Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-14
PRiNCETON'S CANNON.
ITS COATS OF PAINT ARE VARIED
WITH THE SEASONS.
A Source Of Fun to the '1SOphs" and An.
noyance to the Freshmen-History
Of the Cannon-The lit
tie Cann0n.''
fCor. New York Times.

new Hines
The approach Of the commencement sea
son is being manifested in all Department.
of the college. The class day committee L
Fastening preparations for the cannon ex
ercises," which constitute one OF the mos
entertaining and prominent features Of &
Princeton commencement week Just q.
old Nassau hall has witnessed the growth
and changes of the college for more than 9
century, so the old cannon has beep an i'm
portant observer Of all the freaks and cele
brations iu which the collegiate spirit ha,
participated This cannon is situated in the
center Of a quadrangle formed by Nassau
hall and East and West colleges, and here Il
has remained turied, mouth downward,
since 1853
For many years past it has been the Gus.
tom to hold the class day exercises around
this old relic. On this special occasion it il
to receive g coat Of BLACK paint, and will b
inscribed with the year Of the graduating
class. 1t will be surmounted with a pyra-
mid Of flowers, and upon it will be broken
the old time class pipes. Around it for this
special occasion as amphitheatrs Of seats
sufficient to accommodate an audience of
1000 spectators has been built Here are to
be delivered the presentation speech, the
"
here the class ode AMI ~Old Nassau" are to
be sung.
In the fall the cannon becomes prominent
factor Of college life. Its dress Of gold and
black is turned into one Of bright green, in
keep before him his position in the college
world. And the only manly and proper
thing for the Fresh" to do is to burn this
sr.f tta d 4.
Hence results Of the well known Fresh fire,
which task if usually undertaken in the
small hours of the night in order to elude
the vigilant Sophomores, whose study it is
to keep the Freshman away from the can
non. So during the first two weeks OF the
full term it is no uncommon thing to b
reused from sleep by terrible cries OF "Fre,h
fire. Fresh fire." From the window there is
seen mass of students surging about .
struggling bonfire. When the Freshmen sue
coed in building their fire they arc regarded
rs worthy Of place in college affairs.
Then, too, the old cannon always is the
scene Of connagration when Princeton's men
have been successful in the intercollegiate
games. Last fall. at the time Of the Prince
ton Harvard football game, the telegraph
Office was closely watched, and the moment
victory was announced from Cambridge
students flew about and gathered material
from all quarters-from President McCosh's
fence to the smallest plank-and built an
immense fire around this revolutionary relic.
The history OF the cannon il lost in the past.
1t was left near Princeton at the close Of
the revolutionary war, and, like all the
English guns, bore the mark OF the crown.
This particular one was the largest Of many,
and for long time stood on the present
site Of East college until the carriage
under it gradually rotted away.
Here it remained until 1872, when it was
made to play part in the second war with
EnglaBl. This time it was taken up 10
New Brunswick inasmuch as British
squadron appeared OF the Jersey coast and
it was fearol that New Brunswick was in
danger.
At the close Of the war Princeton claimed
her cannon. but no attention was paid to the
request, and finally the Princeton Blues con
gregated in front OF the First Presby terrain
church one Sunday morning in July, 1895.
ami decided 10 restore the cannon that
night They armsd themselves and started
out with wagons for New Brunswick
After some skillful maneuvering they
gained possession Of the gun and return ed
with it to Princeton, where. after elaborate
preparations and ceremonies, it was planted
where it now remains.
About forty feet from this big cannon
stands the little cannon as il Is CON-
monty termed This also was left in Prince
ton at the close Of the revolution, and served
as q post at the corner of Nassau and With
erspoon streets till the class OF 50 took it
on the campus. planting il near the big can
non In 1871 the Rutgers college students