About the Beacon Society (Newsletters, Bylaws, Meeting Minutes)

About the Beacon Society

In 2003, New York Sherlockian Maribeau Briggs developed the idea of creating a society to teach Sherlock Holmes to young people. Briggs’ idea was overwhelming embraced by other Sherlockians as a means to support educational experiences which introduce young people to the Canon. The Beacon Society is a scion society of The Baker Street Irregulars (BSI), and serves as a link to other scion societies, providing educators with local resources to bring the magic of Sherlock Holmes to life in the classroom, library, museum, or theater.

Maribeau Briggs

The name “The Beacon Society,” is based on a quote from “The Adventure of the Naval Treaty” in the Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, in which Holmes says to Watson, “Look at those big, isolated clumps of buildings rising up above the slates, like brick islands in a lead-coloured sea.” “The board-schools.” “Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future! Capsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wiser, better England of the future.”
Members of the Beacon Society come from all over the U.S., with most of our members belonging to scion societies in their home areas.

The goals of the Beacon Society include:

Recognize exemplary educational experiences that introduce young people to the Sherlock Holmes stories
Encourage teachers, librarians, museum activity directors, as well as children's theater directors, to use Sherlock Holmes to engage young people in the pleasure of reading
Enjoy reading and teaching people about Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Beacon Society Website provides

Ideas for using Sherlock Holmes as a teaching aid in classrooms, libraries, theaters, and museums.
Examples of projects that have successfully introduced young people to the stories of Sherlock Holmes
Help for Sherlock Holmes societies who want to get involved with teaching in their communities
Information about the world of Sherlock Holmes for students and educators of all kinds

Officers and Committees (a more detailed description of each of these can be found in the By-Laws)

Head Light (Chairperson). Responsible for the overall leadership of the Society.
- Those who have served as the Head Light:
  - Scott Monty
  - Joe Copolla
  - Susan Diamond
  - Bill Mason
  - Denny Dobry
  - Carla Coupe

Percy Phelps (Secretary). Responsible for maintaining minutes of all Board Meetings, for providing notification to the General Membership of meetings, and for correspondence as necessary.
Bursar (Treasurer). Responsible for developing and reviewing fiscal procedures and annual budget with other Board members.
Awards Committee. Receives nominations for the Susan Z. Diamond Beacon Award.
Grants Committee. Receives proposals for the Jan Stauber Grant.
Program Committee. Proposes to the Board and implements Beacon Society education related initiatives; reviews and makes recommendations on proposals for programs and initiatives; and screens contributions or submissions for the website."
Communications Committee. Conducts outreach on Society activities and maintains the Society’s website.
Fundraising Committee. Responsible for raising funds to support Society education-related initiatives and awards.
Junior Sherlockian Committee. Oversees the Junior Sherlockian Society to introduce individual children and youth to Sherlock Holmes and recognize participants for their efforts.

Society Newsletter

Volume 9, Number 1 -- February, 2025
Volume 8, Number 2 -- June, 2024
Volume 8, Number 1 -- March, 2024
Volume 7, Number 3 -- October, 2023
Volume 7, Number 2 -- June, 2023
Volume 7, Number 1 -- March, 2023
Volume 6, Number 4 -- December, 2022
Volume 6, Number 3 -- July, 2022
Volume 6, Number 2 -- April, 2022
Volume 6, Number 1 -- January, 2022
Volume 5, Number 2 -- June, 2021
Volume 5, Number 1 -- April, 2021
Volume 4, Number 4 -- December, 2020

Volume 4, Number 3 -- September, 2020
Volume 4, Number 2 -- June, 2020
Volume 4, Number 1 -- February, 2020
Volume 3, Number 4 -- December, 2019
Volume 3, Number 3 -- August, 2019
Volume 3, Number 2 -- April, 2019
Volume 3, Number 1 -- February, 2019
Volume 2, Number 3 -- November, 2018
Volume 2, Number 2 -- May, 2018
Volume 2, Number 1 -- January, 2018
Volume 1, Number 1 -- October, 2017

The Beacon Society By-Laws (2019 edition)

The Beacon Society By-Laws (2016 edition)

The Beacon Society By-Laws (2013 edition)

The Beacon Society By-Laws (2010 edition)