The Extraordinary World of MARBL: Irinian Society Ballot Box

The Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library is a place of discovery. All are welcome to visit and explore our unique holdings, whether as a researcher or an observer. The breadth and depth of our collections are vast, and it is nearly impossible to investigate every nook and cranny. We invite you this year, through our blog, to tour some of those places you didn't know existed, and get acquainted with collections you might not have previously explored. Check back in with us weekly over the course of 2013 as we offer you a delightful look into some of the favorite, but perhaps lesser-known, corners of our collections. These pieces are visually interesting, come attached with fascinating stories, and are often 3D objects you might not have realized are part of what makes up The Extraordinary World of MARBL.

Ballot Box, Irinian Society of Emory University

This wooden ballot box from the Emory University Memorabilia collection in Emory University Archives was used by the Irinian Society, a "mystic" fraternal organization formed at Emory College. Mystic societies were popular on the Emory College campus, though not with the College administration. In 1858, Emory College banned fraternal organizations, though the ban was short-lived and the formation of societies was once again permitted in 1869.

by Kate Stratton, Research Library Fellow, Emory University Archives

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