Order of the Grail-Valkyries (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

The Order of the Grail-Valkyries traces its origins to the fall of 1920, when the Order of the Grail was formed to bring together the University's fraternity and non-fraternity men. The Order hosted informal dances to bring the two groups together, and it served the University by contributing the dance proceeds to scholarships for deserving students. In 1976, the Order of the Grail merged with the Valkyries, a group of University women who embraced the same ideals as the men of the Grail. Since 1941, the Valkyries had been the only campus honorary society that recognized extraordinary contributions of University women. The Order of the Grail-Valkyries funds scholarships from its participation in class ring sales; it also hosts lectures and inducts outstanding students into its organization.

From the description of Records of the Order of the Grail-Valkyries, 1920-2007. WorldCat record id: 26978180

The Order of the Grail-Valkyries traces its origins to the fall of 1920, when the Order of the Grail was formed to bring together the university's fraternity and non-fraternity men, who were at odds at the time. The Order of the Grail hosted informal dances to bring the two groups together, and it served the university by using the dance proceeds to fund scholarships for deserving students. In 1976, the Order of the Grail merged with the Valkyries, a group of university women who embraced the same ideals as the men of the Grail. Since 1941 the Valkyries had been the only campus honorary society that recognized extraordinary contributions of university women. In 1998-1999, the order was involved in a lawsuit against former president Vann W. Donaldson. Donaldson fraudulently applied for loans using the order's name. Ultimately, the order was found innocent of any wrongdoing. As part of its effort to re-establish its name, it incorporated a foundation, establishing it as a non-profit organization with the Internal Revenue Service so as to have more transparent financial dealings. No longer hosting dances, the order funds scholarships from its participation in class ring sales in conjunction with Student Stores. The order also hosts lectures and inducts outstanding students into its organization.

The following is excerpted from The Order of the Grail-Valkyries: A Brief History, printed and distributed at their 2003 induction ceremony.

The Grail-Valkyries traces its origins to a meeting of a handful of students in the Cabinet Council room of the Campus Y in the fall of 1920. The University at that time was mired in discord between fraternity and non-fraternity men, who often were from more humble station than their fraternity counterparts. The Order of the Grail was envisioned to bring these two groups together to overcome the differences which divided them; its toll was an informal campus dance. A 1940 monograph printed in the Tar Heel explains:

Its first step in a program to restore unity in the social sphere was to provide dances designed to bring the fraternity and non-fraternity men together. The dances were informal and the price of admission moderate. Furthermore, the Grail selected as its members an equal number of outstanding and respected men from the fraternity and the non-fraternity ranks. They were the hosts at the dances and it was their job to bring the students together. . . . The funds which accrued from the dance were used for aiding worthy students to go to college and to assist causes dedicated to promote campus unity. The dances became an enormous success, and the Order was able to provide many needy and deserving students the means to meet their college expenses.

In 1976, the Order of the Grail merged with the Valkyries, a group of University women who embraced the same ideals as the men of the Grail. For more than thirty years, the Valkyries had served as the only campus honorary society that recognized extraordinary contributions that women have made to our University. . . . Since 1976, our two organizations have existed as one, continuing a long tradition of recognizing outstanding students and promoting scholarship by providing financial aid to deserving students.

. . . After the dances ceased, our Order continued to fund need-based scholarships by being the first group to bring the sale of class rings to campus . . .

From the guide to the Order of the Grail-Valkyries of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1920-2007, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. University Archives.)