Considering the Past: Topics in M.C. History

A symbol of authority and order, the Meredith College Mace is traditionally carried at the head of an academic procession, most notably at commencement exercises. The Mace was a gift of Egbert L. Davis Jr. in memory of his wife, Eleanor Layfield Davis. Eleanor Davis was a 1932 graduate of Meredith College, a college trustee and an artist. 

The Mace was first used during graduation in May, 1989. It was also part of the inauguration of Maureen Hartford in 2000, leading the academic procession.

Commissioned by Mr. Davis from Schiffman's, Inc., a North Carolina jeweler, the Mace was designed by Rebecca Allmendinger Schiffman. The Mace is capped by a Meredith Iris atop the Lux seal, enameled in white, maroon and gold. The Lux is wreathed by gilded silver oak leaves and acorns, which along with the natural oak staff, represents the college's long identification with Raleigh, the "City of Oaks." Hand-engraved on one side of the ellipse-shaped bowl are the Main Building (1899) on the original downtown campus, and on the other side, the Johnson Administration Building (1926) on the current campus.