The Black Masque Honor Society formed in 1930 as a secret senior women’s honorary student organization. In 1930 Gladys Aitken, a senior at San Jose State Teachers College, attended a convention of Associated Women Students and was first introduced to the Mortar Board, a national society honoring senior women for both scholarship and leadership. Influenced by the convention, Aitken proposed San Jose State establish its own organization similar to Mortar Board and the Dean of Women, Helen Dimmick, shared her enthusiasm and together outlined the provisional society called The Mystic 13. By 1931 member qualifications were chosen and a constitution written which entailed members to wear black robes and black masks for initiation, leading to the official name of the group—Black Masque. Each year thirteen women were invited for membership at the end of their junior year on the basis of their leadership and service to the university and would become active members their senior year. The group would convene for community outreach, fellowship, and annual reunions. The Black Masque Alumni Council was established in 1943 and continues to actively work with the campus society. In 1977 men were allowed admittance. Black Masque remains an active, albeit an exclusively nomination only, honor society of San José State University.