1. Th e C ap His t o r y Pr o j ec t
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2. The Class
of
1953
Looking back on our years at Cap and
Gown, (our) friendships have not only survived
the years but have grown, and remind us of the
strengths of (our) individual members and the
cohesiveness that was generated by the times of
the Korean War and the educational rigors of
the University. We were truly blessed, but
didn’t realize it at the time.
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3. 1955
The Class of
Parties weren’t all we did at the club, but we did
them memorably. They seemed to be in our DNA.
The long-time head of the graduate
board, Herman Heydt ’29, would often arrive at
the Club for meetings with a case of booze, which
quickly found a use among us.
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4. 1956
The Class of
One of Football Captain Royce Flippin’s most vivid
memories was of the winning football game against
Dartmouth 6 – 3 in a snow storm. Royce handed off to
Bill Agnew on an inside reverse for the winning 4th
quarter TD with key blocks by teammates / Club
mates: end Joe Grotto and fullback Dick Martin. Also
special and meaningful to Flip was his secret
engagement to Louise the evening before the
game, but not announced until post-game so as not to
deflect focus from the upcoming mission on the field.
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5. 1957
The class of
The formation of our section began our sophomore year
during a two week bicker in February 1955. Two
considerations existed in the 1950s on the selection of a
club section: 100% inclusion of sophomores in the bicker
system had been mandated by the Graduate Interclub
Council in 1950 and the club undergraduate members
visited with prospective sophomores in their dormitory
rooms (unlike the current system).
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6. 1957
The Class of
We came to Cap between the Korean and Vietnam
wars. Many of us had signed on to the popular ROTC
programs either to escape the draft or to make use of
government scholarships. Military uniforms were
seen all over the campus and at breakfast or lunch.
Coats and ties were still required at dinner.
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7. 1957
The Class of
In the 1950s Cap and Gown remained one of the most
popular among the 17 clubs in existence at the time.
Over the years clubs tended to develop personalities.
In 1920, F. Scott Fitzgerald ’17 wrote in This Side of
Paradise a description of several clubs including ―Cap
and Gown, faintly religious and politically powerful‖.
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8. 1957
The Class of
During our all male life at Cap, parties occurred only
at specified and closely controlled times. Chaperones
were required when bands played at house parties and
on a few other occasions. In spite of (and maybe
because of) the close scrutiny, the Library bay window
was a popular place to ―entertain‖ your date.
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9. 1958
The Class of
During our senior year, we lost long-time football coach
Charley Caldwell, the great innovator of single wing
football when the T-formation was dominant and the
author of Modern Single-Wing Football. Dick
Coleman, his number one assistant, took over the team.
Harold Dodds, who had greeted us in our freshman
year, departed in our senior year after 14 years as
President, to be followed by Robert F. Goheen.
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10. 1958
The Class of
In the 1950s we liked Ike, even though Adlai Stevenson was
an alumnus of Princeton. It seemed to be a time of
stability. After graduation humanities majors could look
forward to starting out at $400 per month, and, in
demand after Sputnik in 1957, engineers commanded a
munificent $450.
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11. 1962
The Class of
We lived mostly within the rules – no cars within 50
miles of Princeton; no girls in dorm rooms after 7 p.m.
with an extension to 9 p.m. on weekends; mandatory
chapel attendance; classes 6 days a week; and the
Gentlemen’s Agreement which specified our conduct on
and off the campus.
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12. 1962
The Class of
We helped to lead the way from the big band era of dance
bands to the era of rock and roll. The old dining room served
as the dance floor with, at least on one occasion, the famous
Chuck Berry performing in front of the bay window. Mike
Hartman, our Vice President and the one who had organized
the Junior Prom in 1961, had connections and the rest is
history. Even our chaperones were seen on the dance floor. In
1961 and 1962, the twist became a national craze and Cap’s
partiers were experts.
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13. 1964
The Class of
The early 60’s were an active and exciting time in
America, which saw the election of John F.
Kennedy as President, the early escalation of the
Viet Nam War, and the landing on American soil of
the English musical sensations, The Beatles. Few
of us realized at the time how significantly the war
escalation would impact many of our lives.
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14. 1968
The Class of
The class of 1968 arrived at the end of an era and the
beginning of another at Princeton. Many things we took for
granted in the fall of 1964 had changed radically by the
spring of 1968. When we accepted our offers of
admission, few of us had probably given much thought to
co-education. Four years of mixers, road trips, and week-end
dates later, we were among the most ardent supporters of
the admission of women to our alma mater.
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15. 1969
The Class of
1969ers arrived on campus shortly after mandatory
vesper services were finally eliminated but still facing
strict enforcement of ―parietals‖ that mandated when
women could visit dormitories and rules that prohibited
undergraduates from keeping cars near campus. Before
graduation, not only had those unpopular restrictions
disappeared, but also 1969 knew they would forever claim
the distinction of being the last all-male class to graduate
from Princeton.
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16. 1969
The Class of
Cap’s musical taste tilted to soul with Otis and
Carla vying with Sam and Dave to be the most
played, followed closely by the Wicked Pickett and
Aretha. The street was only permitted to have 10 or
so parties per semester, so we really had to make
the most of them. Great bands were brought in for
nearly every party.
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17. 1971
The Class of
The almost two and a half years from the debauchery
that Saturday night in February until the Tuesday
afternoon in June brunch with our families after
graduation were replete with more extremes of
experience than I can recall or recount. Kaleidoscopic
images form and then reform in an ever changing
panoply of distant and ravaged memories.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

18. 1971
The Class of
The smell of the fire crackling in the fireplace on a mid
week winter evening, when the first really big snowfall of
the season has just begun to materialize, unannounced
and without so much as a hint of warning, but the coffee
was freshly ground, the backgammon tables were
set, your friends were going nowhere, and everything
around you just seemed to be slowing down… how gentle
and enveloping a memory is that?
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19. 1972
The Class of
1970 was an interesting year to go through bicker. The class of
1972 was the last to enter Princeton as an all-male class. The war
in southeast Asia was raging, the sexual revolution was in full
bloom, and drug use was becoming commonplace. Early on, we
wore coats and ties to Sunday dinner in Commons, and parietals
(no women in the dorms at certain hours) were strictly
enforced. In January of freshman year, the university sponsored
"Co-ed Week," a sign that campus life would soon change
dramatically. In the fall of sophomore year, we experienced the
draft lottery, which resulted in many classmates celebrating while
others enrolled in the National Guard.
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20. 1972
The Class of
We eagerly awaited the fun and festivities that the spring
promised. However, the country's invasion of Cambodia
changed everything. The University went on
strike, exams were essentially cancelled and the eating
clubs responded as well. Many of us attended a meeting
in the Cap and Gown living room, at which the
membership voted to cancel House Parties. Everyone
agreed—no way were we going to party it up with
everything going on. The seniors made the greatest
sacrifice, but followed their collective conscience.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

21. 1972
The Class of
The ladies were quickly becoming integral to club
life. During bicker senior year, three talented gals
regaled our sophomore guests with a re-worked
version of Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up is Hard to
Do." Dancing on the living room table, they belted out
"Cappa cappa gown, doobie do down down," breaking
up carrot sticks as they sang.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

22. 1978
The Class of
The year began with a resounding victory over Cottage in
Blow Pong. Another highlight of our friendly rivalry with
51 Prospect occurred on the Saturday of Houseparties
Weekend. We rented a pig from a local farmer, greased
the pig up, and set him loose in Cottage’s foyer late that
evening. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the pig was
horrified by what he saw, retreated to Cottage’s coat
room, and waited to be returned to the friendly confines of
Cap. Who could blame him?
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

23. 1978
The Class of
Whether it was a game of backgammon or pool, a party
or just a beer in the tap room, the men and women of
Cap had a place to escape from academic pressure, to
relax, to tell a joke, and to smile and laugh. Memories of
the friends made and times had at Cap have been
cherished by our class for many years now and will
remain so for many years to come.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

24. 1979
The Class of
The Tap Room downstairs boasted a tap that flowed —
mirabile dictu — 24/7 and a jukebox from which one
could hear the strains of the Spinners and Trammps.
Needless to say, it served as a favorite rendezvous spot
for members and guests to relax. In this age of
designated drivers, it may seem hard to fathom that the
drinking age in New Jersey was then 18.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

25. 1983
The Class of
Two events from the first week of February 1981 are
inextricably linked: Celebration by Kool & the Gang
was #1 in the US and the 1983 Section signed into
the Cap & Gown Club. This group of 33 women and
30 men would endeavor over the ensuing 2-1/2
years to justify their celebrated theme song.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

26. 1983
The Class of
1983 was Dennis Normile’s first year as
the Club Steward. In reflecting on that
first year Dennis said, ―After surviving
that first year with 1983, it’s been a cake
walk since.‖
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

27. 1990
The Class of
From our second floor TV room, we watched historic events
including the Berlin Wall coming down, the Soviet Union
dissolving, newly released MTV videos by Phil
Collins, Heart, Madonna, Sinead O’Connor , and Jon Bon
Jovi, as well as Greg LeMond winning the Tour de
France, the first seasons of The Simpsons (a Sunday night
event) and Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans’ In Living
Color. A rising star stand-up comedian named Jerry
Seinfeld also launched his show to our viewing pleasure. A
nightly ritual was to go upstairs after dinner and watch
Jeopardy!
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

28. 1999
The Class of
As this is a history book, where we were in history? Bill
Clinton is in the White house, but who knows for how long
as he is undergoing impeachment for his uh….
indiscretions. The internet is still a baby. For many of
us, the princeton.edu email was our first address (the 1999
section was the first to have a technology chair). And
what the hell was a cell phone? Oh yeah, it’s that suitcase
with a phone attached to it in the car.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

29. 2000
The Class of
All in all, our years in Cap were some of the best of
our lives. How many of us showed up at Cap on a
weeknight for ―an early dinner‖ before heading
upstairs to the library to study, only to find
ourselves still at the club, at our third table of the
night, four hours later, still chatting with
friends, new and old?
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

30. 2003
The Class of
Whether you sat in the sunroom or dining room during
meals, there was always a spirited dialog on an array of
topics. We debated the upcoming Presidential election as
we munched on Hot Pockets, discussed Britney Spears’s
latest music video over sausage soup, and pondered if
Tom Brady was a one-year-wonder as we ate breakfast
for dinner. We had cell phones but rarely used them and
our Facebook was printed by the University. If you
needed to find a friend, he or she was going to walk
through that big, wooden door sooner or later.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

31. 2005
The Class of
While Dennis took care of all of us as our
fatherly figure and put up with all of our
antics (thank you, D!), he was also the
mastermind of our formal events. He even
helped to bring a lobster dinner to spring
Lawn Parties, surpassing any of our
wildest dreams with his attention to detail
and incredible taste.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

32. 2005
The Class of
Beirut, Robo, and country music controlled by the
new iTunes touch screen dominated the old
taproom. While ―Red Dirt Road‖ and ―Telluride‖
played downstairs, DJ Bob’s blared tunes turned
our living room into a dance floor on big nights.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

33. 2007
The Class of
Actually, we were pretty into our slip ’n slides; we
created a giant one in the backyard each
Lawnparties. While everyone else on the Street kept
their seersucker and sundresses fresh and
clean, Cap members were down to get wet and more
than a little muddy on the 60-foot long slide.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

34. 2007
The Class of
Whether we were studying at the library’s huge
table, basking in the sunshine on the back lawn, relaxing on
the (much smaller) deck, shooting pool upstairs, or just
relaxing in the TV room (which always seemed to be
showing Man on Fire), we spent many wonderful hours at
61 Prospect. We look forward to returning for years to
come – after all, as Herman Heydt Jr. ’29 said, ―Whenever
I enter this club I feel happy inside.‖
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35. 2009
The Class of
One of the best things about Cap was its
reputation as an accepting place. As long
as you were excited to have a good
time, we were happy to welcome you in.
As individuals we were unique but as a
group we were all Cap and Gown.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

36. 2010
The Class of
President Tilghman’s visit, in April of 2010, also kicked off a wonderful
run of warm and sunny days for our section to enjoy the post-thesis
life. Headed into our graduation day, the Class of 2010 saw 45 of 60
days above 75 degrees and 48 of those days had sun! Needless to
say, the spirit of 61 Prospect itself was rewarding us for our loyalty
through a tough, igloo-building and thesis-writing winter with the
opportunity to perfect our baggo swings (and our tans!) out on the
front lawn. The Class of 2010 spent over two years as undergraduate
members, but our memories will be influenced most by those May
afternoons spent in the sun, learning that there is no such thing as a
lead in baggo, and no such friends as those we met in the Cap & Gown
Club.
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!

37. Th e C ap His t o r y Pr o j ec t
Share your Cap Memories
Volunteer for the Cap History Project
www.capandgownclub.org
Go Down in Cap and Gown History!