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This Week in Princeton University History for October 13-19

By April C. Armstrong *14

In this week’s installment of our recurring series, student employment opportunities have expanded, Robin Williams checks out the eating clubs, and more.

October 14, 1971—Lawrence Hamm ’75 withdraws from Princeton because his job on the Newark school board is too demanding. Hamm will explain:

Some of my counselors at the university advised me to take a year or two leave of absence from the school board until I complete my freshman year, but I’m only appointed for a three-year term and have come to the conclusion the school board must be my 24-hour a day responsibility.

(Hamm will later graduate cum laude in 1978.)

October 15, 1915—Thanks to the introduction of student waiters in the dining hall, opportunities for work have expanded significantly for undergraduates. Of the 225 student employees, 100 are working in the dining Commons. By the law of supply and demand, however, the most lucrative positions are in typewriting, as few have the necessary knowledge of shorthand for stenographic work.

The College Man Needs a Typewriter Poor handwriting may mean low marks—some papers will not be accepted unless typewritten. These are reasons enough why the student should own his own machine Add time-saving, labor-saving, money-saving, money-earning, and there is no room left for argument. The Remington Junior Is the ideal writing machine for the student. It is the typewriter that will enable you to meet faculty requirements for neat, legible papers. It is the typewriter that will save you time in preparing papers—save you labor in writing and copying papers—and save you the money you would have to pay to have your papers written by someone else. It is the typewriter with which you can earn money by writing for other students. It Costs But $50.00 And it will earn its cost in a comparatively short time. It is a real Remington. It carries the ironclad Remington guarantee. It differs from the standard $100 Remington only in being smaller, lighter, more portable, having fewer parts, and being designed for simpler work such as MSS., etc. But for these purposes it has no superior. It represents everything that Remington Typewriters represent—the highest standard in writing machine construction and operation. Call at our office and let us show you a Remington Junior. A demonstration will convince you that this is the machine you need. Remington Typewriter Company (Incorporated) 3 EAST BROWN
This 1915 ad appeared in the Daily Princetonian. It noted that students could earn money with a typewriter.

October 16, 1883—According to a newspaper clipping that Moses Taylor Pyne (Class of 1877) will paste in his scrapbook, a vendor attempting to sell patent medicine from a wagon on Nassau Street provokes a riot due to student heckling. Charles Maraduke “Reddy” Decamp (Class of 1886) takes refuge in a prayer meeting to avoid the violent mob.

October 17, 1982—After a performance in Jadwin Gymnasium, shortly after midnight, Mork & Mindy star Robin Williams goes club-hopping on Prospect Avenue, startling students who will describe him as “inconspicuous,” “short,” “kind of dumpy,” “a little flirtatious,” and “kind of weird.” Melissa Marks ’86, who dances with Williams at Quadrangle Club, will later say that it was hard for him to stay in one club for too long because everywhere he went people were clamoring for his attention.

Did you read the previous installment in this series?

Fact check: We always strive for accuracy, but if you believe you see an error, please contact us.

April C. Armstrong *14

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