In this week’s installment of our recurring series, a student experiences culture shock, the campus mourns the death of William McKinley, and more.

September 15, 1813—Philadelphia’s Tickler reports on the college life of Nathaniel B. Boileau (Class of 1789):

At the age of about fourteen he got the notion of going to college to get a liberal education, and then to study divinity and take on holy orders. His father consulted a clergyman in the neighborhood on the subject, who, after examining the boy, advised him against it, telling him that his son had not sufficient capacity to enable him to shine in the pulpit or anywhere else, and therefore he had better abandon the idea of sending him to college. Being his father’s only son, however, and therefore in the true sense of the word a pet, the old man at length agreed to his earnest request, and sent him to Princeton college, where by dint of close application he made out to graduate.

September 16, 1850—Charles Colcock Jones, Jr., Class of 1852, writes to his parents about seeing the Negro Sons of Temperance have a parade and picnic in town. “It was a strange sight to those of us who were from the slave states.”

September 18, 1786—James Gibson, Class of 1787, confesses in his diary, “Our examination begins today, my heart already palpitates.”

September 19, 1901—All of the regular business of Princeton University is suspended so the community can mourn the death of U.S. President William McKinley, who was assassinated on September 14. Four memorial services are held throughout the day in Alexander Hall and in local churches. Former U.S. President Grover Cleveland addresses the mourners in Alexander Hall, urging them to reflect on what they can learn about the fragility of American democracy from the events of the week. Woodrow Wilson also spoke, saying, “This pestiferous thing that has grown in our soil must have had some air to feed upon and we may well ask ourselves if we supplied any of the air that fed this foul plant of anarchy in America.”

For the previous installment in this series, click here.

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