A comment was made to the list that it was "unfortunate" that the Mayflower Society used the word "Society" as part of its name because it represented "high society." I would like to disagree with this comment because "high society" is not all that the word "society" means. For example, in Blacks Law Dictionary the word society is defined as: "An association or company of persons (generally unincorporated) united together by mutual consent, in order to deliberate, determine, and act jointly for some common purpose. In a wider sense, the community or public; the people in general." This definition was provided by case law: Gilmer v. Stone, 120 U.S. 586, 7 S.Ct. 689, 30 L.Ed 734. For those of you who are not in the legal field and don't know how to find case law I will provide a brief explanation of the case decided. There are three different books which will provide this citation. One is found in volume 30 of Law Edition at page 734. One is found in volume 7 of the Supreme Court Reports at page 689 and the last will be found in volume 120 of the United States Reports at page 586. Not every law library can afford to carry every single volume of law reports published throughout the United States. So if one were to go to a law library you can ask for any of these three and they should have at least one. In your normal dictionary such as a Webster's Dictionary you will find the word "society" defined as: 1. Compansionship or association with one's fellows: friendly or intimate intercourse: Company. 2. A voluntary association of individuals for common ends; esp: an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs,or profession. 3. (a) an enduring and cooperating social group whose members have developed organized patterns of relationships through interaction with one another (b) a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests. 4. (a) a part of a community that is a unit distinguishable by particular aims or standards of living or conduct: a social circle or a groujp of social circles having a clearly marked identity < move in polite~> <literary ~> (b) a part of the community that sets itself apart as a leisure class and that regards itself as the arbiter of fashion and manners. 5. (a)(1) a natural group of plants us. of a single species or habit within an association (2) Association. 6 (b) the progeny of a pair of insections when constituting a social unit (as a hive of bees); broadly: an interdependent system of organizisms or biological units." Outside of the aspect of the definition which describes the word to nature I believe that the beginning parts which describe the Mayflower Society as defined as Nos. 1-3 apply. I believe that No. 4 is what the writer of the comment meaning "high society" is what that part of definition is applicable. Therefore, in conclusion, the Mayflower Society is just that: an organization that falls under No. 2: A voluntary association of individuals for common ends; esp: an organized group working together or periodically meeting because of common interests, beliefs,or profession. It has nothing to do with "high society" by any sense of the word. Christie Trapp