9. Education ought to be a gymnastic
to all our powers.
–James McCosh
Photo
used with permission from the Office of Communications
Photo
by Dino Palomares
Upon arriving in Princeton to accept the university presidency in 1868, James McCosh immediately gained the support of the student body by expressing his approval of organized athletics in his inaugural address, arguing that “every college should have a gymnasium for the body as well as for the mind.” Chosen because of his status as an eminent ecclesiastical figure, McCosh proved to be a dynamic educator and leader who made Princeton a great university in fact, though its name was not changed until 1896. During his twenty-year tenure, McCosh introduced electives to the curriculum, founded schools of science, philosophy and art, eliminated fraternities and secret societies, doubled the student body, tripled the faculty roll, filled the new 70,000 volume Chancellor Green library, and embarked upon an impressive program of campus construction and beautification. McCosh insisted that science and religion were not mutually exclusive, and stood nearly alone among American clergyman in his support of Darwin’s new theory of evolution.
- To learn more about James McCosh, see Café
Vivian picture #6, 8,
11, 18, 68,
75, 79, 95,
and 101.
- To learn more about Princeton University presidents,
see quotation #11, 33,
and 41, and Café Vivian picture #33,
40, 95, 98,
105, 113, 122,
and 125.
- To learn more about athletics at Princeton, see
quotation #4, 21, and
22, and Café Vivian picture #6,
7, 9, 18,
22, 39, 48,
49, 54, 56,
61, 69, 72,
97, 102, 111,
123, and 126.
- To learn more about the history of science at Princeton,
see icon #2, 5, 6,
and 7, quotation #27,
34, and 39, and Café
Vivian picture #14, 15,
22, 25, 32,
35, 41, 43,
51, 64, 75,
78, 83, 87,
90, 114, and 131.
- To learn more about campus grounds and buildings,
see icon #1, 5, and 8,
quotation #5, 7, 28,
and 39, and Café Vivian picture #4,
6, 7, 8,
11, 16, 20,
25, 30, 33,
37, 40, 46,
48, 54, 58,
61, 62, 67,
68, 71, 78,
85, 87, 95,
100, 101, 102,
104, 105, 108,
109, 111, 118,
124, 127, and 133.
- To learn more about academics at Princeton, see
quotation #11, 26, and
33 and Café Vivian picture #2,
10, 31, 50,
51, 59, 87,
93, 101, 104,
108, and 115.
- To learn more about student life at Princeton, see icon #1, quotation #7, 18, and 22, and Café Vivian picture #9, 12, 16, 18, 23, 24, 45, 53, 79, 82, 84, 89, 92, 96, 97, 106, 109, 113, 115, 116, 117, 129, and 132.