From the Archives

Published Jan. 21, 2016

Mittens helped this unidentified student cope with the cold during the energy crisis of 1973. Princeton took several steps that winter to avoid a shutdown because of a lack of fuel, according to the Dec. 4, 1973, PAW. Undergraduate dorms were closed from Dec. 21 until Jan. 5, building temperatures were kept at 60 degrees in off-hours, and Firestone Library was a cool 65 around the clock, among other conservation measures. Carl Dahlman ’72 took the photo. Perhaps PAW readers can name the student.

2 Responses

Martin Schell ’74

8 Years Ago

From the Archives in the Feb. 5 issue quotes a University decision during the energy crisis in December 1973 to close the campus until Jan. 5. However, I recall that the decision later was amended to push the date back to conserve heating fuel. We were told to remain away from campus throughout reading period (no real need to be on campus anyway, unless you were already plowing into thesis research).

Editor’s note: The start of reading period was delayed from Jan. 7 to Jan. 21, 1974; students who needed to be on campus before Jan. 19 were housed in the Princeton Inn, with athletes to be housed in Caldwell Field House. Firestone Library remained open, as did the Chancellor Green pub for a few hours per day.

Walt Schanbacher ’73

8 Years Ago

 

Re the Feb. 5 From the Archives photo: I will never forget seeing the picture at that time (also in PAW) of Robin Ward Puleo ’74 s’74 in those mittens. Robin had just finished writing a short story based on my first week of teaching in a public seventh-grade class. One sharp, sassy kid could not say my long last name, so I became “Mister Mister.” That was the title of Robin’s story. 

I had graduated and had a teaching job up the road, but I was “homeless” and living out of my car. For a couple of weeks, I lived in Hamilton Hall in a dorm room vacated because of the energy crisis with friends Jim Borts ’76 and Mike Henderson ’74. Sixty degrees? The welcoming hospitality made it the warmest place I ever stayed — and one of the many reasons I give time and money to Princeton.

Editor’s note: Nancy Strahan ’73 also wrote in to identify Robin Ward Puleo.

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