Medusa society

The Medusa Society is an undergraduate secret society at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut. It is the oldest society of any kind at Trinity and is acknowledged as the most exclusive organization at the College.
History
Medusa was founded in 1840 as the Grand Tribunal by an unknown group of students. It is known to have been based on the secret societies at Yale that were gaining prominence at the time. The society's symbol is the Medusa's head, coming from the myth of Medusa.
Name
The society's name became Medusa in 1893, and it was known as the Grand Tribunal prior to this. Variations of Medusa have been used over the years, such as "Medusa's head" or "Medusa Club." It is most commonly referred to as "Medusa."
Membership
Little is known about what membership in the Medusa is predicated on. New members are chosen and "tapped" on random dates throughout the academic year. The initiation ceremonies have become well known on campus throughout the society's history. The ceremony is described in Glenn Weaver's The History of Trinity College: "The initiation ceremonies which were conducted at night with elaborate and mysterious incantations, replete with coffin, human skeleton, sacred seals, and liquid flame, attracted much attention from the Hartford townsfolk." Throughout its existence, Medusa has been criticized for its exclusiveness. In Trinity College in the Twentieth Century, it is explained that "There was occasional criticism of the Medusa's exclusiveness, and there was some dissatisfaction with the Medusa's having designated itself as the senior honorary society."
Presence on Campus
The society maintains an extremely high level of secrecy on Trinity's campus, and is not recognized by the College. Most information about the society is learned through word of mouth. Medusa members acknowledge each other through a system of archaic hand gestures and expressions that are known only to members.
Location
Medusa is known to have a permanent location on Trinity's campus where members socialize and meetings are conducted. The location is unknown to most students and faculty.

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