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Mystery Monday: procession

By Mark Alden Branch ’86 | 8:00am April 18 2022

The International Room in Sterling Memorial Library was once the Yale Memorabilia room, and its shelves are decorated with scenes of extracurricular life. What bygone tradition is depicted here?

Filed under Mystery Monday

2 comments

  • George Huthsteiner '74 TD
    George Huthsteiner '74 TD, 4:13am April 22 2022 | Ico flag Flag as inappropriate

    CALCIUM LIGHT NIGHT <> Fraternities ruled Yale in the 1880's. Two weeks before commencement, members of the Junior fraternities in cowls and gowns would march carrying limelight lanterns, to greet the sophomores pledged to join the following year <> DKE and Psi Upsilon, each singing its own society song, attempted to drown the voices of the other, as described by W. E. Decrow in 1885, "Yale and the 'City of Elms'." <> Charles Ives in 1911 wove the competing fraternity songs together to create a dissonant short piece for chamber ensemble entitled "Set No.1:5 Calcium Light Night"(2:48).

  • Mark Branch
    Mark Branch, 10:05am April 27 2022 | Ico flag Flag as inappropriate

    Exactly right!

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