Restrictions to Access

Open to past and active members of the Order, except with written permission of the Princeps.

This collection contains additional materials that are not available for immediate or same day access. Please contact Research and Instructional Service staff at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu to discuss options for consulting these materials.

Restrictions to Use

No usage restrictions.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the Order of the Gorgon's Head of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records #40300, University Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Acquisitions Information

Received from the Order of the Gorgon's Head, 2007-2009; 2014 (RT 20140516.2); 2015 (RT 20150224.1); and 2017 (RT 20170502.2).

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Processed by: University Archives Staff, March 2007, April 2010, February 2015, May 2017

Encoded by: Megan Mikus, March 2007

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• College students--North Carolina--History.
• College students--North Carolina--Societies, etc.
• Order of the Gorgon's Head (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
• Student activities--North Carolina--History.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Societies, etc.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Students--History--20th century.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--Societies, etc.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill--Students--History--20th century.

• Order of Gimghoul of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records (#40262)

The Order of the Gorgon's Head, a secret society at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was founded in 1896. Membership has always been limited to male members of the junior, senior, professional, and post-graduate classes along with male faculty members. Inductees may not be members of other societies. Officers include Princeps (chief officer), Quaestor, and Scriptor. The purpose of the order is to promote friendship, good will, and social fellowship among its members.

The founding members were Darius Eatman, Edward Kidder Graham, Ralph Henry Graves, Samuel Selden Lamb, Richard Henry Lewis, Jr., and Percy DePonceau Whitaker. The Order of the Gorgon's Head was one of two "junior orders" established at the university in the 1890s; the other was the Order of Gimghoul. The two orders had written agreements that they would not attempt to recruit freshmen or sophomores. Each order had a lodge (the Gimghouls later built a castle), where members gathered for meetings and events. Each had secret rituals based on myths. Those of the Order of the Gorgon's Head centered on the myth of the Gorgons, three monstrous sisters prominent in ancient Greek and Roman lore. The most famous of the Gorgons was Medusa, who had her head cut off by the warrior Perseus.

Records of the Order of the Gorgon's Head (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) include constitutions and bylaws, correspondence, financial and legal records, membership information, descriptions of rituals, and other items related to the order.

• Photographs (P-40300/1-14)