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This Week in Princeton University History for March 16-22

By April C. Armstrong *14

In this week’s installment of our recurring series, a new technology may improve cleanliness in campus buildings, a mother returns home after helping her son, and more.

March 16, 1955—Frank Lloyd Wright lambastes American culture at a talk for the Senior Banquet in Dillon Gymnasium, telling an audience of 800, “We have not arrived at our own culture. We have covered our land with ugliness and are well on the road to synthetics.”

March 18, 1914—The Department of Grounds and Buildings has purchased two vacuum cleaners, a large one for the dormitories and a smaller one for the Library, in hopes that the innovation will improve cleanliness of the rugs.

March 20, 1971—After spending three days in Firestone Library typing her son’s senior thesis, Suzanne McNeill has returned to Rowayton, Connecticut, where she is working on her Ph.D. in American Civilization from Fairfield University.

  • A light gray thesis cover with a dark blue spine. “SENIOR THESIS” is stamped near the top. A white label below it reads: “HARDY’S WESSEX AS PALLIMPSEST,” followed by four dots and “McNeill Watkins.” The word “ANNEX” appears on the label’s lower right and again at the bottom left of the cover.
    Senior thesis typed by Suzanne McNeill for her son, McNeill Watkins, 1971. Senior Thesis Collection.
  • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The original idea of Hardy and the palimpsest was the product of a conversation with another student in February, 1970. The only critical use of a palimpsest in connection with Hardy's work is a passing reference by A. Walton Litz in his Introduction to The Return of the Native. Thanks are due to Joseph Kestner and, of course, my sometimes typist--my mother. Part of the research for this paper was for a Junior Paper submitted to the Dept. of English in the Fall of 1970.
    Senior thesis typed by Suzanne McNeill for her son, McNeill Watkins, 1971. Senior Thesis Collection.

March 22, 1877—The Princetonian takes a stand against coeducation, arguing that women should have their own colleges rather than enrolling with men. “It is impractical, unwholesome, abnormal. … We can’t afford to have our lecture-rooms and campuses turned into drawing-rooms and flower-gardens…”

Did you read the previous installment in this series?

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April C. Armstrong *14

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