In this week’s installment of our ongoing series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, the Liberty Bell is in town, the first woman earns a Princeton degree, and more.

June 13, 1878—A member of the Class of 1878 writes that he is disappointed by the College of New Jersey (Princeton)’s invitation to U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes to speak at Commencement, saying his appearance would dishonor the graduates and Commencement would be “made subservient to outsiders.” It is ultimately a moot point; Hayes declines the invitation.

College of New Jersey (Princeton) Commencement Program, 1878. Princeton University Commencement Records (AC115), Box 2, Folder 18.

June 15, 1903—The Liberty Bell makes a 15-minute stop on the Princeton campus on its special 5-day train tour from Philadelphia to Boston.

Liberty Bell at Princeton University. Photo from Bric-a-Brac (1905).

June 17, 1937—A reporter from the Princetonian visits the nation’s capitol to discuss President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s controversial plan to reorganize the Supreme Court with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

June 18, 1963—Tsai-Ying Cheng *63 receives her masters in Biochemical Sciences, making her the first woman ever to get a degree from Princeton University.

Photo from Princeton Bulletin.

For last week’s installment in this series, click here.

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