Princetoniana Reunions Quiz: 21 Questions in 2021

Princeton University, Office of Communications, Jill Feldman (2015)

Published May 17, 2021

Twenty-one Princeton questions for 2021, with thanks to the Princetoniana Committee, which compiled these Reunions Quiz questions. Learn more about the committee’s work at princetoniana.princeton.edu

Scroll down for answers.

1. How many presidents has Princeton had since its founding in 1746?

A. 20

B. 25

C. 30

2. For which prince is Princeton named?

A. Charles (of Scotland)

B. George (of England)

C. William (of Orange)

3. Of the following leaders in the tech industry, which has a degree from the School of Public and International Affairs?

A. Eric Schmidt ’76 (Google)

B. Brad Smith ’81 (Microsoft)

C. Jeff Bezos ’86 (Amazon)

4. The 17-year cicadas will appear during and following the 2021 Commencement. Who wrote a song about them following a prior noisy Princeton graduation?

A. Bob Dylan

B. Clark Gesner ’60

C. Stephen Sondheim

5. The oldest currently active Eating Club at Princeton is:

A. Ivy

B. Cottage

C. Tower

6. Which side’s Revolutionary War cannonball left a dent in Nassau Hall?

A. The Hessians

B. The British

C. The Americans

7. George Shultz ’42 is one of only two people to hold four different U.S. Cabinet positions. Which of the following positions did he NOT hold?

A. Secretary of Commerce

B. Secretary of Labor

C. Secretary of State

8. How many terminals has the Dinky station had since it opened in 1865?

A. Two

B. Three

C. Four

9. Which is the only Supreme Court justice to win the Woodrow Wilson Award on Alumni Day?

A. Samuel Alito ’72

B. Sonia Sotomayor ’76

C. Elena Kagan ’81

10. At least seven alumni will be in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Which of these gold medalists did NOT compete for the Tigers following their Olympic win?

A. Caroline Lind ’06 (women’s rowing)

B. Bill Bradley ’65 (men’s basketball)

C. Ashleigh Johnson ’17 (women’s water polo)

11. Three Princetonians signed the Declaration of Independence. Which later served at the Battle of Princeton?

A. Benjamin Rush 1760

B. Richard Stockton 1748

C. John Witherspoon, president

12. Of the three signers, which was imprisoned by the British and forced to recant?

A. Benjamin Rush 1760

B. Richard Stockton 1748

C. John Witherspoon, president

13. The Graduate Alumni led the Reunions P-rade during the 100th anniversary of the Graduate College in:

A. 1946

B. 1975

C. 2013

14. Where did Princeton President William Bowen *58 earn his undergraduate degree?

A. Denison

B. Harvard

C. M.I.T.

15. How many Princeton presidents were born in the United States?

A. Six

B. Twelve

C. Eighteen

16. Which theatrical alumnus of Triangle’s golden age in the 1930s won the Pulitzer Prize?

A. Joshua Logan ’31

B. Jimmy Stewart ’32

C. Jose Ferrer ’33

17. Three Princetonians have served as vice president of the United States. Which is the youngest individual to ever hold the office?

A. Aaron Burr Jr. 1772

B. George Mifflin Dallas 1810

C. John Breckenridge 1838

18. Andrew Fleming West 1874 was the first and longest-tenured dean of the Graduate School. As an undergraduate, he founded what organization?

A. The Princetonian

B. The Glee Club

C. The Triangle Club

19. Albert Einstein’s Relativity: the Special and General Theory was published in 1916. When did he first visit Princeton?

A. 1921

B. 1933

C. 1938

20. “The Road Warriors” was the sobriquet of Princeton’s football team in which season?

A. 1913

B. 1922

C. 1997

21. Which of these people did NOT win a Pulitzer Prize?

A. Booth Tarkington 1893

B. Eugene O’Neill 1910

C. F. Scott Fitzgerald 1917

BONUS: Which of these three authors failed to graduate from Princeton?

A. Booth Tarkington 1893

B. Eugene O’Neill 1910

C. F. Scott Fitzgerald 1917

ANSWERS: 1. A; 2. C; 3. B; 4. A; 5. A; 6. C; 7. A; 8. B; 9. B; 10. A; 11. A; 12. B; 13. C; 14. A; 15. A; 16. A; 17. C; 18. B; 19. A; 20. C; 21. C; BONUS: A, B, and C.