By April C. Armstrong *14

In this week’s installment in our recurring series, Princeton’s colors are controversial, a farmer seeks help finding a poultry thief, and more.

November 27, 1888—San Francisco’s Daily Evening Bulletin summarizes remarks made by David R. Sessions, Class of 1870, at a recent alumni dinner at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco. Sessions spoke on how welcoming Princeton had been to a former Confederate soldier, the Bulletin reports:

After four years’ service in the war, forgetting everything else except that which seemed right for his country, Mr. Sessions said he returned to Princeton rather doubtful as to the kind of a welcome he would receive. But Dr. McLane [Maclean] had received him with open arms.

November 30, 1895—Allan Marquand, Class of 1874, has the campus and alumni abuzz with his argument that the institution should abandon orange and black as its colors and switch to orange and blue, a more historically accurate combination than the one that was adopted 20 years earlier.

December 1, 1936—John D. Sweeney ’36 is named “Pensioner No. 1” in Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s new social security program for the elderly. In 42 years, he will be eligible for the $85 per month pension. (Unfortunately for Sweeney, his untimely death in 1974 at the age of 61 will mean he will never actually receive social security benefits, though his widow will collect benefits based on his work until 1982.)

December 3, 1846—A local farmer from whom a reported 17 turkeys, 10 chickens, and four ducks have been stolen decides to solicit help in apprehending the culprit by putting an ad in the Nassau Monthly. He promises a reward of $1.75 to students who return his poultry or provide information leading to the thieves.

For the previous installment in this series, click here.

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