are encouraged to come anytime, with or without guests.
The Undergraduates host themed teas on Fridays from 5pm to 7pm in the Library. The officers extend a warm invitation to the Harvard community to join them.