History of the Gryphon Society

The Gryphon Society, founded in 1957, is composed of upperclassmen that display leadership potential, oversee residence hall life, and serve as a direct resource for students.

Before the creation of the Gryphon Society, there was the Freshman Counselors. The end of WWII marked the beginning of the Freshmen Counselors. The desire stemmed from Dean Congdon’s 1944 post-war plan to defer pledging and increase class spirit. This allowed incoming freshman to find other interests and effectively transition to university life, under the mentorship of a Freshman Counselor. Although counselors eased the adjustment period to college, there was no organized structure due to the living arrangements. At the time there were not enough dormitories to separate upperclassmen from freshman, which weakened the overall ability of a counselor to be an effective mentor. Since everyone lived together, counselors were focusing more on managing social events for the entire dorm. After the completion of residence hall facilities in 1955, the execution of the “Dravo Experiment” transformed the role of Freshman Counselors from being a social coordinator to a student mentor. The “Dravo Experiment,” (see image 2) also known as the “segregation plan,” was a pilot program that would study the complete separation of upperclassmen from freshmen for one year. Each counselor was assigned to a specific section of Dravo with an expectation to enforce disciplinary duties and be a student leader. At the end of the year, it was clear the freshmen were adjusting better living with an assigned counselor and separate from the upperclassmen. The success of the “Dravo Experiment” inspired the Freshman Counselors to form the Gryphon Society.

The Gryphon Society, named after the mythological creature meaning winged beast, half eagle and half lion, a Gryphon was considered to be a “guardian of the gold.” The original Freshman Counselors proposed the name of the society, since their primary duty was to protect Lehigh’s “gold” or the freshman students (see image 3). Beall Fowler (see image 4), class of 1959 and co-creator of the Gryphon Society, helped move along the process of obtaining official recognition by gaining the support of Dean Clarence Campbell. Fowler’s argument was simple: since counselors were not allowed to be members of fraternities, the formation of the Gryphon Society would allow counselors to form their own social bonds, organize activities, and gain campus recognition for their efforts. With the help of Dean Campbell to be recognized as a living group, the Gryphon Society was founded in 1957. Upon establishment, the Gryphons created a constitution (see image 5) that stated its overall purpose: “to provide a fraternal, intellectual, and organizational framework.” Beall fondly recalls the strong fraternal bonds he formed within the society, as well as the gratifying experience of mentoring the incoming freshman. By 1958, it was clear the Gryphon Society had become more close-knit and developed a greater campus presence. There were weekly dinners, pub nights, end of the year picnics, and much of the social benefits of being in a fraternity (see images 7 and 8). Additionally, compared to the other living groups on campus, the members of the Gryphon Society had the highest overall GPA ; their high scholarship and tutoring efforts also increased freshman academic standing. Within the first few years of its founding, the Gryphon Society proved to be an organization comprised of student leaders that were building strong relationships with each other and incoming freshman students.

When Lehigh decided to become co-educational in 1971, the Gryphon Society helped soften the transition. Sybil Stershic, a member of Lehigh’s first class of women and a Gryphon her sophomore year, remembers that while the school was changing the Gryphon Society made the transition easier (see image 10). While some female students had difficulties adjusting, Sybil Stershic’s membership to a strong community made her presence at Lehigh a “nonissue for everyone.” With their long-lasting bonds and strong campus presence, the Gryphon community helped students adapt to co-education.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Gryphon Society changed from being largely a student-run organization to taking on a more administrative role within the university. In 1976, Residential Services Office opened in Rathbone Hall, where professionals were available to act as a “Gryphon’s Gryphon.” The following year, in 1977, the Gryphon Society celebrated its 20th anniversary with a campus-wide celebration. The alumni were invited back to celebrate and their input was used to vote on adjustments for future special occasions, annual dues, and how to improve alumni communication. With an increase in administration involvement, the Gryphon Society put more of an emphasis on professional development. This shift largely occurred because Dean Campbell, who had encouraged student self-governance, retired in 1978 (see image 11). After his departure the Dean of Students Office absorbed the Residential Halls Office and elevated the Gryphon’s responsibilities. With these management changes, the Dean of Students Office added a new component to the Gryphon Society: an employment opportunity offered by residential services with an emphasis on leadership.

Today, Gryphons play a more professional role at Lehigh. In 2014, the Gryphon society was comprised of approximately 140 Gryphons who lived and served in first-year and upperclassmen residence hall facilities. As employees of the university, they are compensated for their room and board. While the organization continues to search for individuals with leadership potential, students have changed their expectations when becoming a member of the Gryphon Society. As of 2014, students are motivated to join the Gryphon society because it offers financial assistance and leadership opportunities (see image 12 and 13).