Princeton University - Nassau Herald Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

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-13 3E- We were introduced to local society at a mass debut given at Prospect and called the Freshman Reception. This affair was highly successful, if one overlooks the fact that most of the female guests were soon well taken care of by numerous upperclassmen who had found it expedient to appear as Freshmen that day. The class soon exhibited a marked inclination toward things athletic. If on the campus we comported ourselves in such a manner as to make the more knowing wonder if we had been apprised of the score, certainly this impression was dissipated on the field. The football team captained by Rulon-Miller was undefeated, untied and unscored upon; which fact Senior Members of the Triangle Club enabled the members of the class to discard their black ties. Ken Willis was highly instrumental in the victory over Yale, indispensable, it might be said, for his field goal was the margin of victory. This record is one that has, of course, not since been equalled, and no amount of combing the archives could uncover a similar record in the history of the college. It was at this time that certain nestors of the gridiron ventured to prophesy the renaissance of football at Princeton. To support their contentions they cited the splendid Freshman team and the advent of Fritz Crisler as coach. To say that these two factors were soon to achieve the long-desired result and [ xvi ]

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1936 Class Memorial Committee superb boldness many of us frequented the smoky confines of grogshops to quaff beer which tended to anesthetize the taste buds at once and other senses subsequently if a sufficient quantity were absorbed. Trenton and Kingston were celebrated in legend as being very entertaining, but turned out to be overrated. Kingston has been called a resort. A more apt term would be last resort. But not for long was the class to grope in this maze of apparent unreal- ities. We had not been here many weeks before the much heralded uni- forms were upon us. In them we encountered the first manifestations of professorial contumley. In them we had our initiation into that perfidious realm encompassing cramming, worrying and tutoring. We learned that although the number seven might under certain conditions be a happy one to see on the cubes, such is not the case when that figure appears on a long, narrow strip of paper hung in Nassau Hall. The annual Princetonian questionnaire submitted to the Freshmen re- vealed that only about one-half the class had any idea who the proctors ■were. The other half admitted a taste for fermented beverages. From this premise it seems to follow that before long the entire class knew the proctors.

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change the howls of the alumni to joyous cheers would be almost a plati- tude. We saw the varsity team go through a mediocre season and the Class of ' 33 graduate without witnessing a single major victory. The basketball team, led by Hatfield, was not so successful. The cross-country team, how- ever, was undefeated and placed second in the Intercollegiate Meet. The hockey team, too, under the able captaincy of Savage, completed a nine- game season undefeated. The crew showed considerable strength, losing only one race. Wister was captain. The tennis team, with Tilden as captain, won four out of five matches. The annual Cane Spree was won by the Sophomores, Bowie being the only Freshman to prevail, and by virtue of this victory was the first to win numerals. The swordsmen and tankmen made a rather unfortunate showing as Freshmen. Several national events of considerable moment took place during the year. In this connection it is pertinent to mention the presidential election and inauguration, following immediately in the wake of which came the so-called bank holiday. During this period the Princetonian issued scrip of various colors and values. Soon after this situation was cleared up, a watery beverage alleged to be alcoholic and passing for beer was made legal. The effects were not revolutionary. Most vendors merely closed up the peep- holes in the doors of their establishments, hung out signs, and paid the government instead of the racketeers. At this time we also witnessed a SENIOR Members of the Theatre Intime [[ xvii ]]