The Stewards Society (collectively referred to as The Stewards) is an anonymous, all-male service fraternity, often considered a secret society, at Georgetown University. The name collectively refers a handful of loosely organizationally tied groups that have existed since the Stewards Society's founding in the 1980s. Since its founding, the Stewards Society would remain largely unknown until 1988, when Rev. Joseph Durkin, S.J, publicly denounced the group, ultimately leading to the group disbanding. The First Steward Society would still continue to operate until splitting in the 1990s, forming the Second Stewards Society and later the Third Stewards Society.
The Stewards were founded in 1982 as an all-male service group at Georgetown University, originally designed as a secret society. Manuel Miranda was among the founders and first leaders of this organization. The group at the time was made up of students in leadership positions.[1][2]
In fall 1987 the Stewards issued a letter detailing campus traditions to the incoming Freshman class; this letter included an image of a key, the society's logo.[1] On February 9, 1988, Rev. Joseph Durkin, S.J, the advisor of the organization, publicly exposed the group in a letter written to the Georgetown student newspaper, The Hoya. In this letter, he criticized the group for excluding female and minority students.[3]
With a week of this letter, the First Stewards Society announced the members had disbanded.[1][3] Along with this, a number of the former members abdicated their leadership positions, including the student government president and the editor-in-chief for The Hoya, due to a student backlash against the group. John Courtin, an executive director for the Georgetown Alumni Association claimed to have been aware of the group but have limited participation.[1] Internal documents from the Stewards would refer to this period of time as "The Great Unpleasantness."[4] The Stewards continued to operate in an atomized state until the mid-1990s when internal conflicts resulted in the group splitting.[5] The First Steward Society died out soon after.[6]
Second and Third Stewards Society (mid-1990s – present)
Following the internal split within the First Steward Society, the Second Stewards Society was formed sometime during the 1990s. Around this time, another group referring to themselves as the "Third Steward Society" also formed, claiming to be the direct successors to the original Steward group.[6] Both groups remained predominantly out of the public eye during this time.[4] The Stewards were largely believed to have become defunct at this time by the student body; until, in 2001, a member of the group published an article in the Georgetown Academy magazine explaining the organization and its objectives.[7] At some point, a clock was installed in Georgetown's Red Square with a plaque referencing a former member of the Stewards and displaying the two-key logo of the organization.[6]
In 2013 an anonymous blogger going by the name "Steward Throat" would release a series of internal e-mails from the Stewards members. This included internal memos that a candidate for student government president was an undisclosed member of the Stewards. This exposé would result in the aforementioned candidate losing the election and increased scrutiny towards the organization and its financial activities. Additionally, the Stewards drew considerable criticism over an 'elitist' attitude and expressed desire to combat the left-leaning culture of the university.[4][8] Following this, The Hoya would host reviews on the 2014 and 2015 candidates for student government positions, outing members of both the Second and Third Steward Societies. The Hoya also described how student government candidates would be approached by Steward members during their campaigns.[7][9] At the same time, a 2000 copy of the group's by-laws was leaked to the Washington Post detailing the structure and senior positions of the Second Stewards.[4]
In 2020 an anonymous group referring to themselves as the White Rose released the identities and personal information about members of the Stewards on Twitter. The group released a series of statements calling for transparency around secret organizations, would make cryptic posts regarding the Stewards, and called for a university-wide ban on secret societies participating in student government. A spokesman for the Stewards dismissed the group as spreading "old paranoia and distorted stories" and announced the actions of the White Rose were a violation of DC cyberstalking and harassment laws, as well as a violation of university guidelines. The White Rose was loosely compared to Steward Throat.[10] In response to the White Rose, the Second Stewards Society released a statement clarifying their organization and its structure.[11]
Structure and activities
Little is known about the structure of the Third Stewards society but the Second Steward's structure is known due to the Washington Post leak of the group's by-laws. The Second Steward's motto is Non Scholae Sed Vitae ("Not for School but for Life") and their logo is a two-key design. The known positions of the group include: the Quaestor of the Treasury, the Keeper, the Dean of All the Years, the Master of the Ritual, and two Guardian Stewards. Little is known about the specific roles of these members, save for that one of the Guardian Stewards is a position held by a Jesuit or Roman Catholic Priest.[4]
Today, Second Stewards Society operates as an anonymous service fraternity, claiming to be a private association and not a secret society.[12] In 2020, the Second Stewards Society stated that they were not designated as a student group, instead calling themselves an alumni association. The Second Stewards Society has compared themselves to the Sulgrave Club, and has claimed that under NAACP v. Alabama and Roberts v. Jaycees, they operate within legal bounds. The organization claims to prefer to act with anonymity, not wanting members to be known publicly. The Second Stewards Society asserts that members who are asked about participating in the organization are obligated to be truthful and must adhere to an ethical code.[11]
Following the Steward Throat leak, financial documents were uncovered showing the group had a net assets of $147,000 and had predominantly donated to the campus's debate society, theater organization, and right-wing opinion journal.[4] At the time of the White Rose leaks, the organization's endowment was estimated at 6 figures by The Hoya.[10] The Stewards have stated they played a major role in the funding and planning of a child care center at Georgetown University.[13]
Reception
During the disbanding of the First Stewards Society, the group drew considerable criticism from the student government, the student newspapers, and female students. The Stewards have been criticized as having "undertones of conservative religiousness, and.. anti-modern(ism)," and being seen as an effort to "manipulate student opinion and university agendas". Dean of Students John DeGioia stated "I don't believe that was my responsibility [in reference to the group disbanding], but I did make it clear to them that we do not tolerate the activities of a secret society on our campus." DeGioia claimed to have been previously approached by the organization but refused to offer them any support or formal recognition, as secret societies were a violation of university policy.[1] Other criticisms against the organization include a lack of oversight and the pushing of propaganda toward new students.[6]
The Stewards have contested these claims, asserting that their members include a range of religious and political identities; specifically citing that the student body presidential candidate outed in 2013 identified as a JewishDemocrat.[4] Furthermore, following the White Rose leaks, Second Stewards Society spokesperson Adam Augustine Carter claimed the organization was apolitical and was not "defined by race, faith or ideology."[11]
^Sinderbr, Rebecca (March 5, 1999). "Alumni Donation". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
