New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-20
H|BBEN OUTLINES PLANS
prinCetOn'S New Head Will Not
Make Radical Changes.
m UPHOLD OLD TRADITIONS
Alumni of the Oranges Hear
President Elects Attitude
on University Problems.

,ohn Grier Hibben, the new president Of
pr,nceton, outlined his plans for the uni
.-gi,v at a dinner last night given in his
so,or at the Essex County Country Club.
:. west Orange y j., by about 80 Prince
.,r alumni living in the Oranges.
professor Hihben announced at the begin
.,,g NJ his speech that he had no ready
,n.Se policy for Princeton and, in fact, no
avad policies. las to the policies Of my
DEMONSTRATION" he said, II am confident
hat they will evolve naturally out of the
situations and conditions which will in
.vtably confront me in the development
=, our university life" Professor Hibben
snoke at length upon those subjects of espe-
c,sl concern TO Princeton-the new gradu-
ties college democracy on the campus, the
Tnh life Of Princeton and the preceptorial
system.
His sp,-ch follows
do not expect to begin my administra-
,ion by any shock of radical change-in
tset. | contemplate no changes whatsoever
Tor The present and for the immediate tut
IRE as regards the officers of the uniVer-
sjty and it's general machinery of depart
mental and committee work. Instead. at
he arst meeting of the faculty after my
election TO the Office of president | an
nounced there that the organization Of
The university would continue as at present,
until the end of this academic year It
would seem 10 me most Unwise to stop the
good ship in mdvOyage to examine the
parts of her machinery, particularly when
she Is making over twenty knots an hour.
As / interpret the messages which have
come 10 me from Princeton men, | am
deeply impressed with the fact that they
tXpect me above and before everything
else 10 conserve the old Princeton tradi-
tjons II we are TO develop BEAUTIFULLY and
vigorously in Princeton il must be, / am
fully persuaded. according TO the methods
OF evolution rather than those of revolu-
ton.
Unity in Midst of Differences.
A solemn obligation rests upon us all to
get together and hold together at all haz-
ards both now and in the years TO come.
We will have in the future abundant diff
ferences Of opinion, a great variety of at
itude in our several points OF view; there
will be- ! hope, in all the deliberations OF
Irinceton men everywhere an untrammeled
spirit of discussion concerning Princeton s
interests and Princeton's welfare But
while this is true, these discussions. | trust,
may be characterized always by a prevail
Ing unity in the midst OF all differences.
According TO my very intimate knowledge
OF the undergraduate disposition and SEN
timent during the last twenty years Is /
have gone in and out among them, Il has
seemed TO me that Princeton Is peculiarly
the place where poverty does not count
against a man nor wealth for him.
II Is a solemn obligation laid upon me,
and upon every Princeton man, 10 see that
we preserve the simplicity Of our campus
life. and that, too, against all the forces
which set in a strong DRIFT toward mate
realistic standards and niatcrial!stic val
ues / believe we have far less OF TINS
drift in Princeton than in the outside world;
In this connection ] wish to say Word
in reference TO the organization Of under
graduate social life i'm Princeton. The up
per class clubs have their obvious faults
and defects but these faults and defects
have not as yet grown into serious evils.
7 believe they are remediable and Il be-
hoOves at the present time TO look Tor
symptoms of health rather than symptoms
% disease. For there are In every Nltai
orcauism certain yo-called Denefcent mi
robes whose presence il inimical to the
disease germs They prevent the growth
n the malignant germs and their power 20
do harm and injury. 10 f. our duty, there
fore to discover. II possible and 20 foster
these dement's Of OUT undergraduate MA.
As 7 have said our social system Prince
ton is not perfect far from it, indeed.
There is only one perfect system IN
Princeton. concerning which ! believe II is
limos sible for any one 10 suggest better
rent 7 refer 20 our honor system. and the
history Of that system is 10 MS. VINO nave
.he responsibility Of the undergraduate life
upon US. most significant. j is a system
inaueurated and conducted by the under
graduates themselves. 1T rose out OF UNI
NfrCraQudtc sentiment. ana j. lldll all
nY the spirit Of the place. Therefore II
seems TO me. that. taking hint from this
suggestive fact. we must bring the unuer-
graduates into our confidence ana IeQuest
them TO cooperate with ms in the task of
eTecting q solution Of the problem OF nv
dergraduate life.
Servant Of Students and Alumni.
In my office as president I regard myself
not merely the servant OF the board OF
trustees and or the faculty, but OF every
man among the undergraduates ana the
great body of our alumni
II has been always the glory OF Prince
ton that she has endeavored 10 make heT
men scholars and her scholars men. /
pledge myself unTeseTNedly ana ehthuslaN-
ilcaliy TO the support of our general course
OF Study and 10 our preCeptOrlai system
and | shall give myself untiringly 10 ad-
vance the interests or that sreat, tI"'a,
tional project. the graduate college %
Princeton University. H.. -
The questions concerning the Siaouale
college which have divided as IN the pasl
have all been settled. They nave Deen
taken out Of the area OF controversy Bs
action of the board OF trustees, AS Itf i us
the site and the character Of the buildings
All that Is past. But one thing remains IOi
us 10 consider There Is but one duty ~
the future and concerning IL we are an
trustees faculty and Princeton men, gen
erslIv ~ one opinion That duty Is 10
complete in the most perfect manner we
Intellectual equipment of the graduate
school. -, r,,..
ion traditions OF religion II will be my
duty and privilege, both in season and out
NJ season 10 maintain and set forward al
Of the influences in our academic life , Walcf
make for the true spirit OF relslon
princeton has always stood. and ] trus
always will stand. for the Christian ,relig,
: ion Interpreted I'm a broad and tolerant
sense. "a,
IN what / believe 10 be the Princeton idea
TO which the Princeton spirit renders IT.
loyal allegiance and devotion: No pedaIl'
ners no hvpocrisy in morals no dissim'
ulation in friendship and no cant In re-
hgion.