intellectual accomplishment, everything about that has been sealed shut and is top secret. The Yale
administration says they have turned over to the FBI custody of aallegedly because the FBI needs such access to check the resume@eacute; of important officell of Bush's academic records,
holders.
From all available testimony, his mental life before college was anything but outstanding. His
campaign literature claims that, as a veteran, Bush was serious'' at Yale. But we cannot checkexactly how he achieved election to Phi Beta Kappa, in his abbreviated college experience. Without (^) top secret clearance, we cannot consult his test results, read his essays, or learn much about his performance in class. We know that his father was a trustee of the university, in charge of developmental'' fundraising. And his family friends were in control of the U.S. secret services.
A great deal is known, however, about George Bush's status at Yale.
His fellow student John H. Chafee, later a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island and Secretary of the
Navy, declared: We didn't see much of him because he was married, but I guess my first impression was that he was--and I don'movers and shakers, the establishment. I don't mean he put on airs or anything, but ... justt mean this in a derogatory fashion--in the inner set, the everybody knew him.'' Chafee, like Bush, and Dan Quayle, was in the important national fraternity, Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE or theDekes''). But Chafee says, I never remember seeing him there. He wasn't one tohang around with the fellows.''@s4 The Tomb George Bush, in fact, passed his most important days and nights at Yale in the strange companionship of the senior-year Skull and Bones Society.@s5 Out of those few who were chosen for Bones membership, George was the last one to be notified of his selection--this honor is traditionally reserved for the highest of the high and mighty. His father, Prescott Bush, several other relatives and partners, and Roland and Averell Harriman,who sponsored the Bush family, were also members of this secret society. The undoubted political and financial power associated with Skull and Bones has given rise to many popular questions about the nature and origin of the group. Its members have fed the mystery with false leads and silly speculations. The order was incorporated in 1856 under the nameRussell Trust Association.'' By special act of
the state legislature in 1943, its trustees are exempted from the normal requirement of filing
corporate reports with the Connecticut Secretary of State.
As of 1978, all business of the Russell Trust was handled by its lone trustee, Brown Brothers
Harriman partner John B. Madden, Jr. Madden started with Brown Brothers Harriman in 1946,
under senior partner Prescott Bush, George Bush's father.
Each year, Skull and Bonethe senior group the following year. Graduating members are given a sizeable cash bonuss members select (tap'') 15 third-year Yale students to replace them in to help them get started in life. Older graduate members, the so-calledPatriarchs,'' give special backing in
business, politics, espionage and legal careers to graduate Bonesmen who exhibit talent or
usefulness.