Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-26
CHAPTER II.
Woodrow Wilson's Relations with
Grover Cleveland-His Bitterest
Fight in Princeton.


Woodrow Wilson's Relations With
Grover CIeveland-iIis Bitterest
Fight in Princeton.
Turning back to those college days
where, as student and a newspaper
correspondent representing the Asso-
ciated Press, the author came in con-
slant contact with Woodrow Wilson
lecturer on constitutional government
and president of Princeton University
there were unmistakable signs of the
power of a great intellect bursting
with a desire to break the letters of
convention and project itself into the
controversies of the hour. AS II
with peculiar anticipation of later
day events. the thesis which Wood
row Wilson had written when he re-
ceived his degree of doctor of laws
was a book on Congressional Gov
eminent" supplemented later by
another work on THE State" both
of which have been the standard text
books of many college courses.
His inaugural address In 1902 as
president of Princeton University was
q curious counterpart of subsequent
appeals for service to humanity-he
asked that Princeton dedicate itself
to the nations service. He was
beginning to think more of a broader
sphere of usefulness than the narrow
confines of academic research Him
self sociable person, popular with
his classmates as student, and
later very highly respected as 4 pro-
fessor and lecturer, Mr.. Wilson veercd
constantly to the serious side OF edu-
cational matters. His dissent with the
modern college method was that 1t
prolonged to an extent the era OF
boyhood and did not always begin
soon enough the earnest teachings
of manhood
Seen on Princeton Campus.
can see him walking slowly across
the campus of Princeton attired In
academic gown, meditating as he
walked, that autumn day of 1907, his
eyes on the gravel path that led to-
ward Nassau Hall, where the formal
exercises opening the university for
the year were to be held. Suddenly
like bolt from the blue, freshman
fleeing from the clutches of sopho-
more, who was pursuing him, collidsd
head on with the university president
just as he was crossing in front of
Marquand Chapel.
az should Think he burst forth
angrily. that you would respect this
sacred place and perform your FRANKS
elsewhere"
Not long afterward DR.. Wilson, as
he was then called, proposed that this
mild form of hazing or "horsing
freshmen Ga name derived from
"horse play") should cease. 1t did
not. Student opinion brought about
some notifications, but not until after
DR.. Wilson had resigned was the Gus
tom abolished altogether.
1t was during Woodrow Wilson's
days as a student, forty-fve years
forbidden at Princeton. Dining clubs
in luxurious buildings came as sub
stitute, but only members of the two
upper classes were eligible. Wood
row Wilson's aspiration for a more
serious application of students to the
teachings of their elders turned him
toward an analysis of the social
system in Princeton. He argued that
all classes. young and old. should
mingle and that the influence of the
tutors should be constant. Prince
ton had accepted with enthusiasm his
reform, known as the preceptorial
system, whereby students were
divided into groups of half dozen
members and given at least an hour
week of intimate study with a pro-
fessor or preceptor in each course.
But when Mr.. Wilson proposed that
the social life of the university be
altered and that the Oxford quad"
system be instituted, the whole
student body to be divided into a
few units and each unit consisting of
an equal number from the four
resistance.
Bitter In fractional Fight.
The board of trustees at first gave
their tentative approval but subse-
lleiu tIle IHctlST III dDSy duSS "
canvass alumni sentiment. From that
moment on it seemed as if Woodrow
Wilson had found a greater opportunity
than had been vouchsafed him thereto
fore. He made speeches to the students
and before alumni bodies outside Of
Princeton and before audiences Of va
rious kinds throughout the United
States discussing the needs of higher
education with all the fervor that was
later his in political life. He assailed
what he called the ''side shows in the
colleges and cried out that they were
swallowing up the ''main tent" He
gave no quarter after that. He drew
away from those who opposed him.
Factions developed not only in the fac
uIty but in the alumni associations of
Princeton throughout the country.
In and around New York city lived a
large number of influential alumni who
had contributed by gift quite literally to
the support Of Princeton University. DR..
Wilson accused them of proprietary
SPECIAL NOTICES.