By April C. Armstrong *14

In this week’s installment in our recurring series, construction begins on a new group of buildings, Harvard offends Princeton’s president, and more.

November 4, 1960—Groundbreaking ceremonies are held to officially begin construction of the Engineering Quadrangle.

November 7, 1975—The Gay Alliance of Princeton is planning to hold a dance to raise money for the legal fund of Leonard Matlovich, who has sued for reinstatement in the Air Force after being discharged on the basis of being unfit to serve because he came out as gay.

November 8, 1886—At Harvard’s celebration of its 250^th anniversary, where James McCosh is given an honorary doctorate, he takes deep offense at a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes that is read for the occasion. Taking a few lines as a slight against Princeton, McCosh immediately walks out and leaves town.

November 10, 1802—A Richmond newspaper reports that Princeton president Samuel Stanhope Smith’s trunk containing money collected for the rebuilding of Nassau Hall following a fire has been robbed of somewhere between $600-700 (adjusted for inflation, approximately $20,000 in 2024).

For the previous installment in this series, click here.

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