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Skull & Keys
Skull & Keys
Founded	1892; 132 years ago; University of California, Berkeley
Type	Senior honor society
Affiliation	Independent
Status	Defunct
Defunct Date	1980
Scope	Local
Chapters	1
Headquarters	Berkeley, California; United States

Skull & Keys was a men's honor society at the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] The organization was started by Theta Nu Epsilon.^[5] Skull & Keys was the first of several collegiate secret societies that formed from the fraternity system at Berkeley.

History

The Zeta chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon was founded at the University of California, Berkeley as a sophomore society in 1881.^[2] In 1882, Skull & Keys was founded as a senior society for members of Theta Nu Epsilon.^[5] Many of the fraternity's members had an affiliation with Yale and intended to hold "tap day", following the traditions of Yale.^[2]^[5] One of its founders was Frank Norris who wrote the ritual and ceremonies for Skull & Keys.^[3]

In 1912, Skull & Keys built its lodge or “Tomb” off campus at Le Conte and Euclid.^[6] In 1960, the adjacent Church Divinity School of the Pacific purchased the Skull & Keys’ Tomb property, agreeing to build the society a new Tomb at 2436 Prospect Street.^[6] Despite complaints from residents its new neighborhood, the group proceeded with construction of its 35 by 35 feet (11 by 11 m) new Tomb.^[6] There, the group was known for drunken debauchery.^[6]

Because the Tomb was off-campus and Skull & Bones was not sanctioned by the university, there was little the university could do.^[6] Instead, the people who lived near the Tomb worked with the city which finally closed the building for being a public nuisance and environmental health violations.^[6] In addition, the city fined the group $750 ($2773 in today's money) for cleaning up “beer bottles, cans, vomit, urine, and other filth.”^[6] However, the city's padlock and closure notice did not keep the Skull & Bones members out of the Tomb and they resumed their parties as usual.^[6] After the city boarded up the building, the group eventually gave up by 1980.^[6]

However, as of 2021, the Tomb property is still owned by Skull & Keys Inc., the holding company incorporated in 1912 when the first Tomb was constructed.^[6]

Activities

Much of the society's practices, members, and traditions were kept secret. It met semi-monthly in a facility known as the Tomb.^[7] It was led by the Uncle, who was elected by a voice vote of the active members.

Membership

Skull & Keys members were recruited from the senior and junior classes of the University of California, Berkeley.^[8] Inidiates participated in an initiation ritual known as the Running.^[9]^[10]^[8] Originally, the Running involved dress suits with duck trousers.^[11] Later, this public event involved the new members in various costumes, many of which were offensive drawing reproach from the university.^[6]

Notable members

Tom Bates, Mayor of Berkeley^[4]
Frank Norris^[3]
William Horsley Orrick, Sr.of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe^[8]

References

^ "Berkeley Briefs". Los Angeles Times. November 22, 1915. Skull and Keys, one of the oldest honor societies on the campus ...
^ ^a ^b ^c Baird, William Raimond (1920). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. California, University of — Skull and Keys, 1892
^ ^a ^b ^c "Frank Norris In His Chapter". Phi Gamma Delta. April 1, 1930. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-08-21. Frank Norris took part in the college dramatics and would have made a name for himself upon the professional stage had he chosen that branch of art for his future career. He wrote the ritual and other ceremonials for Skull and Keys -- the junior-senior society at the University of California -- which still ranks as an honor society.
^ ^a ^b Barber, Rachel (2019-12-02). "'A source of clout': Secret society allegedly drinks to excess". The Daily Californian. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
^ ^a ^b ^c "The Zeta & Delta Pi Chapters at The University of California at Berkeley". Theta Nu Epsilon. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved 2009-05-11. In 1892, the Zeta Chapter created the society of Skull & Keys for senior members. There were probably many reasons for this, one of which is that Berkeley was known for having many of its initial personnel come from Yale, and if Berkeley had a senior society, it would have been possible to recreate the Tap Day ceremonies at Berkeley. ... However, if Theta Nu Epsilon had come from the senior society Skull & Bones, then it only made sense, (to some minds), to create a senior society from it.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Dowd, Katie (June 10, 2021). "Obscure Bay Area: The secret society 'tomb' hiding in plain sight in Berkeley". SF Gate. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
^ "Neophytes In Front Of The Skull And Keys Tomb". The Oakland Tribune. October 6, 1925. Berkeley; October 5, 1925. University of California. The Elmhurst district In East Oakland volunteered to clean up the streets ...
^ ^a ^b ^c "Skull and Keys Initiation; Annual Running To-Day". The Daily Californian. November 8, 1899. Archived from the original on July 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-21. The eighth annual running of the Skull and Keys society takes place to-day on the campus. The public initiation of this dramatic society chosen from the Senior and Junior classes has come to be one of the great events of the College year.
^ "Running Of Skull and Keys Society Under Feminine Ban". The Oakland Tribune. April 2, 1920. Berkeley; April 2, 1920 ... annual Running of the Skull and Keys ...
^ "No Public Pranks This Semester by "Skull and Keys."". The Oakland Tribune. October 13, 1923. Berkeley; October 13, 1923. No "Running" of the Skull and Keys Society at the University of California this year. ...
^ "Skull and Keys Running; Annual Initiation of the Inter-Frat Society To-Day". The Daily Californian. November 9, 1899. Retrieved 2007-08-21. Notwithstanding the threatening state of the weather yesterday, the Skull and Keys initiates appeared on the campus at 8:30 in dress suits with duck trousers. After being put through the toils around North Hall they were marched in a body to South Hall. They were marched in to see the President, who gave them a short talk.