By April C. Armstrong *14
In this week’s installment of our recurring series, the Class of 1847 reflects on their time in college, a significant gift is announced, and more.
February 16, 1818—An editorial in the Pennsylvania’s Washington Reporter urges the trustees of Washington and Jefferson Colleges to put an end to the so-called “College War” between the two institutions, warning that such conflict distracts from education by citing Princeton’s experience:
The writer of this remembers the time which tried men’s souls at the commencement of the revolutionary war. To his personal knowledge the efforts of both teachers and pupils were paralized [sic] long before the college of Princeton was burnt to the ground, although that was a public and righteous war.
February 19, 1908—The Princeton Alumni Weekly prints reflections from members of the Class of 1847, known as the “Centennial Class.”
While he has forgotten his Greek, Latin, Mathematics and Lectures on Philosophy, he recalls easily Professor Henry’s experiments with Electricity, when he sent the current through the wires and through the class; of Professor Torrey’s laughing-gas illustrations; the proposal of Professor Stephen Alexander that his head should modestly represent the sun as he placed it in the center of his Orrery; of President Carnahan’s illustration of the association of ideas, with the story of the Swiss immigrant who, on sight of a lot of “Swiss cheese” on a dock on the North River, as the boat landed, exclaimed, “Oh! my country! my country!”
February 20, 1965—Robert Goheen announces three gifts totaling $33 million, including $27 million from Ethel Jadwin, the mother of L. Stockton Jadwin ’28. Her son died in a car accident in New York less than a year after he graduated, and she has been a widow for nearly 30 years following her husband’s death in 1936. Mrs. Jadwin’s will has left a significant fortune to Princeton. It is reportedly the largest gift ever made to the University by a single individual.
February 22, 1872—At the request of the students, College faculty have designated this day as a holiday in order to allow the community to celebrate George Washington’s birthday, beginning an annual tradition that will last decades.
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