History of Mallet
From The Mallet Assembly
The Mallet Assembly (aka the Men's Honors Program) was organized in 1961. Named for its first residence in Mallet Hall, the Assembly also claims as its namesake John Mallet, a Civil War era chemist and head of the Confederacy's incendiary munitions division (and the first of many Malleteers who love to blow things up!). Perhaps this legacy was one of the reasons Mallet was listed, in the early 1960's, as a subversive organization with capability to build a nuclear weapon. Alas, we just never got around to that.
Always a source of creative energy, the Assembly antics finally exhausted the University's tolerance in the early seventies. After too many Vietnam protests and the launching of a snack machine into Palmer Lake, Mallet was unceremoniously relocated to Byrd Hall (coincidentally right behind the President's Mansion) and where we have resided ever since.
The late seventies saw Malleteer Cleo Thomas elected as the first and only black president of the SGA. Elected by a coalition of independents and rebellious sororities, Thomas was also the first person to defeat a machine-backed candidate for the office of president.
In 1981 a fire gutted Byrd Hall's attic and left the Assembly with a new roof and no access to our uppermost story. The suspected cause of the fire was a (very clumsy) vagrant living in the attic. And to this day, some older Malleteers still reckon time by "the year of the fire."
The Assembly continues its tradition of non-conformity and general smart-assedness today. The SGA, which was disbanded in the mid 90s, was brought back to campus in 1996 with the help of Malleteer Lee Pruit, who served as Constitutional Convention Chairman.
For Homecoming 1996, the Assembly decided that the University's theme "The South's Timeless Traditions" could not go unspoofed. After collecting old warehouse pallets, chicken wire, and plenty of balled-up toilet paper, the Assembly created a breathtaking lawn decoration titled "The South's Untimely Traditions." Scenes such as George Wallace's stand in the schoolhouse door, a Klan lynching, and an exploding church reminded students that the South's traditions were more than just southern belles and football.
Ignorant locals and biased media attention from the campus newspaper (they've never liked us 'cause we're smarter than they are) caused quite a controversy. The story of our lawn decoration even appeared on the AP news wire, all this for less than $38 and a few all-night pomping sessions.
To this day Mallet strives to push the boundaries set before it in an attempt to rattle the cages and keep people honest. If this appeals to you, we extend an invitation to continue in this fine tradition with us and apply for membership.
