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This Week in Princeton History for November 9-15
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the school holds its first Commencement, a “food revolt” causes tension between students and administrators, and more. November 9, 1748—The College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) holds its first Commencement in Newark, where…
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This Week in Princeton History for October 26-November 1
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the campus suspends mail delivery due to fears of contamination, Coretta Scott King speaks to an audience of more than 500, and more. October 26, 1963—An undetermined number of Princeton undergraduates join an estimated…
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Streaking and the Nude Olympics
In the 1960s and 1970s, streaking became a common prank for students to play on college campuses across America, reaching its zenith of popularity around the mid-1970s. Princeton was no exception. In fact, the school held onto naked running in public much longer than others; the last major such event at Princeton occurred in 1999. The most…
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This Week in Princeton History for October 5-11
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, President Bill Clinton speaks on campus for the third time, classes begin after a long delay, and more. October 5, 2000—Sitting U.S. President Bill Clinton interacts with students in a tent outside after giving…
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“War Is Imminent”: The Veterans of Future Wars
Though Princeton University has had a reputation as a relatively wealthy institution, both the school itself and its students faced economic struggles alongside the rest of the nation during the Great Depression. One March evening in 1936, two Princeton roommates, Urban Joseph Peters Rushton ’36 and Lewis Jefferson Gorin, Jr., ’36, went to the movies. The…
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This Week in Princeton History for September 28-October 4
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a prominent feminist urges Princetonians to support women’s suffrage, dorm residents struggle to keep warm, and more. September 29, 1915—On the same day as President Woodrow Wilson is in town but refusing to answer reporters’…
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This Week in Princeton History for September 14-20
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the infirmary surprises incoming freshmen with a nude photo requirement, a water shortage prevents students from showering, and more. September 14, 1887—Although the name of the school is still The College of New Jersey,…
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Princeton Junction & Back: Our Dinky Archives
Though New Jersey Transit lists the stop as the “Princeton Station,” locals refer to their train as the “Dinky” or “PJ&B” (Princeton Junction & Back). Recently, the station moved several hundred feet from its former site near University Place along Alexander Road, making it the talk of the town. Protests of a planned replacement of…
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This Week in Princeton History for August 24-30
In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, a future U.S. president insults Princetonians’ singing, kegs of beer are banned from campus, and more. August 25, 1783—The College of New Jersey (Princeton) welcomes George Washington to campus. August 27, 1774—After a visit to…
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Proudly We Can Be Jews: The Jewish Experience at Princeton
“I never found Princeton a terribly comfortable place in terms of my being a Jew…” –Morton Denn ‘61 In 1993, the Center for Jewish Life (CJL) opened at 70 Washington Ave. The mission of the CJL was to provide a place for all Jews (orthodox, conservative, reform or secular) to eat, worship, and socialize. Although…
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