The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-06

first taught himself to write short
hand in order that he might make
rapid disests Of what he read and
heard. He also practiced compost
ton assid uousiy and eatemporaneous
speaking that he might be skilled and
ready in off-hand debate.
In those days he was not remark
ably ready in ex tempore speaking.
Today he Is without peer in the ma
ton in the art. There have been very
few men In public life who have dared
to trust themselves to deliver impor-
tant speeches without carefully writ
ing them out. but to get Mr.. Wilson
to write speech in advance IL q hard
matter.
During the first year at Princeton
Wilson joined Wing hall" the lite
rary debating society founded 10y
James NJ. Adison. who also wrote It's
constitution. Its rival society a,
Princeton vas Clio hali' and the
annual Lynde debate an extemporan-
eous discussion. the subject to be
given tc the debaters a few minutes
before the debate was to begin, wa.
the biggest thing in a literary way at
the college. Young Wilson very soon
established himself as the leading
spirit of the "Whig Hall society and
was easily its best debater. To win
this annual debate. In which three
representatives from each of the two
halls participated. was the thing that
Wilson coveted most. Each hall Sc
lected Its debaters by a preliminary
contest within its own society+-also
an extemporaneous affaif.
On the evening OF the preliminary
contest the subject was Protection
Free Trade. The tebaters took
sides by lot. Wilson drew "Protec-
tion'' side So mthe hat, tore up The
slip and returned to his seat He
said nothing under heaven could In
duce him to advance arguments for a
thing In which he did not believe.
Lynde prize therefore went to soYps-
one else.
Wilson did not shine with any great
efTulgence in his regular college
course. He stood forty-first in a class
OF l22, This was the famous class
of 10, one Of its members being NAH
/. lon c. Pitney, OF the Supreme court
bench.
About this time his natural aptitude
for leadership began To crop out, and
. before his first year was over he was
| universally recognized at Princeton AZ
the leading freshman and one of the
master spirits Of the entire student
body. He later became managing
tulkoT vi the fTlUCtIOHldn, ana
when he graduated his classm. ses,
looked to him to rise higher than any
of them.
Begins Literary Career.
While at Princeton he wrote a
searching article on congress, which
at once stamped him as youth of
extraordinary callbre. This article
was published In the International
Review, and in 1t the young Prince
h tenian pointed out that most of the
legislative business OF the nation was
carried on by small committees be-
! hind closed doors. This was the first
time the matter had ever been brought
home to the people OF the country.
and II started them to thinking
Wilson made the point that the ma
tons business ought to be done in
the open. ought 10 be threshed out In
hubble discussion. Even at that early
day he lifted up his voice against Sc
crecy. He declared that was the at
mosphere in which evil and corruption
fiourished, and that the only remedy
was publicity.
After leaving Princeton Woodrow
Wilson went to the University of vir-
GINA, that great institution OF liberal
learning founded by Thomas Jefferson.
He spent year there studying In
the law department under the able
guidance Of DR.. John n. Minor
At University OF Virginia.
At the University Of Virginia. Will
son was also a leader. He took
more active interest in sports:
Joined the glee club; ne organized
debating society and easily won both
the writer's and the orators prizes.
|, Here also he acquired the reputation
OF being great Joker. He com.
posed nonsense rhymes and limericks
with wonderful facility. And to this
day he IL fond OF a witty limerick.
For example, the whole country
Will recall his famous limerick which
he recited to the Newspaper reporters
al Sea Girt after his nomination at
Baltimore:
AS a beauty I am net q star;
There are others more handsome by
far.
But my face---I don't mind Il,
For am behind Il.
'Ths people n 'front.' 81 10 49, \