Princeton High School - Tiger Yearbook (Princeton, IL)

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Cid ,CT e Cientenniaf .Jiger 1858-IQ58 BOOK ONE A, -4 sf ' an r 4 iran can I Patterned after the ancient Greek Temple is Princcton's City Hall. Here meets the City Council to de- cree ordinzinccs for the government of the City. HE 17th of March marked the centennial of Princeton's incorporation as a town. On that day in 1838 twenty voters cast their ballots for its in- corporation. The twenty were Andrew F. Smith, Stephen Wilson, William H. Wells, Noah Wis- woll, Cyrus Langworthy, john Long, Robert C. Masters, Samuel Triplett, john Walter, Butler Dunham, john Vaughan, Oliver Boyle, E. H. Phelps, joseph Smith, Robert Stewart, john H. Bryant, justin M. Olds, Thomas Elston, and Robert Templeton. The first step toward establishing a local gov- ernment had been taken in 1832 when a land sur- vey was completed by B. M. Hayes. A plot was made and its subdivisions recorded by Warren Hooper, Recorder of Putnam County of which Bureau County was then a part. As early as 1831 a postmaster had been appointed and the village was known as Greenfield. This name was not sat- isfactory to all concerned so three names were placed in a hat and the one drawn out was Prince- ton. All of this plus the coming of additional settlers made possible the incorporation of the town of Princeton. Shortly after this Princeton be- came the county seat of the newly organized Bureau County. From 1838 until 1884 Princeton remained a vil- lage governed by a Board of Trustees or Town Council. Many problems of government arose dur- ing this period. Among these was the laying out of street sand side walks, the control of the sale of in- toxicating beverages, the graveling and sprinkling of streets, protection of property from fire haz- ards, and the problems arising with the Civil War. A word should be said about the fire department. In 1859 the construction of five cisterns to hold rain water for fighting fires was completed and two years later an improved bucket was adoptedg a far cry from the department of today. Other interesting items include petitions to the govern- ment asking that horses be hitched to posts rather than trees and that cows be kept in at night. In 1884 an election was held to incorporate Princeton as a city. Over four hundred votes were cast in favor of incorporation and about three hun- dred votes were cast in favor of incorporation and about one hundred against. The aldermanic system of government, the only form used at that time, was adopted and the first election was held on April 15, 1884. justice Stevens was elected as mayor. This form of government was in effect un- til the adoption of the commission form in 1915.

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glze Clentermial ,finger 1858-1958 V One of the first homes built within the present city limits was the cabin of john Howard Bryant, brother of the poet, Willianl Cullen Bryant. Mr. Bryant, with his mother and brothers, was one of the early settlers. Always looking to the future of Princeton, he was one of those who made possible the Princeton Township High School. CONTENTS BOOK ONE . . GOVERNMENT BOOK TWO . .... SCHOOLS BOOK TIIREE . . ORGANIZATIONS BOOK EOUR . . RECREATION Darius Miller, one of Princeton's famous sons, is memorialized by a monument in the park near the railway which bears his name. This spot is appropriately chosen since for many years Mr. Miller was president of the C. B. 8: Q.

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S7716 Centennial Snger 1838-IQ38 GQVERNMENT hfayor Floyd Avery, promi- nent business man, guides the City Council in its delib- erations, lem handled by the city is that of sewage disposal. A modern plant just west of the city is adequate for this purpose. Other assets of Princeton which are under the Since its incorporation as a city Princeton has had sixteen mayors. They are justice Stevens, Robert R. Gibbons, A. H. Thompson, D, E. Munger, R. M. Skinner, C. A. Palmer, Wrltts A. johnson, james K. Hopkins, Guy A. Bryant, M. Ennes, R. L. Russell, L. M. Eckert, Charles F. Anderson, T. P. Gunning, Claude Brown and Floyd Avery. In Civic services the government of Princeton has been unusually beneficial. The water supply, always a problem of city government, was solved by the erection of a city water works in 1890 as a result of the activity of D. Munger and C. McManis. From time to time new wells were added and during the administration of Dr. T. P. Gunning a purifying and softening plant improved the water supply. A second public utility was provided with the purchase of a privately owned electric light plant in 1900 while Dr. C. A. Palmer was mayor. The light plant has been a profitable enterprise although as late as 1907 it was offered for sale because of unprofitableness. When no one offer- ed to buy the city council decided to improve it and with the moving of the plant to its present location business picked up. It has made one of the best street lighting systems in the state. A third civic prob- Hospital, The Matson Public Library and the Old Ladies Home. The county Court House and lied- eral Post Qffice do their bit in beautifying the city as well as making more effective government control of the city include the Perry Memorial Scfvifes- N e w c st building in Princeton is the lovely Court House. Situated in the midst of Court House Square it adds its beauty to that of the elms which surround it. !