Princeton University - Bric A Brac Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

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breeding, u fcmuUi imci ' c There seem to be two distinct currents of opinion among Princeton men concerning Princeton women. The first is well-stated by the observation of a short, rather homely freshman: They ' re a bunch of stuck-up snobs. Most of them are dogs. And the few good-looking ones won ' t even talk to you. The other perspective is summa- rized by the comment of a tall, good-natured senior: They ' re pretty much like normal girls. Some of them are really good people. Some aren ' t. Some are beautiful. Some aren ' t. The latter statement is probably closer to the senti- ments of the majority. It is echoed by most up- perclassmen— except some hard-core eating-club men- as well as by a good number of freshmen and soph- omores, particularly the ones who appear to have ad- justed well to college life. The freshman ' s view of Princeton women is shared by many of his classmates. His thoughts are understandable. Social life can be pretty rough for the less resourceful fn!shman males. There is a consequent tendency to put the blame on the Princeton girls and to compare them un- favorably to high school girls, who are remembered as universally charming, beautiful, and promiscuous. The relationships between Princeton men and women are further characterized by many Princeton men in the following way: Most relationships are more of a friend- ship type. The girls are close friends, people you can rely on. You look elsewhere for sex. Thus, those Princeton men who seek something more than a platonic relation- ship with the girl-next-door often meet with frustration. As one junior put it, There are a hell of a lot of teasers. In general, the majority of Princetonian males would agree that this statement, made by a perceptive soph- omore, summarizes their own feelings pretty well, The average girl here isn ' t that much different than the aver- age girl on the street. Of course, the Princeton girls are a lot more intelligent, but that ' s no big deal. Princeton girls have too much of a tendency to play games with boys, but what can you expect with a three-to-one ratio? andy oser

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limfs (squash twice: swimming, sailing, anti crew): iiiid achieved a collective record of 95-23-1. Yet. such accom- plishments really don ' t surprise Merrily Dean, under whose direction the wt)men s athletic program began. ' Tve always believed th.il thi-re is a close correlation be- tween athletic excellence and excellence in otht-r areas . The girls were successful in the beginning and have tried to continue that success. The desire to win is purely self-imposed. They don ' t have the outside pressures caused by recruiting and alumni expectations. Ms. Dean was hired in Ult !l lo develop an athlirlii; pro- gram for the entering women as the University prepared for coeducation. The first step was physical education, followed closely by intramurals. The effort was made lo provide an opportunity for the handful of interesteii girls to continue their involvement in sports. Some tennis players got together, entered and won the Eastern Inler- coliegiate Championships to become the first official var- sity team. The next year everything blossomed as teams were added in field hockey, squash, swimming, basketball, and crew. Princeton now has eight varsity, three junior varsity, and five club sports for women, in- cluding lacrosse, sailing, fencing, gymnastics, volleyball. ice hockey, and badminton. It would be appropriate to ask, Is Princeton reolly coed in the area of athletics? Some would argue that such is not the case. Their view is based on the fact that the women ' s teams still do not have all that they need in the way of facilities, equipment, and operating expenses. A frequently cited need is for a women ' s dressing area in the boafhouse. It ' s unhealthy not to be able to change from our practice clothes until we get back lo our rooms, especially in bad weather, said a member of the women ' s crew team, and it ' s embarassing not to have any place for visiting teams to change. Plans for the locker room have apparently been made, but the Athletic Department is awaiting an opportunity to fit the project into the budget. Although the deficiencies that exist are annoying, most of the women feel that the University, with help from pri- vate donors, has managed quite satisfactorily. There is a tremendous expense involved in starting an athletic pro- gram where none existed, and a realistic limit as to how much money is available each year. In the past four years the Dillon locker room has been renovated, a dance stu- dio and another locker room in |adwin built, expensive equipment for crew and gymnastics purchased, and uni- forms obtained for each team. The basketball team re- ceived shoes this year and a set of warm-ups which is shared with the field hockey team. Dillon library is presently being renovated for use in social gatherings af- ter contests, a tradition which has developed with some of the teams. In addition, there are plans to obtain a sec- ond Universal Gym and sauna baths at Dillon through the women ' s program, which would be available to both male and female athletes. Financial criteria are not the only standards that can be used in judging the degree of coeducation in this area. Less easily measured emotional factors are also impor- tant. Although some hard-core opponents of coeducation facetiously blame women for the slump experienced by certain of the men ' s teams in recent years, no true corre- lation has been found to support their opinion. In fact, most of the sports that have both male and female partici- pants-squash, tennis, and swimming especially-have done very well. , - 1 v« 1 i HI . In general, the attitudes toward female athletes have been changing in a positive direction. Growing atten- dance at women ' s athletic events is concrete evidence of that fact. On some days the hill behind the tennis courts fills up: there is standing room only at the Princeton-Yale basketball game. Off the courts and playing fields, the girls are completely accepted socially. Their visibility to the Princeton community may give them an advantage over other coeds-although some of the men say it also leads to swelled heads As women ' s athletics develop and the general outlook becomes more favorable, the views of spectators are also growing milder. Female ath- letes are considered less a rarity than they were a year ago. The surprised comment, Yuu ' nt a girl jock?! is heard less frequently. It may elicit any response from a proud retort to the slight correction. Well, actually a Iddy jock. With tradition so pervasive in all areas of Princeton life, it has not failed to encompass the women ' s athletic teams. They take pride in the fad that no varsity team has ever lost to Yale. With additions and modifications, the women are guided by the same traditions that have permeated men ' s athletics. As .Sports l uslroled noted in an article about the Women ' s Rowing Championships last |une, When the Princeton women stand in a circle and sing Dhl Nossau, the resemblance to other Tigers is eerie. calhv brown

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(miucik itimi; (i ninlc itiHinr Crew cuts and lo.ifrrs. b.inny p.inis .ind iiullovcr svvciit- ers-the Princcloii |)ri ' ppir im.inr li.is infillriilcd nil rr- gions of Ihf country from the Appalaclii.in Mountains to the casinos of Las Vi ' as. High school ffmalos. comparing the merits of Princeton with the qualities of various other U.S. colleges, conjure up romantic ideals of Ivy League sophistication, class and gallantry. Kven Princetonian males dream of their own superiority and elevation above the ordinary as they feed upon the malnutrienis ol the traditional boasts of alums. So we are left with the one stereotyp ' of an intellectual he-man gifted with all the talents and physical attributes ever bestowed upon mankind. Rather a dull place, that Princeton-if all the males really live up to those reports, if all the males truly exist to represent one character, one ideal, one cate- gorical sub-type of personality. Strangely enough, my personal experiences indicate a little more variety and. indeed, a little more depth among the Princeton men. I have not, in fact, found even two that I would class under the same heading in any com- prehensive human analysis. Their qualities range through an infinite spectrum in all aspects, and yet 1 could make some very general comments with regard to the charac- teristics 1 have found most in evidence. After two years of my coeducational ' Princeton expe- rience, I retain principally a favorable impression of the male segment of the population. 1 have found an in- tellectual depth and particularly a concern for issues and values and persons beyond that apparent in many of my off-campus acquaintances. Princetonian men indicate a notable openness, a willingness to take the first step to- ward building a friendship. More important, they make an effort to foster relationships-true relationships basiid on the interactions between people, relationships that can develop in all directions according lo .my defiiiilioii applicable lo life, Princeton males are uncommon in that each individual exhibits. some very special quality, one parlicul.ir charac- teristic that sets him apart from the masses and demands respect. Presumably, every human being possesses some trait that should serve as motivation for further (explora- tion of his character through acquaintance. Yet, a Prince- tonian seems mor(! capable of communicating his thoughts and more confident of portraying his unique identity in the society of others. This ability lo adjust to strange or unknown situations without needing to mask his soul len ls the Princetonian his aura of distinctness, of standing apart from hc. commtm hord(!. On the other hand, perhaps a degree less confidence would promote more mutually satisfying relationships, particularly between the Princeton man and the Princt;- ton woman. With his accustomed success in self-ex- pression among new ac:quaintances, the Princetonian male arrives on campus displaying a cocky assurance that he will sweep off their feet all females in his path. When his first telephone call lo that fawning coed en- counters only a busy signal, he indignantly withdraws to assert that she is being ov(!rwhelm(!d by the advances of the other three thousand Princeton men. He effectively places her out of reach as regards dating or even commu- nication. Perhaps a less expansive initial confidence would induce a greater perseverance and an awareness of the coed ' s dilemmas resulting from the three: one ratio. Nevertheless, I find that the Princeton male image most generally supported by Princeton women is of an individ- ual to be respected for what he offers of himself, and to be est(!emed for his contributions to a relationship of any depth. The image also involves the male ' s uncommonly broad range of experiences in life and consequent gains in self-knowledge, lending a confidence and tendencies toward self-assertion. The Princeton man stands erect as an individual of merit and as a person cognizant of that fact-thus according to the Princeton woman. candv con way