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Mystery Monday: secret code
By Mark Alden Branch ’86
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1:22pm December 05 2022
Bricks stamped like this one are sprinkled throughout the façade of the Humanities Quadangle, which was built in 1932 as the Hall of Graduate Studies. What do they signify?  |
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Stewart Landefeld, 2:10pm December 05 2022 | 
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Mark Branch, 9:07am December 08 2022 | 
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George Huthsteiner '74 TD, 8:49pm December 10 2022 | 
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The comment period has expired.These charming little codes are visual puns honoring Wilbur Cross, memoirist, Professor of English and Dean of the Graduate School until 1930 when he was elected Governor of CT. There are similar bricks with angel-like wings for Pres. Angell.
Correct!
<> Now THROWBACK to the stumper of March 21, 2022 Mystery Monday "This shield on the courtyard side of Sterling Tower...is part of a series that also includes a light bulb and a sample of Morse Code." The shield shows a crude drawing of a doughnut shaped object marked "B" on the left and "A" on the right. I BELIEVE this is a diagram of an early transformer, two separate coils of insulated wire sharing an iron ring as described by Michael Faraday in 1831. Transformers were critical to the early success of both the telegraph and the electric light. <> Maybe we need to start a COMPREHENSIVE database on Yale's countless stone carvings, preferably building by building, before those who really know what they represent have all passed away. (Sigh) I miss Judy Schiff.