The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-03-30
For The Cecil WI
LETTER FROM PRINCETON.

THE RECENT TROUBLES THERE-THEIR
CHARACTER GREATLY EXAGGERATED
PRINCETON THE VICTIM OF THE sENsA-
TIoNAL PREss-ITs LOCATION BETWEEN
TWO LARGE CITIES FAVORABLE FOR THE
ENTERPRIsINC REroRTER-INJURY DONE
HER BY SENSATIONAL sToRIEs-THE TRUE
STORY OF THE RECENT DISTURBANCE.
Princeton has been in a very unfavorable
position in regard to the public. Upon her
has been heaped the blame for all hazing,
etc, done in the country. The situation
of the place between two large cities like
Philadelphia and New York makes her
actions more easy to be reported than any
other college. While two and three col
umns Of space have been allotted to US in
the New \ Ork papers, the late row at Dart
mouth, which was in every way as bad as
those in our case, was reported in eight
lines. Only lately the students at Yale
had a considerable riot, when they mobbed
Count Johannes, and it was hardly noticed.
At Union they take freshmen out and duck
them under pump. This never happens
here, and had not pistols been used in the
haZing here, the outside world would never
have heard of it. In the last trouble with
The Semincles, the cowardly blow was
the only disgraceful thing about it. The
"fellows did nothing out of the way, eX-
cept firing off a few crackers. 1t has al
ways been customary to 60 there and run
through the long entry, making as much
noise as possible. Of course it was all
done i'll a friendly way and for fun. The
last incident was not as bad as usual, ex-
cept the blow that was inflicted, and the
charges of arson were ridiculous and ab-
surd. If any thing was set on fire, it was
the paper wrapping of the crackers which
could have resulted i'll no damage to prop
erty. All papers, especially the religious
journals, seem to give credence to the worst
reports of the two cases possible. The
Presbyterian copied from the New York
Tribune, which gave the most unfavorable
and misrepresented statements.
Princeton has been very unfortunate this
term, and | have heard numerous reports
of students who would not come here on
account of the last troubles. | think this
very foolish. The general behavior of the
nearly five hundred students gathered here,
| think is very good, much better than that
at other places, and | think it is very I'M
Just to condemn us for what is not a rule,
but an exception. | hear from " fellows"
who know of Lafayette College, that the
moral tone of the town, which has all the
advantages, or fatnef disadvantages, OF
large cities is very much worse than Prince
ton, and that there are more local tempta-
tations to dissipation on that account |
do not wish to calumniate other places, but
simply to show that all the evils of Ameri-
can colleges are not concentrated here, as
many of the papers would have us believe.
The past occurrences were apparently much
worse than they really were, because they
happened SO near together. 1t is feared
that the next class will be very small, and
it is said that Princeton could have lost
million dollars and would have been injured
less than by the past troubles. hope that
our fears may not be realized. Such acts
may not be repeated again, and they are
condemned by all.
Please excuse this long extended letter.
Princeton has been the recipient of so much
satire at the hands of the press, that the
topic is getting pretty we'll worn.