The Athletics category contains books, magazines, and other printed works relating to Princeton University's sports teams. Some of this material directly relates to the development of Princeton's athletic teams, while other items only document aspects of athletics, such as participation on a team or events. Byfar the most relevant set of books here are those found between call nos. P78.68 and P781.737. The oversized component of this section includes Presbey's Athletics at Princeton, the closest single volume to a Princeton athletics almanac covering the period until 1901.
Student Life and Customs
Call nos. P68.502 to P71.66
This section of the collection contains a set of books, pamphlets, and other printed material which was produced by or aimed towards the students of Princeton, primarily in the early years of the 20th century. Roughly half of the works (P68.502 to P68.896) pertain to the Graduate School and related topics. Included are notices of the opening of the Graduate College, pamphlets on the Quad system, and other bulletins released by the Committee on the Graduate School. The other materials here are more focused on various aspects of undergraduate life, and include works such as B.H. Hall’s 1851 College Words and Customs (P70.427) containig possibly the first written etymology of the term “campus.” Also in this section is The Dink, a 1930s freshman newspaper, and its mid 19th century predecessor Memorabilia Sophomorum. Other items of interest include A Gem from Nassau’s Casket, an 1840s student literary publication, and The Log, newsletter of the NROTC program.
Bric-A-Brac
Call no. P71.210
1875-1944; 1946-Present
The Bric-a-Brac is a yearbook published annually by the junior class of Princeton University. The Bric-a-Brac's focus is on student life, particularly on student participation in clubs and organizations. It is one of the most useful resources for determining membership in eating clubs or athletic teams, as well as for tracing the development of various student organizations. In select years entries for the athletic teams and larger clubs such as Triangle feature a yearly summary of activities including game or production schedules. Starting in 1899, the Bric-a-Brac also contains photographs, typically consisting of a group shot for each club and game shots for athletic teams.
The Princeton Pictorial
Call no. P71.734
1913-1922
The Princeton Pictorial was a bimonthly publication of the students of Princeton which was intended to “give a complete pictorial record of Princeton’s life and growth.” The numerous black and white photographs (mostly submitted by students) were supplemented by brief descriptive articles and editorials. Athletics is a particularly common subject but faculty and student activities are also included.
The Daily Princetonian
Call no. P71.737
1878-1885
Post-1885 issues of the Daily Princetonian are available on microfilm.
These are the early bound issues of the Daily Princetonian, generally encompassing the period when the paper was only issued once every two weeks. Bound and in fragile condition, the paper is digest sized, as opposed to the larger newsprint edition with which modern students are familiar. Notably, these early issues also include the contributions of Woodrow Wilson 1879, who was one of the paper’s first editors. Topics covered in the early Princetonian are analogous to those which continue to dominate the pages: sports, campus events, and student life. Absent however from this early publication are the associated press dispatches and world news articles which the Princetonian began to feature in 1910.
Athletics
Call nos. P78.68 to P781.737
1878-1885
A modest selection of books and pamphlets regarding athletics at Princeton, including the intercollegiate athletic calendar (1899-1908) and several football programs, including that of the 1893 thanksgiving football game. Also in this section are the constitution and by-laws of the Athletic Association as well as several pamphlets which deal with highly specific topics such as the use of athletic insignia, and the University’s policy regarding athletic injuries.
Princeton Alumni Weekly
Call no. P90.731
1900-Present
Founded in 1900, the Princeton Alumni Weekly (often simply referred to as PAW) is a magazine published and printed by Princeton University Press. Issued weekly until 1977 and biweekly thereafter, PAW is targeted to alumni and other members of the Princeton University community, and contains articles about current campus events as well as feature articles of a more general nature (but always related to Princeton and its alumni). PAW also contains two long-running features: The "Class Notes" section, in which alumni are encouraged to submit brief updates on their lives; and the "Memorials" section, in which an obituary is printed for any Princeton alumni that have passed on. Both of these sections are valuable resources when compiling genealogical data on alumni.
The Princeton Alumni Weekly Memorial Index, 1894-2011 provides obituaries of alumni, faculty, and honorary class members from 1894, April to 2011, July.
Digitized issues from 2006-present are available to view on the Princeton Alumni Weekly website.
