New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-16
PRINCETON IA
RULES FOR A DAY
President Hibben Abdicates
to Seniors, Who Rule as
College Overlords.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

John G. Hibben of Princeton University
resigned his own authority and all that Of
the officials under his administration at
II o'clock this morning for the day. All
power was vested in the senior class,
which expressed its despotic command
through John NJ. Colt, of Baltimore
No change of administration was APP
parent in the order maintained on the
campus, but the events Of the day were
far from the usual routine for 1t was the
class day of the 18th commencement OF
Princeton University and Mr.. Colt was
master of ceremonies.
In the morning the opening exercises OF
the day were held in Alexander Hall. The
class grafton was by ]. o. Adler, of Chat
tanooga.
At noon, the class adjourned to the cam
pus in front of Nassau Hall, where the
sprig of ivy was planted in It's place TO
represent the class IN the matted vine
covering Of the revered old landmark OF
history. Gilchrist B. Stockton, of Jack
sonville. Fla, gave the Grafton.
The fun Of four years of college life as
a class found expression in the speeches.
of the cannon exercises in the afternoon
and anecdotes were flung from one mem
Der of the class to the other In the class
history by G.. Ellsworth Harris, or Mont
clair. n. j., in the class prophesy by
Kenneth Bonner, Of New York, and in the
nresentation grafton by John B. Pitney OF
Morristown. n. j. The exercises closed
in a more solemn strain with the fresi-
dents address by George f. Philips OIL
Newark. followed by floral tribute 10
the dead members, and the smoking vi
long-stemmed clay pipes when were
finally shattered against the time worn
sides OF the old cannon left on the campus
nv Washington in the revolutionary days
The evening was given up to merry
making. a senior singing on the front
cononus. followed by the Glee Club con-
cert. and the sophomore promenade
Dance Despite Seniors.
The most elaborate feature of the class
dav programme was the sophomore
promenade this evening IN the gymna-
SUM. After the glee club concert III
Alexander Hall the commencement guests
st,olled across the campus to devote tne
remainder Of the night TO dancing.
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore ana
surrounding cities had forwarded their
quota of pretty girls. The gymnasium
presented the appearance OF a sequestered
mot IN the garden transplanted from
TOXIC; a blue sky hung over the heads OF
the dancers while wistaria' cherry Dlos-
SONS and Japanese lanterns softened the
glare of the electric lights. The dance
cards reflected the genius Of the commit
tee OF the sophomore class, headed by
A. L. Haskell, of New York, which de-
signed them.
Twenty-six dances, supplemented by
four extras, constituted the programme
in spite of the fact that twenty-three
rembers OF the senior class voted dancing
an immoral pastime. In the lulls between
the numbers dancers from New York gave
exhibitions of the tango, maxixe waltz
besitatione, lame duck and one-step.
The innermost secrets Of the seniors as
a class were laid bare to-day, when the
Nassau Herald" printed the results OF
series Of votes taken recently among the
graduates Only by a miracle were the
Individual members of the class spared.
In response TO the question, who is
YOUR favorite poet?" the seniors, almost
to a man, voted Ruth Thomas Picker
ing. Vassar, IA" 1t was The Tribune's
publication of that young lady's poem
30. I Went Down TO the River Bank" In
F. p. AS column, March 20. this year.
that endeared Miss Pickering to the
princeton seniors forever William Words
worth. was voted the worst poet In his
tory.
one OF the many searching questions
asked was Have you ever kissed girl?
Eighty-three OF the class admitted having
.xperienced that osculatory delight. while
the remainder OF the $50 pleaded not
guilty.
Only eighty members would confess TO
carrying on a correspondence with girls
hut one man had the temerity to own up
70 having twenty-five young ladies on his
mailing list. Nine men are engaged ana
thirty-one others would be II they had not
been rejected. One OF the nine with cour-
age 10 'fess up had been turned down no
less than ten times. he said. but still mad
hopes. Whether II was the same girl VINO
had listened each time to his passionate
nlea he neglected to state.
The Bible was voted the favorits book