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Bicentennial Celebration Records

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Held at: Princeton University Library: University Archives [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: University Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Princeton University. Bicentennial Celebration Committee.

The 1946-1947 Princeton University Bicentennial Celebration was an en masse celebration of Princeton's past, present and future. The campus welcomed a spectrum of guests, ranging from members of the University and its surrounding community, to representatives of several national and international academic, private, and public organizations and institutions.

The yearlong series of events began on September 22, 1946 with a sermon delivered by Geoffrey Francis Fisher, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, in the University Chapel and ended with an address by President Harry S. Truman in front of Nassau Hall at the June 17, 1947 Concluding Bicentennial Convocation. The events were divided into two major parts comprising 16 conferences and 5 convocations. The events were interlinked by personnel and dates. Many participants of the conferences received honorary degrees at the Convocations.

The series of conferences were organized by Dean of the Faculty J. Douglas Brown '28 and Whitney J. Oates '25, with the assistance of the Princeton Faculty Committee, and extended from September 1946 through May 1947. Overseen largely by Princeton professors, the conferences covered a broad range of topics in the humanities, social and applied sciences, and engineering.

The convocations were arranged in the traditional format of past academic anniversaries, with a host of greetings, receptions, and entertainment, but on a much more elaborate scale. The festivities began on September 22, 1946 in the University Chapel with the Archbishop of Canterbury's sermon. At the conclusion of the service, the Archbishop was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree and the first Bicentennial Medal. The medal was designed by John R. Sinnock, medalist to the United States Treasury, and was presented to all official guests and delegates who attended the ceremonies during the year.

The Charter Day Convocation commemorated the signing of the College's First Charter. After Dean of the Chapel Robert R. Wicks' invocation, President Harold Dodds delivered a speech in which he recounted John Witherspoon's influence on him and cited a passage from Witherspoon's Civil Society. Afterwards, Dodds conferred honorary degrees to twenty-two men and one woman, most of whom participated in the first series of the Bicentennial Conferences. The Convocation came to a close with the singing of Isaac Watt's Ninetieth Psalm, which has become a tradition at Princeton.

The Alumni Day and Spring Convocation followed the same pattern as the first two events. The Alumni Day included the second address made by President Dodds on the benefits of a liberal education. Chairman Douglas Horton gave the sermon at the luncheon and Secretary of State George C. Marshall made his first public address to a throng of alumni and special guests. During these two events a total of 54 honorary degrees were awarded.

The Bicentennial Year reached its pinnacle with the Concluding Bicentennial Convocation (June 14-17, 1947). The festivities extended into four eventful days beginning with the dedication of the Herbert Lowell Dillon Gymnasium. In the afternoon, the Princeton baseball team defeated Yale 1-0, and that evening, the Glee Club performed at McCarter Theater in the musical Going Back. Sunday's festivities began in the University Chapel with a Service of Remembrance. In the evening, those in attendance gathered at Dillon Gymnasium to hear the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Monday began with a Service of Dedication at the University Chapel followed by the dedication of the Harvey S. Firestone Library. That afternoon, a formal reception for visiting delegates was held in addition to other celebratory parties and dinners. Celebrations culminated on Tuesday with an invocation ceremony, which included speeches by President Dodds and President Truman. The ceremony also included a procession of academics from various American and foreign institutions and the awarding of 32 honorary degrees.

In addition to these main events, many other activities made the year memorable. From the opening of the Bicentennial, music played a significant role in celebrating the spirit of the events. Princeton's Glee Club and Chapel Choir performed at various times for the convocations and other events, and the Pro Arte Quartet and Boston Symphony Orchestra played on campus.

Theatre Intime provided comical relief in their rendition of the 1869 Princeton-Rutgers football game. The Triangle Club also lent their talent with the annual musical, Clear the Track. Various exhibitions were on display in different locations around the Princeton University campus, neighboring Trenton, and New York City. The Louis Clark Vanuxem Lectures, Spencer Trask Lectures, and Cyrus Fogg Brackett Engineering Lectures were delivered by various honorary degree recipients, as were the six forums organized by the Student Christian Association led by six of the Bicentennial preachers.

The Bicentennial organizers included such distinguished figures as Walter E. Hope '01, Whitney Darrow '03, and Col. Arthur E. Fox '13. As the Bicentennial Celebration planning grew so did the committees, to include over 200 members and more than 350 coordinators for the conferences alone. Those planners also included undergraduate and graduate students and members of the faculty, administration, and alumni. They coordinated their efforts with various national and international academic, private, and public organizations.

The Bicentennial Celebration Records contain material documenting the planning and organization of the yearlong festivities by the Bicentennial Committees, as well as material relating to the conferences, convocations, and other events that were held in honor of Princeton's 200th anniversary. The records contain correspondence, writings, speeches, reports, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, press releases, transcripts, tickets, and decorative water color and pencil sketches and various other materials documenting the Bicentennial Celebration. Please see series descriptions in contents list for additional information about individual series.

The Princeton Bicentennial Year, 1946-1947 A Summary; Charles G. Osgood, Lights In Nassau Hall: A Book of the Bicentennial Princeton 1746-1946; and Alexander Leitch's A Princeton Companion were consulted during the preparation of the biographical note.

It appears that Colonel Arthur E. Fox '13 maintained the files of the Bicentennial Celebration and gave the records to Firestone Library at some point before his departure in 1956. Once the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library was constructed in 1976, all University Archives collections located at Firestone Library were transferred to the Mudd Manuscript Library.

Exact date of acquisition is unclear, see Custodial History section for more information.

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

This collection was processed by Rosalba D. Varallo with the assistance of Page Dykstra '06 and Pardon Makumbe '07. Finding aid written by Rosalba D. Varallo. Box 21 added by Christie Peterson in May 2012.

Appraisal has been conducted in accordance with Mudd Manuscript Library guidelines.

Publisher
University Archives
Finding Aid Author
Rosalba D. Varallo
Finding Aid Date
2006
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

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For instances beyond Fair Use where the copyright is not held by the University, while permission from the Library is not required, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

The General series contains the Bicentennial Announcement, correspondence, memoranda, congratulatory letters and greetings from American and foreign universities and institutions, pamphlets, programs, ticket stubs, press releases, and printed material. In particular, material summarizing the Bicentennial events, the exhibitions, hospitality and housing issues, sample invitations, and other preliminary material relating to the conferences and convocation can be found in this section.

Also included in this series are congratulatory letters and greetings given to the University by American and foreign universities and institutions in honor of the Bicentennial Celebration. In addition, there are five decorative water color and pencil sketches of Whig-Clio Hall, Nassau Hall, Richardson Auditorium, and the entrance to North Campus.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by topic and chronologically within each folder.

Physical Description

7 boxes

General, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

A Retrospect, 1947, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Academic Processions, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Announcement, 1945. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Belknap, Chauncey, Chapter on "The Alumni" for the book The Modern Princeton, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

5 boxes

American Universities and Institutions, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Foreign Universities and Institutions, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

List of, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Received After Conclusion of Bicentennial, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Congratulatory Letters and Greetings, 1946-1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Oversize Congratulatory Letters and Greetings, undated. 2 boxes.
Physical Description

2 boxes

Oversize Items from American Universities and Institutions, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Oversize Items from Foreign Universities and Institutions, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Oversize Congratulatory Letters and Greetings, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Exhibitions, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Hope, Walter E., Article on the Trustees of Princeton University, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Hospitality and Housing, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Joint Congressional Resolution (H.J.Res.331), 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Musical Events, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Other Events of Bicentennial Year, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"The Princeton Bicentennial Year 1946-1947 A Summary", 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Sermons, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Decorative Water Color and Pencil Sketches of Campus Buildings, undated. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials sent to Dr. Frank Diehl Fackenthal, President of Columbia University, including medallion, 1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Notes on the Princeton Bicentennial by Warren Norton, circa 1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Miscellaneous Bicentennial Printed Ephemera, 1946-1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Scope and Contents

The Committees series documents the organization and planning of the Bicentennial events by various committees. In particular the records of the Executive Committee Chairman Walter E. Hope '01 consist of correspondence, memoranda, meetings, minutes, and reports highlighting the issues related to the conferences and convocations. Also included in this series are the records of the Committee on Honorary Degrees which contain correspondence, memoranda, and lists of suggested and nominated recipients who received honorary degrees during the year, as well as reaction to the University awarding an honorary degree to President Harry S. Truman.

A list of Bicentennial Committees and members can be found within The Princeton Bicentennial Year, 1946-1947: A Summary located in Series 1: General, in Box 6, Folder 6.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by topic and chronologically within each folder.

Physical Description

4 boxes

Physical Description

1 box

Expenses, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Meetings, Minutes, and Reports, 1944-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Financial Campaign Committee, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

General Bicentennial Committee, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

Biographical Statements, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Memorabilia, dates not examined. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Physical Description

2 boxes

October 19 (Charter Day Convocation), Correspondence and Rough Drafts, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

February 22 (Alumni Day Convocation), Correspondence with Mr. Hope and Rough Drafts, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

April 3 (Spring Convocation), 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

June 17 (Concluding Bicentennial Convocation), 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Other Universities, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Declinations of Degrees, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Degrees Conferred Lists, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Expenses, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

1946-1947, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Meetings, Minutes, and Reports, 1944-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

Alumni Day Convocation, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Charter Day Convocation, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Concluding Bicentennial Convocation, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Hosts and Escorts, List of, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Spring Convocation, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Minutes, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Proposals, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Reports to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

2 boxes

Alumni, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Board of Trustees, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Conference, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Country, Institution, and Practice, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Non-Conference, 1945-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

South America, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Truman, President Harry S, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Trustee Meetings, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Publications Committee, Minutes, 1945 July 5. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Reception Committee, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

United States Princeton University Bicentennial Commission, Member List, 1945. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Scope and Contents

The Conferences series contains correspondence with Conference members and speakers relating to registration forms, acceptances, refusals, and travel expenses, along with personal congratulations to the organizers of the Conferences, Dean J. Douglas Brown '28 and Professor Whitney J. Oates '25. Faculty Committee meeting, minutes, and reports, a list of leaders and speakers per each conference, program schedules, pamphlets, and press releases regarding the speeches delivered during the Conferences and Convocation services are also located in this series. Of note are the speeches delivered by Professor Marjorie H. Nicolson and James B. Conant during the "Humanistic Tradition in the Century Ahead" Conference.

Arrangement

The Conferences series is arranged alphabetically by conference title.

Physical Description

4 boxes

General, 1944-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Chemistry and Physiology of Growth, 1946 September 27-30. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Development of International Society, 1946 October 11-14. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Materials Viewable Online
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Engineering and Human Affairs, 1946 October 3-5. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Evolution of Social Institutions in America, 1946 October 7-9. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Expense Sheet, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Far Eastern Culture and Society, 1947 April 1-3. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Forms Used, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Future of Nuclear Science, 1946 September 23-25. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Genetics, Paleontology and Evolution, 1947 January 2-4. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Humanistic Tradition in the Century Ahead, 1946 October 16-18. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Leaders and Speakers, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Meetings, Memos, and Minutes, 1945. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Near Eastern Culture and Society, 1947 March 25-27. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Planning Man's Physical Environment, 1947 March 5-6. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Press Releases, 1945-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Problems of Mathematics, 1946 December 17-19. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Programs, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Reports by the Faculty on Conference 3, Engineering and Human Affairs, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Responsibilities of Secondary School Education in the Years Ahead, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Role of the Undergraduate in University Life, 1947 April 25-26. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Scholarship and Research in the Arts, 1947 April 22-24. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

University and Its World Responsibilities, 1947 February 19-21. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

University Education and the Public Service, 1946 November 13-14. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Wigner, Eugene P., Correspondence, 1945-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Scope and Contents

The Convocations series includes correspondence, registration cards, and signatures of delegates, tickets, sample program packets, as well as transcripts of the speeches delivered during the Special Convocation, Charter Day Convocation, Alumni Day Convocation, Spring Convocation, and the Concluding Bicentennial Convocation. Of note in the latter convocation, the original script used by Jose Ferrer '33, the narrator for the "Going Back" performance, as well as transcripts for the Concluding Bicentennial events and the June 16, 1947 dinner that took place in Dillon Gymnasium in honor of the Bicentennial guests can be found in this series.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by event and then alphabetically by topic.

Physical Description

6 boxes

Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Academic Procession, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Bicentennial Medal, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Fisher, Geoffrey Francis (Lord Archbishop of Canterbury), Correspondence and Sermon, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Instruction, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Academic Procession, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Belknap, Chauncey, Correspondence, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Dodds, President Harold W., Speech, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Marshals, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Academic Procession, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

Dinner, February 21, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Speech, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Instructions, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Academic Procession, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Concluding Dinner, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Dodds, President Harold W., Speech, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Instructions, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

6 boxes

Dodds, President Harold W., Speech, 1947 June 17. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

April-May, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

June, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

General, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Presentation of Greetings, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Registered, Signature of, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Sample Packet, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Yale University, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Events, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

"Going Back" Musical, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Grounds and Buildings, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Marshals Instructions, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

National Alumni Association, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Delegates, American Universities Arrival Cards, 1946-1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Delegates, Foreign Universities Arrival Cards, 1946-1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Press Relations, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Protocol List, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Seating Arrangements, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Service of Remembrance, June 15, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Tickets, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Transcript, dates not examined. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Scope and Contents

The Scrapbook and Clippings series contains loose clippings as well as three volumes of bound clippings from various newspapers including the New York Times and the Princeton Herald.

The first volume contains clippings from the 1946 opening of the Bicentennial to the first Bicentennial Conference, "The Future of Nuclear Science." The second volume includes clippings from 1946-1947 Bicentennial Conferences and the third consists of clippings regarding the Bicentennial Convocations, as well as various public events.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by event and then alphabetically by topic.

Physical Description

6 boxes

General, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Concerts, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

1 box

Series 1, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Series 2, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Convocations, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Forums, 1946. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Learned Societies, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

The Princeton Herald, Articles, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Publicity (Radio and Press), 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Sermons, 1946-1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Truman, President Harry S., Articles on, 1947. 1 folder.
Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Description

3 boxes

Volume 1, dates not examined. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Volume 2, dates not examined. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Volume 3, dates not examined. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Miscellaneous Bicentennial Clippings, 1946-1947. 1 box.
Physical Description

1 box

Print, Suggest