The Yale Student Who Secretly Lived In A School Building’s Ventilation Shaft
A 1960s college student named Allan Kornfeld found a unique place to live when he wasn’t able to secure more traditional housing
Going to college can be an expensive proposition. On top of the tuition and books, food and lodging also have to be taken into account. Even years ago, before prices skyrocketed to where they are today, students sometimes had to get creative when making ends meet while getting an education. One of the more resourceful was a 1960s Yale student named Allan Kornfeld, who secretly lived in a school building’s ventilation shaft during his final year of undergraduate work when he was unable to afford traditional rent.
Kornfeld was a student from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who made unconventional housing arrangements for himself during his seven months on campus between 1963–1964 — his final year at Yale before entering medical school. He had graduated in 1963 after completing a full four-year scholarship, but decided he needed one more year to prepare himself for his upcoming next academic challenge. Unfortunately, this “gap year” was not covered by his previous financial aid and he had to pay for his fifth year by taking out a bank loan. Additionally, non-undergraduate students were not…
