Recollections of the Early Years of Woodrow Wilson as President of Princeton University

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EARLY YEARS OF WOODROW WILSON AS PRESIDENT OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
By
J. Campbell Brandon,
Princeton Class of 1906

In my Freshman year, (1902), WOODROW WILSON became the first layman to be elected President of Princeton University. He followed such eminent preachers as JAMES McCOSH, D.D. and FRANCIS L. PATTEN. We always felt that he had a warm spot in his heart for our class, the first in his administration. Among other innovations, he installed the Preceptorial System with our class. A carefully selected group of young men were called as preceptors; one of whom was the late Hiram Bingham, afterward, United States Senator from Connecticut. Woodrow Wilson was a quiet unassuming man with a great sense of humor that showed in the twinkle in his eyes. In those days, we had a faculty song playing upon the foibles, and idiosyncrasies of the professors. Each class, in its senior year, made up new rhymes to be published in the little song book that the seniors used in class singing on the steps of Nassau Hall. These rhymes aroused keen interest. Many were flattering and others not so much appreciated. The one about Woodrow Wilson closed with this line, “We hear that soon he'll leave this town to try for Teddy Roosevelt's crown.” Here we have a note of prophesy, for it was written by a student in 1906, four years before he was elected Governor of New Jersey and six years before he was elected, (1912) President of the United States, when “Teddy” Roosevelt, heading the “Bull Moose” party, split the Republican vote.
During his Presidency at Princeton, he introduced many changes in teaching, some of which were bitterly contested, by Dean Andrew F. West. One day in class, President Wilson referred to some heated discussion with faculty members who were quite critical of him. He said he felt very much like the little old spinster lady who was attending a science lecture. When the speaker described how it was possible with a strong X-ray light to see through a two-inch plank, she picked up her things and started out saying, “Goodness, this is no place for me with these thin things on.”President Wilson wan't too much impressed with the value of athletics to the University, though he attended many games and was interested in seeing that Princeton had good teams. When dissension arose over the eagerness of some enthusiastic alumni to attract well-known athletes by making certain concessions, the President opposed the move. He conceded it was proper to try to get outstanding players, but he wanted to be sure that athletics would not be the sole objective. Fearing that much commercialization might interfere with the scholastic program, he said, “We don't want this movement to grow so large that the side show might swallow the main tent.” It was statements like this that showed his keen mind and ability as an administrator to drive home his point. With it all, he was in small groups, or in the classroom, interesting, friendly, and easily approached. He was often heard to say, in defending his position, that “I have a one track mind.” We never believed that unless it was said to explain his stand on the subject under discussion.
Unfortunately, when it came to PEACE NEGOTIATIONS and the LEAGUE OF NATIONS ISSUE, he was unable to leave that “one track mind” and enter negotiations with those opposing him in hostile Senate debate, led by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.
The last time I saw him was in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Hall, (1919) when he was on his western trip speaking for the League of Nations. It was a losing battle, and it was very sad to see how it was affecting his health. Soon after the completion of that trip to the West Coast, he suffered a stroke that incapacitated him. One of his last public statements was, “I can safely predict that, if the League of Nations is not ratified, we shall be in another World War within thirty years.” Pearl Harbor proved the accuracy of that statement.
One day in the Fall of 1905, I carried to class the first volume of the five-volume edition of his “History of the American People.” After class, I went up and asked him to autograph my copy. He signed it willingly and seemed pleased that one of his students was interested in having his autograph.
Recently, I heard of the acquisition, by the citizens of Staunton, Virginia, of the fine old colonial home of the Wilson family in that city, to perpetuate the memory of Woodrow Wilson. To add to the memorabilia of a great president, I have given to the “Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation” that same five folume set that he autographed for me more than sixty years ago.