The Ivy Society was formulated to foster class spirit in the junior class as well as to do away with "factional feeling which may exist on the Hill," though these two goals were somewhat contradictory. For many years the Ivy Society's main activity was the preparation and production of the Ivy Book, a handbook for the college, which became an essential publication for incoming students from its first appearance in the 1902-03 academic year. It was an annual publication which ceased in 1971.

The duties assigned to the Ivy Society by the student council were to publish the Ivy Book, to run dances after basketball games, to have charge of Junior Day and Junior Prom, to run organized football trips, to act as ushers at formal Chapel functions, to look after athletic trophies, to gather together the pictures of the current athletic teams, and to conduct Senior and Freshman elections, including the counting of votes.

Election to the society at first was by vote of the faculty, but after the first class was elected, election was by the membership of the society, who selected the following year's members from the Junior class. During the academic year 1923-24, there was criticism as some felt that fraternity politics and popularity had undue weight in the selection process. A revision of the rules in 1929-30 changed the process and from that time forward the society nominated qualified members of the rising class, and the class as a whole voted to elect members of the society.

The last elections for the society were held in April 1969 for the 1969-70 academic year.

Source: TN, Spring 1946, 143-44; LOH1

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