Crimson Circle

For other people named Crimson Circle, see Crimson Circle (disambiguation).

Crimson Circle
Established	1929
Type	Service Organization
Location	Los Angeles, California, United States
Campus	Loyola Marymount University
Website	[1]

The Crimson Circle is an all-male service organization composed of 35 sophomore, junior, and senior men from Loyola Marymount University and follows Jesuit principles. The Crimson Circle has served the university and surrounding communities in Los Angeles since its founding in 1929. Their crimson sweaters have been passed down from member to member for over eighty years.

History

The Crimson Circle was established at Loyola University on September 29, 1929 to assist the Jesuit Dean of Students with the enforcement of the Student Conduct Code at student assemblies and athletic events by administering punishment on infractors and interpreting the ASLU Constitution. It is a tradition as old as the Westchester campus itself. The first group of Crimsons included the top upper classmen of Loyola University with honorary positions held for the President of ASLU, the editor-in-chief of the Loyolan, and the president of the no longer existing Block L Society. In this group was Wil Von der Ahe who took over for his father in running the Vons Corporation. Since its inception, The Crimson Circle has been guided by the Jesuit values of service, loyalty, brotherhood, faith, and tradition upon which it was founded.^[1]

For decades the Crimson Circle was the judiciary branch of the school. It held public trials and inflicted punishment (sometimes physical) on the students who violated the rules of the school. The Circle was also in charge of interpreting the ASLU Constitution and holding ASLU officers in check. Up until the early 1980s, at least a portion of the members were voted into the organization by the student body.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the Crimson Circle began its first work off campus. It oftentimes worked with the Office of the (Cardinal) Archbishop of Los Angeles. More significantly, these two decades marked the first time Crimson Circle began promoting the education of local children throughout Los Angeles. Crimsons served as tutors and mentors at both parochial and public elementary schools. It has a long established relationship with St. Columbkille Elementary School and for many years volunteered at Loyola Village Elementary.^[2] It was also during these years that The Crimson Circle began to resemble the organization it is today. It became the first service organization on campus and committed itself to promoting programs of ASLU, the President's Office, University Relations, the Jesuit Community, and Admissions. Upon the Belles creation in 1960, the Crimson Circle and its new sister organization began working in tandem to be the face of the University for public relations—members of the Belles where drawn from Marymount College, Mount St. Mary's College, Immaculate Heart College, St. Vincent's School of Nursing, and Queen of Angels School of Nursing. In the spring of 1968, Marymount College created the Gryphon Circle in order to have an equivalent organization before it began it official affiliation with Loyola University.

The Crimson Circle experienced its most controversial years in the late 1970s and early 1980s when several women attempted to join the Circle. The student newspaper, the Loyolan, was filled with editorials and letters to the editor from faculty, students, Crimsons, and then moderator Fr. Alfred Kilp, S.J., about the all-male aspect of the organization; even the Los Angeles Times covered the story when Gloria Allred was set to represent a group of women attempting to join. The Crimson Circle would allow the women to interview, but did not select them for final membership. One woman was voted into the organization by the student body and was a member for one academic year in 1979-80.

Crimsons with Moderator Fr. Richard Robin, S.J., and LMU President Fr. Robert B. Lawton, S.J. in 2007.

Following the controversy, the co-ed Ignatians service Organization was created to balance The Crimson Circle and the all-female Belles and Gryphon Circle Service Organizations. The Service Organization Council was also created as a governing body of the campus’ service organizations to prevent any claims of discrimination against the single sex organizations. In 1992, Sursum Corda, a co-ed service organization, was founded by students who had been denied membership to the Crimson Circle.

In 1999, when Fr. Thomas P. O'Malley, S.J., left the university, he had Crimsons serve as the color guard in the Mass. In 2003, Magis, an all male service organization was founded, again by students who were not granted admission to the Crimson Circle. The Crimson Circle continued its mission by winning Service Organization of the year back-to-back years to begin the new millennium. In the 1998-99 academic year, Charity Ball was created in conjunction with the Belles to raise money for local charities. In 2007, Charity Ball raised $9,000 for St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, CA. In 2008, the event raised $12,000 for Break the Cycle, a non-profit organization committed to ending domestic violence.^[3]

The men of the Crimson Circle are present, in their sweaters, at every major university event. In addition to its continuous service to the university community, its members volunteer at several sites throughout Los Angeles. Members tutor elementary school students at St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, Dolores Mission School in Boyle Heights, and Good Shepherd Women and Children’s Center in Lennox. Furthermore, the men of Crimson Circle have maintained a healthy relationship with Loyola High School by tutoring inner-city students in preparation for their entrance exam at Loyola.

In the 2009-2010 academic year, The Crimson Circle held an 80th Anniversary Alumni Reunion. Over 180 alumni from as early as 1950 gathered for a Mass, dinner, and reception. Moderators of Crimson Circle have included: Fr. Lorenzo Malone, S.J., Fr. Al Kilp, S.J., Fr. James Erps, S.J., and Fr. Wayne Negrete, S.J.; Fr. Richard Robin, S.J., has served as moderator since 1995.^[4]

The uniform colors remain crimson and grey, reflecting the school colors of Loyola University.

Crimson sweater passed down to each member.

Service and Members

The Crimson Circle currently serves both the LMU and greater Los Angeles Communities. The LMU Center for Service and Action manages on campus requests for Crimson Circle. The Circle prides itself on its commitment to the LMU community as on campus service is a prominent part of its rich tradition. The Crimson Circle is also very active in LMU's annual Special Games and its members are among some of the campus' most distinguished student leaders. The recent tradition of organizing and facilitating Charity Ball with the Belles has raised money for St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, St. Joseph's Center in Santa Monica, victims of Hurricane Katrina, and Break the Cycle (a non-profit aiding victims of domestic violence). The Circle's off campus service includes tutoring students at St. Columbkille Elementary School, mentoring inner-city at risk youth (Urban Compass) preparing inner-city eighth grade students for their High School Entrance Exam to Loyola High School (Loyola Projects), annually cooking and delivering a meal for the Downtown Women's Center on Skid Row, work with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and service trips to Tijuana, Mexico.

External links

• The Crimson Circle
• Loyola Marymount University

Sources

-http://www.lmu.edu/Page1126.aspx
-http://crimsoncircle.aslmu.org/

References

1. ^ Crimson Circle, LMU, http://www.lmu.edu/Page1126.aspx
2. ^ St. Columbkille Elementary School, http://www.columbkille.org/images/OASIS_12-14_100_.pdf
3. ^ "Charity Ballers Raise Dough," Los Angeles Loyolan, http://www.laloyolan.com/news/charity-ballers-raise-dough-1.394326
4. ^ "Crimson Circle Celebrates 80 Years," http://www.lmu.edu/lmunews/Crimson_Circle_Celebrates_80_Years_of_Service.htm?DateTime=634042410600000000&PageMode=View