Get out the orange and black

Members of the classes of 1944 through 1950 on the steps of Clio Hall.

PHOTO: PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Published Jan. 21, 2016

On Reunions weekend, May 31–June 3, thousands of alumni will return to campus wearing a distinctive memento of their time at Princeton: the beer jacket, which turns 100 this year. The beer jacket was invented by enterprising members of the Class of 1912 who decided to don full suits — denim overalls and a workman’s jacket — when sipping beer, to spare their clothes from spills.

Of course, the jacket — worn mainly by young alumni — is only one of many Reunions traditions. As always, the weekend will be packed with activities for alumni, family, and friends returning to campus. In the lecture halls, alumni-faculty forums on Friday and Saturday will call on experts to discuss topics including investing in a turbulent economy, U.S. health care, and the impact of the Arab Spring.

Two class-sponsored panel discussions will examine themes of war. Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter ’80 will moderate a conversation about Vietnam with members of the Class of 1962 (Friday at 4 p.m.), while the Class of 2007 will present a discussion of “Princetonians in the Nation’s Service During WWII” (Friday at 3:45 p.m.).

PAW is hosting “PAW-litics,” a panel of alumni journalists who will offer an insider’s look at the presidential campaign at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in McCosh 10. Moderated by Joel Achenbach ’82, a reporter for The Washington Post, the panel will include Ryan T. Anderson ’04, editor of Public Discourse; Nick Confessore ’98, a reporter at The New York Times; Jennifer Epstein ’08, a reporter at Politico; Louis Jacobson ’92, a senior writer for PolitiFact; Richard Just ’01, editor of The New Republic; Kathy Kiely ’77, managing editor of the Sunlight Foundation; Rick Klein ’98, senior Washington editor at ABC News; and Katrina vanden Heuvel ’81, editor and publisher of The Nation.

There are several exhibitions exploring Princeton’s history. The University Art Museum offers “Princeton and the Gothic Revival: 1870–1930.” At the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, “She Flourishes: Chapters in the History of Princeton Women” showcases the struggles and accomplishments of Princeton women.

On Saturday, President Tilghman will hold her annual conversation with alumni at 10:30 a.m. in Richardson Auditorium. Later that day, the Class of 1987 will lead the P-rade, beginning at 2 p.m. The University Orchestra will perform its annual concert at Finney and Campbell fields at 8 p.m., with fireworks at 9:15 p.m.

Reuners can keep track of the schedule and other important information through Reunions Mobile, the Alumni Association’s smartphone-friendly Web guide, which can be accessed through mobile Web browsers at m.princeton.edu/reunions.

Published in the May 16, 2012, Issue

1 Response

Guy K. Stewart Jr. ’62

8 Years Ago

The “idea balloon” on page 47 (Alumni Scene) of the May 16 issue prompted this letter. In my novel, The Spies from Princeton, I have a description of the P-rade, which may amuse you – and perhaps other alumni. Stacia and I do high school recruiting for Princeton, and when young people ask us why they should go there, we tell them that if they don’t like orange and black, they shouldn’t. Reunions are a good reason why unlimited tolerance for that garish color combination is a prerequisite for being a Princetonian.

(AUTHOR’S NOTE: Stacia is a character in the book, which is narrated in the first person; hence the “and I do” etc.)

Reunions are a big deal at Princeton. The school is still small enough to nurture enduring friendships among many, not just a few, and Princeton alums tend to stay in touch. Each year, before graduation, there’s a three-day bash, called Reunions Weekend. Each class has a party tent, the bigger ones for the 50th, the 25th, the 10th reunions, and so on, up and down the anniversary spectrum. Even the octogenarians from the ’40’s and ’50’s show up, and an astonishing amount of booze is consumed in 72 hours. It’s rumored that the liquor stores in Princeton – and there are many, in this town, believe me – make their nut for the year in three days of partying.

The highlight of the weekend is the P-rade, and that’s what it is – a parade of alums in the street. Unless you actually witness this spectacle, it’s impossible to imagine how many goofy sartorial commendations of orange and black and how many nutty variations of the Tiger motif are possible.

Each class has its own outfit.

The 25th reunion class marches first, followed by the older guys from more sedate generations of America, who typically wear plaid jackets with orange and black and white patterns and Panama hats with matching hatbands.

Then the orange and black lunacy begins in earnest.

Let’s start with shoes and socks and move up. Years ago, when Princeton was all male, one orange sock on the right foot, and one black sock on the left foot, was considered pretty snazzy. The women added a lot more pizzazz. Right shoe, black; right stocking, orange; and vice-versa. Oversized bedroom slippers in the shapes of tigers’ heads, some grinning, some snarling.

Now, to pants and skirts.

All orange, with oversized black tiger paws, or all black, with embroidered little orange Tigers. Or orange and black stripes, with the stripes running up and down or sideways, jailhouse style. Ditto jackets and blouses, although a few were white, with orange and black Tigers of all different sizes outdoing each other in zany feline nonsense.

Top it off with jillions of kids bouncing around, faces made up as cartoon tigers, and what you get is the delightful spectacle of Princeton camaraderie tied together by a joyful concoction of orange and black silliness.