Princeton University History of Princeton University

1 princeton university

1.1 woodrow wilson
1.2 undergraduate life
1.3 religion
1.4 mathematics

princeton university

princeton university class day c1904

as part of sesquicentennial celebrations in 1896, college of new jersey changed name princeton university, present name of university. princeton university adopted informal motto “princeton in nation’s service,” title of keynote speech professor woodrow wilson.

woodrow wilson

in 1902 woodrow wilson became princeton’s 13th president. during term of office (1902–10) plans building graduate college finalized, , had been college of new jersey began grow full-scale university.

as princeton looked toward expansion, wilson focused on quality of individual teaching , learning experience. credited developing small discussion classes called preceptorials, day supplement lecture courses in humanities , social sciences.

wilson doubled size of faculty, created administrative structure, , revised curriculum include general studies freshmen , sophomores , concentrated study juniors , seniors. proposed undergraduate dormitories divided quadrangles or “colleges” in students live resident faculty masters , have own recreational facilities. variation on plan became reality in 1982 when 5 residential colleges organized freshmen , sophomores.

wilson established academic departments otherwise downplayed germanic model of phd-oriented research university in favor of oxbridge (oxford , cambridge) model of intense small group discussions , one-on-one tutorials. hired 50 young professors, called preceptors, meet students in small conferences, grilling them reading. complaining princeton dominated eating clubs in students ate each other , ignored professors, sought build oxford-style colleges students , faculty eat , talk together. failed—the eating clubs still there.

wilson promote leadership model, whereby college focused on training small cadre of undergraduates national leadership, minority plan, conceive, superintend, called them in 1902 inaugural address university s president. college no less democratic because play special part. confronted andrew fleming west, dean of graduate school, , lost. west had german research model in mind , outmaneuvered wilson obtaining outside funding graduate complex serious scholarship separated fun-loving undergraduates.

as supervising architect of princeton campus during 1906-29, ralph adams cram contributed several important buildings in medieval collegiate gothic style plan stylistic unity , development.

undergraduate life

the college popular setting novels student life, faculty , town. undergraduate novel (e.g., f. scott fitzgerald s side of paradise , harvey smith s gang s here) detailed campus life in 1920s , 1950s. faculty novel characterized 1960s (e.g., kingsley amis s 1 fat englishman , john w. aldridge s party @ cranton). town novel (e.g., julian moynihan s garden state , thomas baird s losing people) typified 1970s. other important novels include saul bellow s humboldt s gift (1975) , carlos baker s friend s power (1958).

as trendsetter in young men s fashion, princeton university in 20th century casualized of clothing across country decades come. elite prep-school student population , highly ritualized eating club subculture, school ideal setting in create nation s taste in menswear.

in 1909-10, football faced crisis resulting failure of previous reforms of 1905-06 solve problem of serious injuries. there mood of alarm , mistrust, and, while crisis developing, presidents of harvard, yale, , princeton developed project reform sport , forestall possible radical changes forced government upon sport. president arthur hadley of yale, a. lawrence lowell of harvard, , wilson of princeton worked develop moderate changes reduce injuries. attempts, however, reduced rebellion against rules committee , formation of intercollegiate athletic association. big 3 had tried operate independently of majority, changes did reduce injuries. in 1926 harvard entered agreement play football against university of michigan instead of princeton, , agreement threatened destroy big 3 relationship of time. harvard s actions based on fact games princeton had been marred fights , roughness. during 1930s, big 3 restored, , in 1939 enlarged ivy league.

during world war ii student body of princeton university became entirely military result of reserve officer training corps mobilization, navy v-7 , v-12 programs, , army specialized training program. wartime changes opened princeton larger world , brought mainstream of american society. beginnings harvard, yale , princeton restricted admittance of jews , other minorities. after world war ii, however, ethnic prejudice condemned in higher education because of commitment democracy. college-bound veterans, benefiting gi bill, flooded admissions offices applications. 1950s , 1960s big 3 began expand admission policies, admitting more minorities.

religion

in 20th century, student body predominately old-stock, high-status protestants, presbyterians, episcopalians, , congregationalists—a group later called wasps (white anglo-saxon protestants.

in 20th century liberal christians came dominate student body, former evangelical stronghold. in 1915 president john grier hibben refused request of evangelist billy sunday preach on campus, later allowed liberal theologian albert parker fitch so. liberals sought make princeton modern university promoted liberal philosophy of education , liberal theology. conservative christians considered teachings of liberals heresy , sought lucius h. miller, liberal professor of bible studies, removed faculty , have bible classes eliminated curriculum. liberals favored retaining religious aspects of curriculum and, since came control princeton, able maintain courses along various institutions promoted liberal piety. did through uneasy alliance cultural modernists on faculty. gradually hegemony of liberal christian leaders of higher education eroded secularization of university occurred during first half of 20th century. princeton ceased being presbyterian institution in 1920s, symbolized building of great interdenominational chapel.

mathematics

american mathematicians of 1920s worked maintain generous funding had received during world war i. unwilling enter permanent relationship federal government, turned industry , private foundations, limited success. reliable support mathematics emerged universities, funding justified part of larger program of institutional improvement. oswald veblen, leading mathematician , chair of department, took approach princeton in process of transforming recognized research institution. veblen s skill in securing university funding helped make princeton mathematics department center of mathematics research. strategy helped split field, however, between pure mathematicians in academic settings , applied mathematicians interest in practical applications of work allowed them find support in industry.