23309-activities-fair-1948_1-thumb-640x424-23308.jpg

23311-activities-fair-1948_2-thumb-220x182-23310.jpg

Most students recall the bustling Activities Fair on the Friday of the first week of classes freshman year, where campus groups try to draw first-year additions to their ranks. But the first activities fair, on Alumni Day in 1948, was held for a different purpose: to showcase the myriad undergraduate extracurricular options to visiting alumni. Thousands strolled through the aisles of Dillon Gym, hearing from undergrads about the accomplishments of each organization.  At left, Malcolm Forbes ’41, founder of The Nassau Sovereign, browsed the magazine with editor Robert Heimann ’48.

After the fair, alumni remarked about how thrilled they were to see the vibrancy of post-war undergraduate life. A Daily Princetonian editorial recommended “an encore in September … to give incoming freshmen some idea of the varied outlets at Princeton for their talents and interests.”

Follow PAW on Facebook and Twitter to see #ThrowbackThursday posts, alumni news, and more.

Follow us on Facebook

@pawprinceton at Twitter