Princeton University

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

an educational institution in Princeton, N. J. It was founded Oct. 22, 1746, by a charter given under the seal of the Province of New Jersey, "for the instruction of youth in the learned languages and in the liberal arts and sciences." On Sept. 14, 1748, a more ample charter estabwas granted by King George II., lishing the corporation under the name of the College of New Jersey; and viding that the management of its affairs hands of 23 trustees should be in the (later changed to 27). Among these were the governor of New Jersey, Aaron Burr, Samuel Blair, and Green, since been identi names that have ever fied with the history of the college. After the War of the Revolution the royal charter was confirmed and renewed ey. May, 1747, the College of New Jersey Elizabethtown was officially opened at (now Elizabeth), and the same year was moved to Newark. Soon after it was again moved to Princeton, where in 1754 the first college building, Nassau Hall (so named in memory of King William erected. III. of the house of Nassau), was The college suffered severely during Revolutionary War, the main buildthe both ing being used as a barrack by American and British troops (see Its president, Dr. Wither- PRINCETON). spoon, and two of its alumni, Richard Stockton and Benjamin Rush, were signers of the Declaration of Independence. In 1783 the Continental Congress and at the General Washington were present commencement exercises, Washington presenting 50 guineas to the college. This sum was appropriated by the trustees to the painting of a picture of Washington by the elder Peale. It now hangs in Nassau Hall, and is considered him. one of the best extant pictures of In 1802, and again again in 1855, the hall was the Civil partly destroyed by fire. After 1794. War the college began to make rapid progress. The number of students in- 1795-1812. creased, the faculty was enlarged, and Library in 1872 the Chancellor Green 1822. (named in honor of its donor) was erected. Up to this time the course of 1854. instruction had led exclusively to the degree of Bachelor of Arts; but in 1873 1868. the John C. Green School of Science was of added, and in 1875 the Department . In Civil Engineering was also created En- 1889 the Department of Electrical the gineering was founded, and in 1901 estab- Graduate School was formally lished, Prof. Andrew West being appointed its dean. On Oct. 22, 1896, the 150th anniversary of the signing of the first charter, the title of Princeton University was assumed. In 1897 the Chancellor Green connected with a new Library was library building, having a capacity to 1,200,000 volumes. The total shelve number of buildings now belonging to university is over 40, among them the being the Halsted Observatory, with an and 30 instrument of 23 inches aperture length; Alexander Hall, with feet focal a seating capacity of 1,500; Marquand Chapel; Dickinson Hall, a building conand recitation taining some 25 lecture building, rooms; the School of Science lecture rooms, physical laboracontaining Museum of Biology; the tories, and the Biological Laboratory; the Graduate College and Cleveland Memorial Tower, Hamilton Hall, Holder Hall, Cuyler Hall; the Chemical Laboratory; the Art Museum; and a number of dormitories, among the more recent being Blair Hall, , donated reand Stafford Little Hall by John I. Blair and H. S. spectively Little. Secret societies are prohibited at Princeton, but there are two strong , the Cliosophic and societies literary literary American Whig, founded before the valuable inde- Revolution, and having pendent libraries. There are also two undergraduate religious religious societies, the Philadelphian (founded in 1825) and St. 1875). Paul's (founded in In 1919 there were 180 instructors, 1,500 students, and 430,000 bound vol- . There are over 100 umes in the library endowed scholarships, and in addition certain cases. pecuniary aid is given in The following is a list of the presidents : from the beginning Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, 1747. . Rev. Aaron Burr, 1748-1757 Rev. Jonathan Edwards, 1757-1758. Rev. Samuel Davies, 1759-1761. Samuel Finley, D. D., 1761-1766. John Witherspoon, D. D., LL. D., 1768- Samuel Stanhope Smith, D. D., LL. D., Ashbel Green, D. D., LL. D., 1812- James Carnahan, D. D., LL. D., 1823- John Maclean, D. D., LL. D., 1854- James McCosh, D. D., LL. D., Litt. D., 1868-1883. Francis Landley Patton, D. D., LL. D., 1883-1902. Woodrow Wilson, LL. D., Litt. D., 1902-1910. John Grier Hibben, LL. D., 1912-.