Recalling his induction into Osiris, Tom Burns ’62, SM ’63 recounts joining the organization during his junior year at a memorable dinner gathering of the entire group at the prestigious Membership of Odd Volumes in Boston. “In the sixties, we were summoned to Boston, instructed to wear a tuxedo and navigate blindly for a while under the guidance of a senior member of the Society, ultimately arriving at the Membership to face a large group of school and pupil members.” A written account from that era describes initiates in tuxedos being tasked with performing a stunt – such as launching paper airplanes near a ticket counter at Logan Airport – while waiting to be picked up. Meanwhile, school members regularly hosted annual dinner conferences, often held at Killian’s penthouse residence at 100 Memorial Drive.” According to him, scholar members were responsible for determining the topics and facilitating discussions, with the added task of selecting the next year’s inductees.
Ultimately, soliciting multiple subsequent editors of the MIT student newspaper to join an organization with such a clandestine purpose was inherently perilous. On February 18, 1955, the college newspaper Certain Sufficiency published a front-page article bearing the headline “Scholar-Leaders Convene with Administration and Faculty in Secret Society, Osiris.” The piece was anonymous, a common practice for information articles at the time, but penned by Stephen N. Cohen ’56, editor at the time, appears to have been a member of Osiris. Tellingly, the subsequent three editors – John A., James M., and Elizabeth W. – all concurred that the manuscript required significant revisions before publication. Friedman ’57, Leland E. Holloway Jr. The 1958 graduating class (Stewart Wade Wilson, included), followed by Eldon H., about a week later. Reiley ’55, president of MIT’s Undergraduate Association and Institute Committee, as well as an Osiris member, authored an 11-paragraph statement in which he claimed, among other things, that “Osiris is a casual group of school and college students who gather occasionally over dinner to discuss matters pertinent to the welfare and betterment of MIT.” The group lacks inherent vitality.
There is no hint whatsoever within the archival records or in interviews with surviving members to suggest that the co-ed members of Osiris deliberated on anything beyond the identification of the next year’s recruits.
Howard Wesley Johnson was inducted as an honorary member of the institution in 1965, just prior to his appointment as MIT’s 12th president in 1966. Johnson’s dedication to his Osiris responsibilities was unmistakable: His conference schedule was seamlessly integrated into his appointment calendar; hence, missing the 1968 initiation occasioned a heartfelt apology to “the lads of OSIRIS,” regretting the imperative that took precedence – protecting MIT. requires my absence.
The subtle undertones of Johnson’s letter reveal the underlying tensions that ultimately led to the group’s demise. The mention of Osiris as a remnant of the past highlights its lack of diversity until 1969, while the simultaneous turmoil at MIT underscores the fragile state of the organization.
Marvin Sirbu Jr. recalls being appointed in 1969, following his tenure as Vice President of the Graduate Student Council. Ph.D. ’66, M.Arch ’67, SM ’68, MS Eng ’70, Sc.D. ’73. “I recall the remarkable dynamic where undergraduate students and directors engaged in unstructured discussions during Osiris conferences, fostering a unique atmosphere of collaboration and informal exchange.”
TECHNIQUE 1904
Howard Johnson’s presidency is indelibly marked by his adept handling of student unrest, particularly during three days in November 1969 when over a thousand people protested the Institute’s ties to the US Department of Defense. The documentary features footage from conferences of a joint committee comprising school and college students who played a crucial role in de-escalating the situation. While the majority of college students held membership in Osiris, this was not due to their affiliation with the prestigious organization, but rather because they had been voted in as student leaders. Despite Sirbu’s reservations, the Osiris conferences may provide insight into why those in the same room felt such a strong affinity for one another.
Minutes from two 1971 conferences held in the spring reveal discussions centred on cannabis, maintaining decorum during Osiris gatherings, and concerns about a possible resurgence of McCarthyist ideologies on campus. According to a report in a reputable publication, topics related to financial analysis coverage and housing were also common. However Osiris was in decline. By early March, Grey had observed a significant increase in attendance, with no fewer than 34 individuals having participated.
Only 27 students RSVP’d “yes” to attend the March 16 assembly, but significantly more non-student attendees showed up, with approximately three times as many “over-thirties” present as there were student “actives”.
