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This Week in Princeton History for September 13-19
In this week’s installment of our recurring series, a student experiences culture shock, the campus mourns the death of William McKinley, and more. September 15, 1813—Philadelphia’s Tickler reports on the college life of Nathaniel B. Boileau (Class of 1789): At the age of about fourteen he got the notion of going to college to get…
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West Meets East: Japanese Themes in Princeton’s Graphic Arts of the Late 19th Century
If you spend as much time immersed in the University Archives as I do, at times you will see intriguing patterns emerge. I have seen repeated examples of an unusual theme in the graphic arts associated with the College of New Jersey (as Princeton University was named until 1896) in the late 19th century and…
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This Week in Princeton History for August 16-22
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the Class of 1845 is suspended, students are treating sick classmates during an epidemic, and more. August 16, 1955—Professor Erik Sjoqvist of the Department of Art and Archaeology lucks out when the first trench…
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This Week in Princeton History for August 9-15
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, an earthquake hits campus without negative consequences, the region anticipates a new transportation option shortening trips to and from New York, and more. August 9, 1932—While on a scientific expedition in Wyoming, William Zachary…
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This Week in Princeton History for July 26-August 1
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the ADA takes effect, the Campus Center’s first birthday draws hundreds of guests, and more. July 26, 1993—The Americans with Disabilities Act now protects Princeton employees from discrimination in the job application process and…
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Dear Mr. Mudd: Why Do You Have a Piece of a Railroad Track in the Library?
Dear Mr. Mudd, Why do you have a “cross section of railroad” in your Memorabilia Collection (AC053)? In 1855, for the second time in its near-century of existence, Nassau Hall suffered a devastating fire. At the time, Nassau Hall still served in part as one of Princeton’s dormitories. An undergraduate had gone to Maclean…
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This Week in Princeton History for July 12-18
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, two juniors evacuate their summer program abroad when war breaks out, word is spreading about a ban on secret societies, and more. July 13, 1895—Native Americans are rumored to have raided a party of…
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How Bicycles Changed Princeton, 1860s-1910s
Bicycles are seemingly ubiquitous at and around Princeton University in our time. The ever-present sight of bicycles parked near campus buildings or cyclists making their way across campus or along the D & R Canal raises no eyebrows; their absence, as with the absence of other forms of traffic, was one of the most noteworthy…
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This Week in Princeton History for July 5-11
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, staffing levels force the U-Store to close for one hour each day, the CIA notes payments have been sent to researchers involved in secret experiments, and more. July 5, 1945—Due to “depleted staff,” the…
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This Week in Princeton History for June 28-July 4
In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a London magazine notes the impact of Prohibition on Princetonians, Yale offers condolences on the death of a rising senior, and more. June 29, 1869—The American Whig Society celebrates its centennial. July 2, 1927—The…
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