Princeton University - Nassau Herald Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

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reconciliation with Harvard and a renewal of football relations with Dart- mouth. The class elected Constable, president, Carlile, vice-president, and Wister, secretary and treasurer. In the spring the campus was saddened by the death of John Grier Hibben, a man beloved and esteemed wherever he was known. In June Dr. Harold W. Dodds was named President of the University, an event which no one has had occasion to regret. We watched with envious eyes the feminine guests of the upperclassmen stroll about the campus and tried to be patient until the day when we too could be idyllic. Final examinations and mosquitoes came together as the term ended. By this time we felt that the fog had lifted a little and set forth to exhibit our newly acquired veneer to the maidens at home. SOPHOMORE YEAR 1933-1934 In the fall of ' 33 the class returned to the cloistered fastnesses to be Sophomores and to make a point of looking very superior in the presence of all Freshmen. There was a great deal of handshaking and muttering of names not well remembered. Summer exploits were related with enough embellishment to accent an embryonic smoothness and to compensate for a still lingering feeling of Freshman inferiority. This was the time of that famed symbol, the Blue Eagle, which takes its place with the Bronx as our most famous national bird. Football was, of course, th e most important and absorbing matter in college at the time and pre-season speculations were tinged with a most robust optimism. We felt that great success was in store and that this would be achieved mainly by the members of our class. These predictions proved to be true and the team bowled over every opponent, scoring 217 points against its opponents ' 8. In honor of this termination of Princeton ' s seven years of football famine, a monument was constructed of firewood and decorated on the top with certain symbolic fixtures designed to portray our sentiments toward a renowned rival. This huge pile was burned while the undergraduates cheered, the band played, and members of the team made inspired orations. The glory of this achievement v as saddened later by the death of William Roper, football coach at Princeton between 1919 and 1928. During the fall, Ralph Minnich distinguished himself by winning the tennis championship. The Cane Spree was lost again, but the class claimed the victory in the usual verbal encounter which took place between the stands. The Christmas holidays were made bright for some members of the class who were in the Triangle production, Fiesta. Ring Lardner, Jr., was co- author of this show and Walter H. Smith was a mem ber of the cast. But the majority of the class had to be content with providing for their own [ xviii ]

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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 ]]

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Senior Members of the Tiger entertainment and trying to collect bets from certain ill-advised friends who had underrated the foatball team. After the ordeal by question perpetrated in January, those af us who escaped the misfortune of incurring the wrath of the faculty, set about methodically to worry and connive over the club elections. Chaos held sway and inhibited rational mental exertions. We answer ed knocks at our doors with remarkable alacrity. We gave away cigarettes with an abandon that in retrospect is surprising. We made attempts at conversation which in many cases amounted to little more than a jumble of pidgin English. After this purgatorial interlude four hundred and fifty-two members of the class paraded down Prospect Street on Bicker Monday, signed their names in large books, bought striped ties and became parts of the system and the problem. Dean Root announced, in the early spring, the adoption of the No- Course Plan for Seniors, which aroused in certain members of the class a feeling of hope ; in others, envy. We were also informed that hereafter the num ber of cuts taken by any student would be kept secret until he had exceeded his quota. This announcement elicited no great enthusiasm. There was, however, a demonstration of great pleasure when our Constitution was amended so as to nullify the erstwhile restraining effects of Amend- H xix 3