Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-01-20


es can get into no club. From this
idea has grown up this dominating
feature of Princeton life, estranged
from the university and yet having
more to do with the real forming of
its students than any other feature of
the college life.
No one can reflect for moment upon
this club system without understand
ing its essentially vicious character.
The trouble is that the clubs neces-
sarily constitute an aristocracy in the
midst OF a community which should,
above all things, be absolutely demo
cratic It may be all very we'll for the
300 youths who enjoy the delights Of
the Ivy. the Cap and Gown. the
Colonial, Tiger Inn and the rest
Though such luxury Is Of questionable
value to boy who has yet to make his
way in the world. but what Of the
300 young men who have not been able
to make" one Of them? They feel
themselves ostracized and Inundated,
and the seeds Of social bitterness are
sown in their souls. There is no pro-
vision for them outside Of common
boarding houses. Not few leave the
university.
Worse yet, rivalry for admission to
the clubs Is so great that 1t injuries
the work Of the freshmen and sopho-
mores. The first term Of the sophie
more year especially is considered to
be entirely wrecked by the absorption
Of the students in candidating for the
club elections held that spring. So
highly is membership in a swagger
club regarded that parents OF prospec-
tive students have been known to be-
gin visits to Princeton a year or two
before their son entered college with
the purpose Of organizing social cam
paign to land him in the club to which
he aspired.
1t may easily be seen how the exist
ence of these select coteries ministers
to snobbery. how they foster toady-
ing, how they introduce worldly.
material and unnatural element into
what Is naturally one of the finest
things in the world-a democracy Of
boys; how they set up at the outset Of
students career mistaken ideal, an
unworthy aim, and how they divide
students along unnatural lines. Over
and over again Princeton sees group
Of congenial fellows Of the incoming
freshman class gravitate toward each
other in the first few weeks Of the
term and then, in obedience to some
sudden, mysterious influence from
Prospect avenue, dissolve The spirit
Of the place does not allow men to
form friendly and natural associations
in accordance with their tastes and
dispositions.
They must always strive untiringly
to become friends of those particular
classmates who have the best chance
Of making" the best clubs. and as
1.-THE bunch" passes down the line"
from Prospect avenue the prospects Of
one and another student wax and
wane. and the character Of the CO.
teries in which he finds himself goes
up and down. The social life Of the
two lower classes presents such a pic.
ture as would a layer of iron filings
over which magnet is passed, form
ing groups now here. now there, and
keeping all in constant confusion. In
the words of President Wilson, the
sideshow had swallowed up the circus.
Nothing could be more un-American;
nothing could be more opposed to the
true principles of education.
We approach now one of the most
dramatic, as 1t is one Of the most in
vOlved, chapters In the life Of any
American institution Of learning in
deed, a chapter, II it could be rightly
told, not often excelled in interest in
any story of American life.
A circular setting forth in outline
President Wilson's quad" proposal
was sent to the various clubs and was
generally read there on the Friday
night before commencement, 1907.
Princeton alumni, particularly those
from the eastern cities, come back in
large numbers to their alma mater and
usually put up at the clubhouses, where
the Friday night preceding commence
ment Is given over to a jolly dinner.
The quad" proposal, it was instantly
seen, contemplated the doing away of
the clubs.
It was even said that President Will
son proposed to confiscate them. The
wrath Of the alumni jollifying that
night in Prospect avenue was instant
ly aroused. and the shout Of battle was
raised. No decent consideration was
ever given the new idea. The grieved
graduates went home to spread stories
of the attack on Princeton's favorite
institutions and rally the old boys to
their defense.
Old Princetoninns got busy and wrote
distressed letters to the Alumni Week
ly, expressing their grief and aston
ishment that Princeton president
should so far forget himself as to try
to make gentleman chum with a
mucker."
The trustees, who had voted the
plan through with but single dissent
ing voice, now frightened by the alum
nj howl, were persuaded to reconsider.
On Oct. II the board requested Presi
dent Wilson to withdraw the proposal.
The inalienable right Of the Ameri-
can college youth to choose his own
hatband land compel other youths to
wear untrimmed headgear was thus
triumphantly indicated. But the
saviors of the club system were not
generous in victory. They continued
to hurl insults upon President Wilson.
1t was now discovered that he was
domineering, brutal, bigoted, inconsid-
crate and untruthful demagogue. The