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

W. - 80 SSAAsSt SsAsPsa1S9 ~Hu siAs
Young Wilson had taken up the
study Of the law. recognising Il a.
the most direct avenue leading TO q
public life. Al soon az he had COM
| pleted his studies at Charlottesville
he went TO Atlanta to launch his legal
career. He Joined partnership with
a young man who also had just CONF
pleted his college work. Henick waA
his name, and the single OF "Renick
& Wilson" was swung out at ~ Mar
ietta street.
But the young men were strangers
| in Atlanta. Moreover there were
many lawyers there and moreover
again nearly everyone had a relative
practicing law.
However, II wasn't so bad as one
might think this waiting for clients
| to turn up. because. while he Is the
| waiting kind he invaria bly, works
| while he waits. And so he found time
to elaborate the article he had writ
| ten while at Princeton into book.
| But he was unable to find in Atlanta
the facilities he needed TO complete
| the volume. 30 in the autumn OF 1888
he entered Johns Hopkins university
| and took up a course In history and
| political economy, under the late Her
! bert b. Adams and DIR. Richard T.
| Ely.
''Americau Commonwealth
] In making his Investigations VIII
son desired nothing but the facts. His
| researches were prodigioGs and Am
! bassador Hanes Bryce found him of
great assistance while he was compii-
| Ing his American Commonwealth :
| The result OF Wilson's two years work
at Baltimore was his book. Con
! ,.svt f,aA ~ the
| Government by Committee
| II was the first account ever given
| OF the way Americans actually do
| govern themselves.
| The book met. with instant success
| II was at once recognized an anal
| standard work, and Is so recognized
| today.
| After receiving his degree at Johns
| Hopkins. DIR. Wilson was called to a
/ professorship In the new college Tor
| women at Bryn Mawr.
| However. he took advantage u his
| vacation that summer 10 journey To
| Savannah, Ga, and marry Miss Ellen
I Louise Arson, the daughter OF a long
! line OF Georgia clergymen. In the
! autumn the young professor and his
bride started housekeeping in one Of
| the prettiest towns along what Is
| called the main line out OF Phila-
f! delphia.
| The next three years DIR. wilson
| remained at .Bryn Mawr teaching his
| tory and political economy. Bu, he
| spent the two years following at Wes-
| leyan university. at Aiddletown,
1 Conn. teaching the same subjects.
! During this period he also acted AS
/ a. lecturer on the Johns Hopkins fac
| uity. BY this time his fame as "a
| speaker had spread. especially
| throughout sduca tionai circles. and
| he was In constant demand for adj
| dresses on most every known topic. =
= During his stay at WesieyHn. Dr..
| Wilson published another book. THE
State. In which again was revealed
that amazing grasp ON governmental
affairs and the history of all govsrn-
ments from the very beginning OF
history.
Called TO Princeton.
The trustees of Princeton. finding
the chair of Jurisprudence and poll
tics vacant In the autumn OF 1890,
at once turned TO the now distin-
guished aiumnus Of Old Nassau and
offered him the chair. He accepted
with pride and JOY.
For the next twelve years. 1890 ia
1902, DIR. Wilson lectured to his classes
at Princeton, worked on his history
"A History of the American Peo-
pie." ahAa added daily 10 his reputa'
tion at home and abroad. Prince
ton had never before seen anything
like his classes His lectures were
20 popular that nearly every student
wanted to take his course. IT was a
daily occurrence for the members Of
his class to rise to their feet at the
conclusion OF his lecture and cheer
him 10 the echo until he had passed
out of hearing.
In 1902 Dr. Wilson was elected
pv<sident of Princeton. change wai
sadly needed in the administrative
affairs Of the university, and the trus-
tees recognized Or. Wilson as the mar
to effect them.
But he had hardly assumed his new
office before he found himself con.
| fronted with o situation that was mos
trying to him.
Princeton has been called a country
=, club for rich mems sons. However
!. much or little II deserves this appel
iatien the fact remains that II pos
sesses more exclusive clubs than any
, other great institution. in the country
, There Is a whole street OF them and
!. yet their total membership is confined
to $50. These clubs are composed ex-
. iclusiveiy Of the two upper classmeu.
the American spirit and equally alb
horrent TO President Wilson, had
} fiourished at Princeton for years until
that institution was little more than
loung;ng place for the gilded sons
: OF the rich. DR.. Wilson went into
change the whole thing. He pro-
posed the esta blishing OF the students
,, on quadrangles and "Quads," each one
to be composed OF certain numbey
of students from each class together
! with preceptors. In other words he
/ tried to inject Democratic spirit into
r the univera'ty life.
Called . "T.evcler."
y Immediately ne was denounced al
: ''leveler,' q socialist" man who
wanted to make a gentleman chum
with a mucker." At first the trustees
had approved the Quad" plan by
J vote, but when this storm Of protes,
! and abuse broke they were frightened
|, into withdrawing their approval
Then there was the long fight over
the graduate. college In which instance
|. donor wanted to dictate to the trus-
tees how his money was to be used
, rJr. wilson caused the trustees to re.
, fuse the donation and then another
storm broke over his head for DARING
to refuse money from Old Nassau
But his efforts wene for naught
, An old graduate Of Princeton died