Manuscript Society

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Manuscript Society is a secret society for seniors at Yale University.

Contents

[edit] The Society

Founded in 1952, it is the youngest of the landed societies (i.e. its alumni trust owns the building). Its building, also called a "tomb" in Yale parlance, has won several architectural awards. Manuscript may have been the first, or among the first of the landed senior secret societies to tap Yale women. (Book and Snake also claims the distinction, while St. Anthony Hall, a three-year secret society, began tapping female sophomores when Yale College became co-ed in 1969.)

The MS alumni Board of Trustees is called the Wrexham Foundation, Inc. Since 1956, the Foundation has underwritten a scholarship in the humanities administered by Yale for a "senior who shall be judged to have written the best senior essay in the field of the humanities", given in memory of Wallace Notestein, M.A. 1903, Ph.D. 1908, Litt.D. 1951. [1]

Each year, the senior class throws a large Halloween party. A Manuscript party is described in the novel "Joe College" by Tom Perrotta.

[edit] Members

[edit] Architecture

Designed by King-Lui Wu, Manuscript's tomb departs from its sister organizations on campus in that its building is Mid-century modern, but it is no less distinguished than other societies' elaborate mid- to late-19th century buildings. It appears from the outside to have only one level, yet conceals three subterranean floors. The tomb holds a collection of modern and contemporary art of which the society is proud, and the Yale University Art Gallery is claimed to have temporarily stored pieces there (although it may be instead that pieces owned by the respective organizations have been loaned to each other for display).

  • King-Lui Wu (1918-2002, influential architect and former Yale School of Architecture professor. Bio at: [[2]]
  • Josef Albers (1888-1976), acclaimed Bauhaus artist, designed the brickwork intaglio mural on the street facing façade. Wu was Albers' close friend and they collaborated on several projects.
  • Dan Kiley (1912-2004) modernist, designed the landscaping. The tomb’s walled backyard is done in the style of a Chinese garden and has a fountain.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Sources

  • Robbins, Alexandra. Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power. Back Bay Books, 2003. ISBN 0-316-73561-2
  • Perrotta, Tom. Joe College: A Novel (2000)
  • Light & Truth Publication
  • King-lui Wu
  • Architectural Record, November, 1965. "Ingenious Use of a Narrow Site".
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