11. Never rise to speak till you
have something to say; and when you have
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John Witherspoon became the sixth president of Princeton in 1768; his 26-year term lasted longer than those of all his predecessors combined. This Scottish minister helped firm up the finances and reputation of the young College, expanded its library with his own 300 volume collection, and enriched the curriculum with an increasing emphasis on science and the humanities, including astronomy and English rhetoric. Witherspoon was an important advocate for American independence, becoming the only clergyman and college president to sign the Declaration of Independence and serving as a leading member of the Continental Congress between 1776 and 1782. His example of public service inspired many of his students, among them a future U.S. president and vice-president, three Supreme Court justices, 21 senators, 39 congressmen, 10 cabinet officers, 12 governors, and five of the nine Princeton graduates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention (a total that gave Princeton higher representation than any other college).
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