The Alumni Magazine for Worcester Polytechnic Institute. (WPI)
Issue link: http://wpialumnimag.epubxp.com/i/50105
The Shocking Secrets of SKULL Over the years, Skull has taken its share of ribbing about its secrecy, particularly from the student newspaper on April Fool's Day. But the organization isn't as secretive as some claim. In fact, here are 10 things that Skull members actually want you to know. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 It is the third oldest campus organization, (behind only the Glee Club and the student newspaper, also founded in 1911, which loves to poke fun at Skull's mysteries.) Skull Tomb—the former Magnetics Laboratory—became the organization's headquarters in 1921. It is rumored to contain everything from victims of Robert Goddard's secret experiments to the live goat that was WPI's original mascot. What goes on there will never be known, but it can be revealed that it sometimes involves coffee and Danish. How macabre is that? This is no old boys' club. Skull went co-ed as soon as WPI did. Lesley Small Zorabedian '72, WPI's first female undergraduate, was tapped in her junior year. (Yale, by contrast, allowed women into its Skull and Bones only under duress, in 1991.) Skull's first honorary (non-student) member was Rear Admi- ral Ralph "Prexy" Earle, WPI's sixth president, tapped in 1931. Since then, membership has been extended to faculty, alumni, trust- ees, and staff, including the beloved ATO cook, Marie "Ma" Fell. If you think you have what it takes to be a Skull—you don't. Those who daydream about getting the tap can dream on. Faculty advisor Bland Addison puts it this way: "The students who are selected are genuinely surprised. Others may see them as outstanding, but they have that sort of personality and attitude that they don't see themselves as stars." If you're not tapped in your junior year, there's still a chance. Devoted alumni are sometimes tapped de- cades—even half a century—after graduating! Actually, it's never too late. The author of WPI's Alma Mater, Willard Hedlund (Class of 1910), was tapped 35 years after his death. And he knew the founders personally. Skull's overt activities include running the Rope Pull, singing in the Alma Mater competition, and nurturing other campus traditions. The Skull Trophy, given for extraordinary spirit and ser- vice in the recipient's freshman year, is meant to inspire students to do more for WPI. It does not, however, guaran- tee future Skull membership. 10 44 Fall 2011 Skull would never tell, but your alumni magazine will: For its 100th Anniversary, Skull raised a $240,000 gift for WPI. and was told, 'They're in the basement.' I thought, Why the base- ment? I went down the stairs, came around the corner, and saw a circle of black robes. That's when I knew." The late Nils Hagberg, a beloved WPI security guard with 40 years of service, was tapped while making his rounds. "A bunch of Skull members approached me," he told the WPI Journal LQ Ŕ, ƂJXUHG they wanted to get into Boynton Tower, so I reached for my keys. Then someone whacked me across the back, I turned, and there was Bob Wagner grinning ear to ear, saying 'Welcome to the Club.'" "I had no idea who was under the hood," says Joe Mielinski '87. "I saw these two hands reaching out, and they were shaking." The hands, trembling with pride, belonged to his father, Joe Mielinski '61, who had the rare honor of tapping his own son. "The night I was tapped, I had tears in my eyes," says Al Papianou '57, who was tapped 40 years after he graduated. The late Sam Men- cow '37 was almost 80 years old when he was selected for Skull. He became an inspiration to his 20-year-old classmates by showing up for every single initiation rite, even in the middle of the night, even in the freezing cold. 6NXOOŒV LQLWLDWLRQ KDV EHHQ UXPRUHG WR LQFOXGH KRUULƂF WRUWXUHV VXFK DV EHLQJ EXULHG DOLYH RU VOHHSLQJ LQ FRIƂQV Ŕ2K PDQ QR ŕ laughs Sean Seymour '09. "Outsiders always think it's worse than LW LV $OWKRXJK WKHUH ZDV RQH SHUVRQ LQ P\ FODVV ZKR ZDV WHUULƂHG DERXW FRIƂQV WKH ZKROH WLPH ŕ "Our rituals are educational," says faculty advisor Bland Addison. "They involve keeping alive the traditions and lore of WPI." As for assertions that the robes invoke malevolent societies, such as the