The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-09
SARATOGA REGATTA
Princeton College Earnestly at Work for
tho Great Event.
The University and Fresh
man Crews

the smootnness OF glass, and, as the word Il
given. dashing OF on practice pull OF i've or six
miles Is enough to amply repay him for trip rom
New York to this delightful village. Merely as q
spectacle 1t Is pleasant, but when you add the
knowledge that these six fresh, blooming young
men are the chosen ones OF their Alma Mater,
from out OF Alt students, to represent ner
for the first time in the great nter-colegi-
ate struggle. and from whom she ex-
poets good tidings in the battle OF skill
and endurance with the finest osrsmen OF our
American universities the sight becomes
peculiar, and Is likely to make q deep i'm
preston and frequently come uppermost in
the memory. Yesterday l thus saw the Prince
ton crew who will be on Lake Saratoga to
represent the institution IN the University race
soon to take place. Taxing the men all together
they ere. collectively or individually, good lot Is
far a. physique and education TO- and win no
doubt one day. when they have gone from the
portals OF old Princeton, and when boat races and
regatta victories ana college scrapes have no ex-
istence excepting as misty membranes, MAKE
their mark in Whatever pursuit they embark in the
busy life or the great world; but the al-engrossing
theme OF details leave for the present to write o
word OF the history of
ROWING AT PRINCETON.
Eighteen years after the first boat race took
Harvard--that is. in 1870, and perhaps without
much faith in the success OF the enort-boating was
first discussed in the classic halls OF this college,
AT that time company OF eight OF her most attn
etc students met in West College in response to an
invitation, and considered the feasibility OF organ
izing navy among them, despite the apparent
disadvantages which existed. A general laugh
went around the gathering and three of those
physical MOVERS" OF the university Immediately
withdrew. The i've others remained, and to this
little coterie Princeton owes her present position
IN the pastme Of boating and the dignity OF asplr-
ing TO become the champion university In due
time. AS evidence that these young men had stout
hearts and unwayerlng nerve, they put their
hands deep into their pockets and at once pur-
chased what was then called two sssx- gigs;n
but the name was q misnomer, as the boats were
respectable limitations OF Noah's ark ana about ss
appropriate; In which they could learn nothing
but vitiated style, that would require thorough
change before the beginners could be formed in
the right mould. The history OF one Of these
boats 10 o short one. 1t was launched on the
canal and manned by six enthusiastic oarsmen,
who. after 100 yards of the most ridiculous exnibi-
rion OF rowing. were compelled to SWIM ashore,
the leaky old craft having filed and gone TO the
bottom. sTne result OF this first attempt
to establish rowing as general recreation among
the students, wrote graduate OF Class '72, "was
for the next few days the pet subject OF rdicule,
and formed the theme Of gossip among the prin-
cipal societies and clubs.n But the i've students
were not cast down by this failure and not for
an instant did they abandon the undertaking or
falter In the prosecution OF the good work On
the contrary, they persevered all the more. and
the second boat proving to be little better than
the old CONN that went under, the crew in short
time learned to feather an oar quite well,
sit In the boat fairly and judiciously expend their
strength on the stroke. ALI this time, be 1t re-
membered, the students Of Princeton, like the
young Greeks OF old &C the college OF which Plato
was .prex,r and some hard-headed and hard
listed old Greek was proctor they had their games.
and, In order to make any kind OF q crsdltsDis
exhibition when they took place. were obliged to
do considerable training in their gymnasium, and
the GOOD time the gay young men had In running
and leaping gave them q muscular Development
which well lifted them to become t0leraby pro-
hcient In the use OF the oar.
Two years they continued 10 improve their
physicai standard and advance in the art OF row.
ing, when in 1872 the leaders OF the pastime ielt
that " Their practices. they were sufficiently de-
operation OF their 1ell0w-students purchased
fOur-oared SHE'LL selected their crew and went INTO
training after entering Tor the Schuylkill Navy Re-
gatta, then open TO ali amateurs Faithfully the
crew took their practice pulls, ana 80 quietly did
they arrive MP. Ph,saepSa 50 Young we're the
the speculative gentlemen, who are always on
hand and will venture few crisp green
entirely forgot their existence and left them
out Of their wagers. The Princeton Doys surprised
them The crew did 80 well and showed so
much pluck throughout the contest that Josh.
Ward gave them unstinted praise tor the form In
winch they presented themselves and the manner
In which they pulled to the finish Though beaten,
the de eat proved the stepping stone to future
cess. The Association steadily Increased In num-
oers, new boa's were purchased, untn rowing
was firmly established OF the sports OF
Princeton and many OF the older games were
thrown aside as quite numougs in comparison.
THE BOAT HOUSES.
The first boat house OF the young oarsmen was
an old wagon shed July hall q mile rom the barn.
and though the journey to and fro from the canal
awkward and clumsy old craft they then
owned was daly carried on their backs to
Of their fellow students. At last the strength Of
the organization and the funds furnished by the
members enabled them to buiid mouse Of their
own In which to store their property, and this
done they Rad reached result infinitely greater
than the most sangulne OF the original founders
nad hoped TO secure without years OF weary labor.
T0e success OF the ros Ing association was now
foregone conclusion, and the more expert 0arsmen
ventured TO ut their aquatic heads still higher and
csreiulJ ecrutlnlze the amateur world. The mar
row confines OF this curious old village might
have been large enough IN the earlier days OF row.
ing among them to exhibit what skill they pos
sessed, but now, precisely as 1t and their physical
strength were developed, they must compare
l nr oas oy nose colleges wno FOR
aquaus pr0wess. And so they determined that
PRINCETON SHOULD NO LONGER
be without representative crews In the annual
intercollegiate regatta To enable them to sue
cessfully carry out this wise resolve, and have
accommodations sufficlently roomy for the bette
preservation OF their boats and for training pur-
poses, the association began instituting inquiries
as 70 the probable cost OF more extended quarters
and seriously considered the project OF beginning
new structure upon their own responsibility;
and then no aid could be procured from the
athletic-loving alumni, TO pay for It themselves
Sucn grit always demands q favorable response.
But friend IN an unexpected quarter arose. and
one evening tue young men were delighted TO be-
come the recipients OF check for $4,000
from M. Robert Bonner, who for long
time had been looked upon a. their athletic
patron saint inasmucn as he, in conjunction
with mr. Marquand had erected the gymnasium
attached to the college, and which, BY the way, is
one Of the nnest In all ITS appointments la the
country. Tue happiness Of the boating men was
now complete. Their good luck almost turned
cncir heads and Tor time learned disse ritz tons
and disquisitlons were iorgotten but to their in
tellectuA1 pursuits they soon returned when from
morning until night most OF their time was taken
up between the college and the new boat mouse
project. In good season ground was broken the
structure commenced ana nnlsned so to-day there