In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a conference defends the study of classics for all students regardless of major, a nineteenth-century alum envisions 2015 New York in a dystopian science fiction novel, and more.

June 1, 1761—The Board of Trustees vote to ban ball-playing against the College of New Jersey (Princeton) president’s house: “The Trustees having on their own view been made sensible of the Damages done to the President’s House by the Students playing at Ball against it, do hereby strictly forbid all & every of the Students, the Officers & all other Persons belonging to the College playing at Ball against the President’s House, under the Penalty of Five Shillings for every Offence to be levied on each Person who shall offend in the Premises.”

June 2, 1917—Academics, college administrators, business tycoons, politicians, and the general public gather at a “Classical Conference” at Princeton University to discuss the future of American education and defend traditional instruction in classics for all students regardless of their specializations or future careers.

June 4, 2001—At their Class Day, the Class of 2001 names Bruce Wright an honorary member, several decades after he was sent away on sight when his race became apparent upon his arrival to enroll as an admitted freshman.

June 5, 1906—The Doomsman, the best-known work of Van Tassel Sutphen, College of New Jersey (Princeton) Class of 1882, is published. It envisions a future where, in 2015, New York is the only part of civilization that has survived. A summary may be found here.

For last week’s installment in this series, click here.

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