The “Cadaver Society” is a secret society of students at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, United States. The group's membership and organizational structure are unknown. Cadaver has been in continuous operation since its founding in 1957. The Cadavers have a bridge that bears their name, connecting the main campus to Wilson Field, as well as their symbol in many prominent places throughout the campus. In contrast with the non secretive membership of the Sigma Society, the Cadaver Society is strictly anonymous.
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Membership is speculated to consist of older students at the University. The criteria for membership remains largely unknown, but it has long been rumored that the society consists of Pre-Med majors with high grade point averages. Members have also been speculated to be leaders of Washington and Lee's athletic teams and fraternities.
The selection process is not well known, but the members pride themselves on donating large amounts of money to the University. In 1988, the society donated $150,000 to the renovation of the fraternity houses on campus.[1]
The society has long been rumored to have underground passageways spanning throughout the campus. It is rumored that members of the society use this as transportation to remain undetected by the rest of campus. One entrance to the tunnels has been speculated to be through a small door in the Leyburn Library.[2] In addition to the Leyburn entrance, there's also an entrance at the basement of the Science Building, though the double doors that lead to it are usually locked. There is also appears to be an entrance through the manhole at the bottom of the hill near Leyburn Library.
The society has been criticized for their secrecy and many of their activities which include running around dressed in all black and masks late at night as well as drawing their symbol all over campus.[3] They have been known to run through the Sorority houses, talking in high voices and attempting to wake everyone in the houses. One place in particular where the Cadaver's logo can be consistently seen is on Wilson Field, frequently painted before large athletic games. Since the renovation of the field in 2008, and the replacement of grass with Field Turf, the Cadaver symbol has been drawn on the hill separating Alumni from Wilson Field.[4] They also frequently refer to themselves as "A Friend of the University," presumably referring to their propensity to donate large sums of money to the school.[5]
A Cadaver Society scholarship was established in 1997. The scholarship is to be awarded every four years to an incoming freshman. Candidates are intended to be deserving students with strong character traits, academic achievement and an appreciation of the school’s values and traditions.[6] The Cadaver Endowment was committed in 1981 to be designated as a residual fund in Cadaver's name to the school each year.[7]
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