# Why 'Secret" society signs on outskirts of US towns **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601 "2005-10-17T15:30:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Loblaw_1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/21 "2005-10-18T05:25:30Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > I know this is hopeless and I am not looking for any sort of argument, but the Masonic Fraternity is **NOT** a secret society. While I’m at it, it is **NOT** a religion, either. Well, hold on. There is a large sliding scale of what is meant by “secret” here. Masons certainly do have secrets which they are pledged not to divulge. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t available to the non-member who wants to do some digging. The existence of Masons is not a secret, but most of their goings-on are. They also have rituals that appear to be religious, but are not. Elks have fun and supposedly secret handshakes and who knows what else, but it’s more like a boys who don’t grow up club who do a lot of public service. Rotarians (also on those town signs) along with Lions and Kiwanas are mostly social and networking and may have some in stuff, but I’ve been to a bunch of meetings and never noticed. (I’ve been to Mason and Elk events too, and noticed stuff going on, particularly with the Masons. (I’m not a member of any.) I suppose the quote I’m replying to is interpreting “secret societies” in the sense that they deny they exist to outsiders, like Yale’s famous Skull & Bones, a debating society enhanced with the drama of hush-hush, or the supposed Illuminati which may have once existed. The bogey-men of the far, far right, the Tri-Laterals, Bilderbergers, etc. existed, were public about their existence and even had portions of their meetings with minutes the public could gain access to, although some sessions would be off the record, supposedly to allow the members to speak freely. Let’s throw in Odessa, the organization of former SS agents (it’s a German anacronym) was a secret criminal society that aided former nazis fleeing justice. Oh, and La Cosa Nostra is a secret criminal society too. Bob’s essay on societies and secrets. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/22 "2005-10-18T05:28:00Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > I wish I had a photo of our town’s sign. It’s huge! I think it’s five badges tall and six badges wide, so it’s billboard sized. I wonder if all the organizations even still exist… OK, I checked today. It’s actually got 24 badges. What could they possibly be for??? ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/23 "2005-10-18T05:36:51Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > For the REALLY secret societies, you have to look for what’s painted on the BACK of the sign. 😃 With invisible runes! ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/24 "2005-10-18T06:21:12Z")
I think secret societies are getting less and less secret these days. Just the other guy, I saw a guy wearing a jacket that said “Illuminati” across the back. (No kidding. I thought it was pretty ironic.) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/25 "2005-10-18T12:26:43Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > For the REALLY secret societies, you have to look for what’s painted on the BACK of the sign. 😃 I rather like this, **Ranchoth**. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/26 "2005-10-18T13:40:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Oh, yeah? Then how come the last time I went elk hunting, I didn’t see a single elk? Huh? How come? > > Gotta be a secret somewhere… 😃 Debaser and I had the same problem with moose! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/27 "2005-10-18T16:04:31Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > _Makes The Antlers of Protection_ > Note: I’ve never once ever seen a brother Elk actually do the recognition sign. Please, please, please tell me this is what I think it is. Thumbs on the temples fingers out, right? Do Moose lodges get upset if you talk like Bullwinkle? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/28 "2005-10-18T16:38:26Z")
> [@Madd Maxx](#): > > Please, please, please tell me this is what I think it is. Thumbs on the temples fingers out, right? Do Moose lodges get upset if you talk like Bullwinkle? Alas, no. It would be way cooler of it were. To make the Antlers of Protection, you hold your arms out with your hands raised and your fingers spread. Picture a waiter carrying a tray at head-level on each hand and you’ll get the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/29 "2005-10-18T17:03:53Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Alas, no. It would be way cooler of it were. To make the Antlers of Protection, you hold your arms out with your hands raised and your fingers spread. Picture a waiter carrying a tray at head-level on each hand and you’ll get the idea. Do you then say “Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.”? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/30 "2005-10-18T18:01:34Z")
> [@Bob Loblaw](#): > > Elks have fun and supposedly secret handshakes and who knows what else, but it’s more like a boys who don’t grow up club who do a lot of public service. Really? In four years as an officer in our Elks lodge (I’ve sat all four chairs, as the saying goes) I’ve never heard of an Elks handshake. If it’s a secret handshake, then it’s a _really good_ secret! Oh, and for those who watch too much _Flintstones_, there aren’t any hats, either. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/31 "2005-10-18T18:06:55Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Do you then say “Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.”? The Antlers of Protection is the recognition sign for the Elks. A Bullwinkle joke would go better with the recognition sign (if they have one) for the Moose Club. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Loblaw_1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/32 "2005-10-18T18:40:41Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Really? In four years as an officer in our Elks lodge (I’ve sat all four chairs, as the saying goes) I’ve never heard of an Elks handshake. If it’s a secret handshake, then it’s a _really good_ secret! > > Oh, and for those who watch too much _Flintstones_, there aren’t any hats, either. Well, then my Elk friends have been pulling my leg, which is entirely possible, they are fun loving fellas. On the other hand, maybe you are keeping the secret, secret. All I know is that I don’t know and the Elks are pretty good guys who do a lot of good stuff for the community. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/33 "2005-10-18T23:26:28Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > A Bullwinkle joke would go better with the recognition sign (if they have one) for the Moose Club. Lodge. Moose _Lodge_. Or, Loyal Order of Moose, to be more precise. I’ve been a Moose for six years, and have never heard of a recognition sign. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/34 "2005-10-19T15:37:08Z")
Does a list of all these clubs exist? Or photos of particularly dense society signs? What would it take to start up a ‘secret’ society and get to advertise it on one of these sign posts? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/35 "2005-10-19T15:41:12Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > What would it take to start up a ‘secret’ society and get to advertise it on one of these sign posts? You could probably have a sigh shop make you a plaque and slip it onto the post yourself without anyone being the wiser. 😃 In reality, it just takes the local authorities recognising your organization as one with which they would like to be associated. City council decides, in other words. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/36 "2005-10-19T20:25:25Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In reality, it just takes the local authorities recognising your organization as one with which they would like to be associated. City council decides, in other words. Most of those signs are erected by the Chamber of Commerce, so it is their decision. [Here is a good example.](http://ortonvillechamber.org/) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Davil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@The\_Davil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Davil)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601/37 "2005-10-19T20:50:24Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > For the REALLY secret societies, you have to look for what’s painted on the BACK of the sign. 😃 And for the Double Secret societies, you have to look at what’s painted in the middle, sandwiched between the front and back of the sign. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-secret-society-signs-on-outskirts-of-us-towns/326601.md?page=1)