By April C. Armstrong *14
In this week’s installment of our recurring series, some say students are marrying too young, a presidential candidate’s appearance disappoints some, and more.
September 22, 1954—A Prince editorial warns that single-sex education is driving students toward early marriage.
September 23, 1868—At a meeting called by the YMCA at the Methodist church, local leaders say the town has a responsibility to students among them to have high moral standards.
Princeton is under peculiar obligations to surround these institutions of Learning, which have here been established, with a pure moral atmosphere. Parents send their sons to college with trembling anxiety, because of the evils incident to college life; and they have reason to expect that the personal influence of the distinguished Teachers of the College and Theological Seminary, co-operating with the large number of educated christian [sic] people of this community, will exclude from the town by both moral and legal means, all gross immoralities, and all those facilities which tend to demoralize and debauch the youth who are residing among us.
September 24, 1806—John Melish rides in a stagecoach to Trenton with a group of Princeton students. He is shocked when the passengers are forced to help repair the coach using part of a fence stolen from a nearby farm. “Being fixed in this way, we jolted on to Trenton…”
September 27, 1836—William Henry Harrison campaigns for president in Princeton, where thousands have gathered for Commencement. New York’s Saratoga Sentinel will report,
We understand he is a very indifferent looking man, and that his appearance as productive of much disappointment. An old clergyman present from the country, who had been in the habit of attending the College commencement for years, and hearing all the good things which the occasion brings forth, seemed much disappointed at the appearance and conduct of the General, and on being asked how he liked him, emphatically replied, that “he was a poor looking man, and a wonderful poor spoken man.”
Did you read the previous installment in this series?
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