Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-07-07

fessor Wilson occupied the position of
adjunct professor of history in Bryn
Mawr college and was afterward pro-
fessor Of history and political ecOno-
my in Wesleyan university. In 1890
he became professor Of Jurisprudence
and political economy at Princeton.
In 1895 the title of his chair was
changed to that Of professor of juris-
prudence and upon its endowment he
became professor of jurisprudence
and politics.
Professor Wilson also for several
years gave a course Of lectures in
Johns Hopkins university. He gained
fame also as a lecturer and writer.
His work entitled The State" and his
Life Of George Washington" are
among his best-known writings.
Professor Wilson became the thir-
teenth in the roll of presidents at
Princeton in 1902 and the first lay
man to hold this Office all his prede-
cessors having been Presbyterian
clergymen. He is, however, a ruling
elder in the Second Presbyterian
church of Princeton. As a professor
he was very popular and his elcc/ e
classes were always among the larg-
est.
During his administration a t
princeton DIR. Wilson made two at
tempts to change materially the char
acter Of American education. In one
project he not only failed, but alien
ated the support of a large body of
alumni of many Of the trustees and
some Of his co-workers on the teach
ing staff. That project which did not
succeed was TO establish the quad"
system for undergraduates. 1t was
resented by the alumni as an attack
on the student CLUBS and the opposi-
ton became SO strong thLt the presi-
dent was asked by the board of trus-
tees TO withdraw his proposal.
The successful innovation was the
preceptorial system. That called for
the appointment Of fifty teachers or
preeeptors to be added to the faculty
at an increased cost to the university
Of $1,000 a year. But the alumni
so thoroughly approved the plan that
they told the president to go ahead
and assured him that the money for
the salaries would be. forthcoming.
The plan succeeded. This precep-
torial system, by which each student
gets the benefit of personal contact
with a teacher, is referred to by the
presidents admirers as the best thing
he has done in the field of education.
When Mr.. Wilson, after twenty-five
years of service as an educator, re-
signed the presidency OF Princeton in
1910, to accept the nomination for
governor Of New Jersey. there was n
general tendency to look askance at
the "schoolmater in politics" How
ever, he was carried into office on the
anti-republican wave that swept so
many states.
Mr. Wilson was elected by plural
ity of $4,000 votes. He was the first
Democratic governor in New Jersey
for sixteen years. This brought the
former college president prominently
into nationaS politics. His platform
pledged his party to the enactment Of
a workman's compensation act, a re-
forp1 of the election laws of the state
which would make direct nominations
possible; corrupt practices act and
a public utilities commission bill. All
these measures were written into the
statute books of New Jersey during
the first year of Governor Wilson's
term, in spite of the fact that ono
house of the state legislature was Re-
publican. White his success In OBJ
tanning the passage of these measures
served to bring him more prominently
before the nation II was his fight to
obtain tho election of James T.. Mar
tlno to the United States senate 10
succeed Senator John Kean. which
probably focused tha most widespread