The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-26
THE PRINCETON UNDERGRADU-
ATE CLUES.
Comment on President Wilson'S Reported
Plans OF Social Reorganization,

10 THE bDITOH OF IKE DUN on 10 ~
possible that the doctrines OF the con6scation
| Of property and the superior wisdom Of those
in high places which have recently been 30
characteristic OF our political life are to be
received with favor In one OF the most his
toric and conservative Of our institutions OF
learningi
1t was with the greatest surprise that l
noticed an article In this mornings sun
\ entitled Clubs at Princeton to Co." As /
read the article my establishment increased and
| the following considerations occurred to me:
1. The Ivy Club, OF which ] am a member,
Is a legal incorporation, and in receiving per-
mission TO exist from the university under
certain carefully specified conditions it in
effect entered into a contract with the univer-
sity. Relying upon this contract 1t has In
vested during the last quarter Of a century
many thousands OF dollars In real estate and
permanent Improvements and has developed
deeply rooted and cherished traditions.
There Is no suggestion that the purposes or
cha racter Of the club have altered. The prop
osition to deprive 1t OF any part of Its property
without the full assent Of ali its members, II
seriously entertained, is ms uncomfortable as
1t Is illegal.
2. In regard To the merits OF President Will
sons proposition, on the partial information
contained In your article, ! venture TO suggest
that In so far as his plan is an attempt TO
transrle mt TO Princeton the s~o-called Oxford
system" it will be a failure. inasmuch as the
Oxford system" is dependent upon class
distinctions and traditions which in England
have almost the force Of law. but which do
not exist In this country and would never
be tolerated at Princeton. am also informed
that many English educators deeply regret
the divisions In university life due 70 the sys-
tenn Of separate colleges.
3. II occurs to me that any attempt arti-
Totally to repress or rearrange underRradu-
ate social life Will in the long run fail and
react. since there Is no way OF forcing men
to associate on lines contrary to their own
free choice. The practical difficulties Of the
proposed plan appear when YOU undertake
to FIX the method by which the membership
Of the so-called quads or centres is to be de-
termined. II II Ia to be by the free choice Of
the undergraduates you would have the club
system In effect under another name. II it is
TO be determined, as is suggested In your arti-
Gle, by the location Of a students room there
would result the most odious form OF social
classification. that Of wealth, since the vari-
GUS quads would be graded by the amount Of
rec. which all undergraduate could AFFORD 10
pay. II IL is proposed that the me mbership
OF these quads be determined arbitrarily by
the university In the same way as a students
seat In the classroom there Ia an end to all true
undergraduate social life. The idea OF bind
ing together the social and scholastic life OF
the university, while superfcially attractive.
Is in my opinion as impractioable as would
be an attempt TO bind together the athletic
and social life or the athletic and scholastic
life OF the university.
4, IT further seems to me that In his atti-
tpde toward this club question. which is after
all primarily social one and only Indirectly
9, question OF university discipline or educG-
ton. President Wilson has stretched his on |
who would readily defer 10 his Judgment as TO
the course Of study I. be pursued by our sons
while. In college would have no such respect
Tor his We've as TO how they should arrange
One word as to the manner in which this
proposition has been launched. A pro-
university, attempting TO substitute by way
OF experiment an idea borrow ed from England
IN place Of a condition Thoroughly, American
TO wipe out some Of the deepest and most
sl%msf. ba tT besn Giy OF IN ny @l 6,SI,I P[ nIS.e
an, announcement Of the Presidents ofhciai
policy without any thorough canvass OF col
There has, so far as | know, BEEN R Roap pSins..
taking and impartial Investigation Of con-
ditions. where those holding views opposed
given an Opportunity q expressing them.
Many Of those best qualified 10 speak on the
tu6jeot, both as PRINCETON, men and club men,
before reading II in this mornings papers.
There Is some comfort in the statement that
the transition too quickly" For. this let us
II is incredible that the board OF trustes,
zion Of this question. has Intended to commit
itself definitely to President Wilson's echeme
Z e h SS'e oes SO II TO yq psPr srslSle IN. u r 4 has done g
wishes of many hundreds OF loyal and repre-
Princetonians. whether club men or
No policy founded on injustice can thrive
at Princeton, ivy
NEW YORK, June Is.