The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-03
Teacher for Years and the
Thirteenth President of
Princeton
INNOVATIONS IN
UNIVERSITY LIFE
Elected Governor of New Jersey on
Anti-Republican Wave = Passed
Progressive Measures and
Smashed State Machine

Trenton, n. j.. July Woodrow
Wilson, the democratic party's nom
inee for President. of the United States
was born in 1856 in Virginia, where
he was baptized Thomas Woodrow VIII
son. He dropped the Thomas about
the time that he completed his first
book.
Mr. Wilson cannot like many an
office seeker. appeal to the sentiment
tally of the public by an account OF
a self made mans rice from poverty.
His father and grandfather were edu-
Gated men, prominent in their COM
munities, and while not rich were able
to give the aspiring young scholar a
liberal education.
1t was not toward scholarship, how
ever, that his earliest ambitions led
him While in college he resolved to
become public man.
Law Not Lucrative
To that end he studied law and hung
out his single. But his legal practice
was not lucrative and after IS months
of it he gave 1T UP and with 1t for
years to come his desire for office. His
father Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson,
removed to Georgia when Woodrow was
years old. and later preached in vari-
Gus churches in North ana South Car
DINA
Young Wilson entered Davidson col
lege at the age of II. After two years
he entered Princeton, from which he
was graduated in 1879. He then studied
law in the University of Virginia, re-
ceiving the degree of bachelor of laws
in 1882. He received the degree OF
bachelor of philosophy from Johns Hop
kins university in 1856. that of doctor
of laws from Wake Forest university.
North Carolina, in 1887, and that of doc
tor of literature from Yale university at
its bicentennial celebration,
Professor Wilson occupied the posi-
ton of adjunct professor of history IN
Bryn Mawr college and was afterWard
professor of history and political econ
omy in Wesleyan university. In 1880
he became professor of Jurisprudence
and political economy at Princeton. In
1896 the title of his chair was changed TO
that of Jurisprudence and upon It's en-
dowment he became Mccormick pro-
lessor of Jurisprudence and politics.
Professor Wilson also for several
years gave course or lectures III
Johns Hopkins University. He gained
fame also as a lecturer and writer. His
best work entitled Tho State and his
Life of George Washington are among
his best known writings.
Thirteenth Princeton Head
Professor Wilson became the thirteenth
IN the roll of presidents at Princeton in
1902 and the first layman to hold this Of
fee all his predecessors having been
Presbyterian clergymen. He Is ruling
elder, however, in the Second Presby-
terrain church of Princeton. AS a pro-
fessor he was very popular and his cleo
tive classes were always among the
largest During his administration at
Princeton, Gov. Wilson made two at
tempts to change materially the char
acter of American education. In one pro-
iect he not only separated but alienated
the support of large body of alumni, or
many of the trustees and some of his CO.
workers on the teaching staff. That pro-
ject which did not succeed was to estab-
fish the uuadruple system for Undergrad
yates. 1t was resented by the alumni
as an attack on the student clubs and
the opposition became SO strong that the
president was asked by the board OF
trustees to withdraw his proposal
The successful innovation was the pre-
ceptorial system. That called for the APP
pointment of so teachers or preceptors to
be added to the faculty at an increased
cost to the university of 100000 per year.
But the alumni so thoroughly approved
the plan that they told the president to
go ahead and assured him that the
money would be forthcoming.
The plan succeeded. This preceptorlal
system by which each student gets the
benefit of personal contact with teacn-
err is referred to by the Presidents ad-
mirers as the best thing he has done in
the field of education.
Successful in Politics
When Mr.. Wilson after Is years of SER
vice as an educator resigned the presi-
dency of Princeton in 1910 to accept the
nomination for governor OF New Jersey,
there was general tendency TO look
askance at the schoolmaster in politics.
He was carried into office on the radical
anti-republican wave that swept SO many
states, however.
Mr.. Wilson was elected by plurality OF
5000 votes. He was the first democratic
governor In New Jersey for 16 years. This
brought the former college president
prominently into national politics. His
platform pledged his party to the enact
ment of workmen's compensation act;
a reform OF the eiecllOH ldNs VI the Stdic
which would make direct nominations
possible; a corrupt practices act and a
public utilities commission bill.
All these measures were written into
the statute books of New Jersey dur
ing the first year of Governor Wilson's
term in spite of the fact that one
house of the state Legislature was re-
publican. While his success In OBJ
tanning the passage of these measures
served to bring him more prominently
before the nation, it was his fight to
obtain the election of James H. Mar
tine to the United States Senate to sue
coed Senator John Kean, which proba-
bly, focused the most widespread at
tention upon the New Jersey governor
In his prediction speeches Governor
Wilson had given the pledge;
The people of the state Will be the
boss; the only boss
When James Smith, Jr., leader of the
state machine" which nominated Gov
ernor Wilson, let il be known after
the election that he expected the SEN
atorial toga, the governor espoused the
cause of Mr. MARITIME, the candidate
chosen in the popular primary.
Governor Wilson won his fight. Oh
the % delegates to Baltimore "a were
pledged TO Wilson.
Murphy Signs Williams
Chicago. July Fired Williams, star