Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones was the first secret society established at Yale University, in 1832. By the late 1800s, the most prestigious of these societies were Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key, and Wolf's Head. Fifteen members are chosen during their junior year.
Skull and Bones has many well-known members including George Herbert Walker Bush and his son George W. Bush, Presidents of the United States. The wealth and success of its members enabled the establishment of the Russell Trust Association, which holds the society's real estate.
Skull and Bones was founded in 1832. Being a secret society, it forbids its members from revealing affiliation, although it permits them to wear "Skull and Bone" pins in public, and the names of members are readily available from other sources. Rituals of Skull and Bones take place in the organization's campus building which is called the Tomb. No particular religious affiliation is required for membership.
Other Yale secret societies include Scroll and Key, Wolf's Head, Book and Snake, and Berzelius. Given the power and prominence of the members, and relative obscurity of the societies, the societies are frequently included in conspiracy theories. Such conspiracy theories were the basis of the film The Skulls.
Each year new members are invited to join by the existing members, though not everyone asked accepts.
Members have gone on to highly successful careers in education, banking, law, industry, and government. It has been suggested that a disproportionate number have gone on to important positions in the intelligence community, particularly in organizations like the CIA.
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Speculation regarding Skull and Bones
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Further Reading
