Q&A: Princeton’s 2024 Silver Cane Holder, Donald Fletcher ’39 *51

The major milestones Donald Fletcher ’39 *51 has celebrated in the past year include carrying the Class of 1923 Cane and leading the P-rade at Reunions in 2024. Now 106, Fletcher has enjoyed many Reunions since graduating from Princeton 86 years ago.

Fletcher has led a service-forward life as the son of medical missionaries. He served on the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in Chile, did mission work in Mexico, and taught in schools and colleges in New Jersey, Texas, and Alabama. In 2020, he released his ninth book, a memoir titled My First Hundred Years: A Life on Three Continents.

Fletcher spoke with PAW about Reunions and his advice to today’s students.

How did it feel to get the silver cane last year at Reunions?

It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream!

How was your 2024 Reunions experience overall?

The whole experience was memorable. Princeton’s student life has been so much enriched since going co-ed [in 1969]. It was wonderful.

What’s one of your most memorable moments from your time as a Princeton student?

The tradition of, on a spring evening, students would gather, particularly like on a Sunday evening, but gather on the steps of old Nassau Hall for an informal sing fest. That’s the kind of memory, of course, that stays with one throughout life, and the friendships that were formed.

What’s the secret to your longevity?

The primary secret is one that I had nothing to do with, namely, family genes. I was privileged to inherit traditions of a healthy lifestyle and taking good care of oneself. Having grown up in a medical family, I had great respect for anatomy, how the system works, and how to take care of it. I recall very well experimenting as a young person with smoking, which had come into wide use for college students. I remember trying out a pack of cigarettes and my brother [Archibald Fletcher ’38], who went on to medical school, counseled me against cigarettes.

Are you planning to attend Reunions again this year?

Oh, yes, I certainly hope to. I’m not able to get around as easily as I used to, but with help from the family, I certainly would hope to be there with my family. My two sons [Alan Fletcher ’78 and Larry Fletcher-Hill ’81] and daughter [Sylvia Fletcher *75] graduated from Princeton.

What advice would you offer this year’s graduating seniors?

As you walk among the buildings of the campus, think of the generations that have gone before you — many enshrined, of course, in old Nassau Hall and some of the other buildings. Think of all the traditions and realize that you're having a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so enjoy it to the fullest.