Many societies also limit their membership to a specific numerical limit in a class year. For example, many societies have two-part names, such as Skull and Bones or Scroll and Key. There are several common traits among these societies. There are additional means, such as societies that were more or less explicitly established in emulation of some previous secret society, or using historical records to show that society X was created out of society Y. While there are some guideline criteria for the neutral observer to understand what sort of society any given organization is, much of the analysis reverts to what any one society has been traditionally understood to be. Some of these state that they are honoraries others seek to perpetuate the image of a continuing active society where there is none. Many secret societies exist as honoraries on one campus and may have been actual meeting societies at one time, kept alive by one or two dedicated local alumni or an alumni affairs or Dean's office person, who see to it that an annual initiation is held every year. For most members, membership consists of one evening's initiation, and no more, which would make the society completely an honorary one in most people's eyes. It claims today to still be an actual society that has meetings, conducts its affairs, and is a living social entity. Phi Beta Kappa, for example, was a true secret society, but after its secrets were divulged, the society continued. Īn especially difficult problem is the degree to which any one society is an actual society or is simply an honorary designation. Usually, being a member of more than one fraternity is not considered appropriate, because that member would have divided loyalties however, typically, there is no issue with being a member of a secret society and a fraternity, because they are not considered similar organizations or competing organizations. One key concept in distinguishing secret societies from fraternities is that, on campuses that have both kinds of organizations, one can be a member of both (that is, membership is not mutually exclusive). Some secret societies have kept their membership secret, for example Seven Society and Gridiron, and some have not, like Skull and Bones (the Yale societies had published their membership lists in the yearbooks and the Yale Daily News). Secret societies can have ceremonial initiations, secret signs of recognition (gestures, handshakes, passwords), formal secrets, (the 'true' name of the society, a motto, or society history) but, college fraternities or "social fraternities" have the same, and some of these elements can also be a part of literary societies, singing groups, editorial boards, and honorary and pre-professional groups. There is no strict rule on the categorization of secret societies. Most class societies are restricted to the senior class and are therefore also called senior societies on many campuses. Some collegiate secret societies are referred to as "class societies", which restrict membership to one class year. A collegiate secret society makes a significant effort to keep affairs, membership rolls, signs of recognition, initiation, or other aspects secret from the public. They vary greatly in their level of secrecy and the degree of independence from their universities. There are many collegiate secret societies in North America. ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Please discuss this issue on the article's talk page. Please consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding subheadings. This article may be too long to read and navigate comfortably.
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