#Yale skull and bones members windows#

The first tomb at Yale was Skull and Bones, completed in 1856, about 25 years after the society was founded. While the Kenyon log cabin was built with function in mind, Richards expanded that when architects were tapped for Yale tombs, designs took on a more referential form, often echoing religious architecture.

#Yale skull and bones members windows#

“There were air vents in the roof, but the whole concept of having sealed windows was the notion of privacy.” The Scroll and Key tomb.

The first fraternity house was a log cabin with sealed windows at Kenyon College,” says David Alan Richards, author of Skull and Keys: The Hidden History of Yale’s Secret Societies -and a member of Skull and Bones himself. “Secret societies originated as what you and I know as fraternities. The name for these curious clubhouses? Tombs. And there’s no chance of a glimpse at what goes on inside, because they are also windowless. Clubhouse walls are so thick-made of sandstone and marble in some cases-that sound never escapes. But unlike normal clubhouses, members are rarely seen entering or leaving. Bush, and former Secretary of State John Kerry among its alumni.Īnd like any established club, many have their own clubhouse around New Haven. Skull and Bones-arguably the most famous of Yale’s secret societies-alone counts President William Howard Taft, President George H.W. But one thing we do know is that while each club is small-membership is often capped at 15 senior undergrads per society-the collective alumni represents some of the most powerful figures in the public realm. We don’t know much about the secret societies of Yale University. Welcome back to Period Dramas, a column that alternates between rounding up historic homes on the market and answering questions we’ve always had about older structures.