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Woodrow Wilson
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3. WOODROW WILSON: A BIOGRAPHY~ CHAPTER 4 AND CHAPTER 5 (79 - 119) ~ APRIL 8th - APRIL 14th, No Spoilers, Please
Chapter Overviews and SummariesChapter Four: Bold Leader
On October 25, 1902, Wilson was inaugurated as the new president of Princeton. He began to change the curriculum by creating more disciplined studies and less free-electives for students. Also, he wanted to build a residential graduate college, hire more faculty, build a law and a engineering school and upgrade the science facilities. However, he didn't have all the funds to do these items, so he went to raise funds. He hired Walter Fine as dean of faculty, but Andrew West of the graduate program remained an independent force.
In 1905, he introduced a tutorial system and hired 46 new preceptors. By May 1906, Wilson became blind in the left eye due to another cardiovascular incident. He was diagnosed with arteriosclerosis. Also, his wife was facing depression for the loss of his brother who died in an accident.
After some rest, Wilson continued his reforms. He wanted to build an undergraduate college like Oxford, the Quad Plan. He really worried that the dinner clubs created intellectual separation and fostered class conflict. He also wanted to build a graduate college on campus and have both undergraduates and graduates mingle. However, West wanted the college off-campus and did not support the Quad Plan. Many others also thought the Quad Plan was a threat to the dinner clubs and did not want them to go. A battle ensued and Wilson lost the fight when the Princeton Trustees voted to delay it.
In November 1907, Wilson suffered neuritis in his right hand. He went to Bermuda to relax. He was in the company of another woman, Mary Peck. However, it was unclear if the two had an affair.
Chapter Five: Academic Civil War
Wilson's reforms became popular with political progressives. He made more speeches about social club exclusiveness, regulation of business, and government activism. There was talk of him running for president in 1908.
Wilson waged a fight against West and the graduate college. West got Grover Cleveland, who was a trustee, on board for an off-campus site. West got money from William Procter for an off-campus site, too. Wilson tried to get the faculty to vote on the on-campus site, but the trustees blocked it and the trustees ended up voting for the off-campus site. Wilson took his loss in stride. He learned the importance of educating the people and academic politics prepared him for governmental politics. Wilson's term as president brought Princeton to new heights as a modern university.
What are your thoughts on Wilson's ideas for education? You agree with the author about them being bold?
I agree that Wilson's ideas were bold in the sense that he was looking to make changes to Princeton's established and entrenched culture. His ideas had pretty hefty price tags attached, as well.I especially enjoyed reading about his preceptorial system (described on pages 85-87) something that the students' referred to as "fifty preceptor guys to make us wise" (pl 86). This idea to infuse "new blood" and improve the intellectual life of the university by fostering a community of learners was, I think, progressive for large universities and, apparently, quite newsworthy at the time.
It seems so, Donna. He was indeed making headlines for his work at Princeton. Also, maybe the Democrats needed fresh blood.Yeah, so it seems he championed what we now call the discussion group. It is now accepted practice in the large lecture classes for small groups of undergraduates to meet and discuss the that week's lecture and readings, lead by grad students. Fascinating.
Thanks Christoper. His plan could have gone through trial and error. Sciences didn't work out so good.He did have a family history of cardio issues
Another interesting reform is organizing departments and creating chairs. I think is all part of the specializing of higher education that we see today. I had to laugh a little that the super-wealthy like Morgan and Carnegie weren't too interested in what Wilson was doing.
I found it really amazing that a former President didn't like to "ask for money". That's one of the biggest use of a President's time these days. and when they aren't asking for money for elections, they are asking for money for their Presidential libraries. I guess it's a good thing Wilson was man of his times and not more modern times.It was really interesting to read that many of my college experiences could directly be traced to Wilson. It's too bad he was bested by West in the location of the Graduate School. But as Howe mentioned, if he had won he probably would have stayed at Princeton and stagnated. Defeat helped him move on to other arenas.
I do think his ideas were bold in that he really championed an education for anyone who deserved it, regardless of money. Wilson referenced Lincoln a couple of times in his argument that the best brains don't always come from rich, elite families. And when it came to the instructors, Princeton should have the best and brightest, not just alumni or friends of the powerful. If I remember correctly he also promoted something like teacher evaluations to weed out the poor (ineffective) teachers. I'm sure for a University like Princeton that was very set in it's ways, this was pretty radical thinking.
Lastly, can someone explain the dinner clubs to me? is it just to eat and socialize for appearances sake. I'm just not picturing them in my head.
Bryan wrote: "I had to laugh a little that the super-wealthy like Morgan and Carnegie weren't too interested in what Wilson was doing."Cooper devotes much attention to the Quad Plan and Wilson’s academic career. I’m not familiar with Morgan’s background, but Carnegie had little formal education and the self made man made his millions through hard work, manufacturing and business. He did not favor labor unions. Carnegie understood the power of knowledge through books and throughout his life he donated much money to libraries, but he was not an academic person. Carnegie was in every sense a polar opposite to Wilson and I can comprehend why he was not interested in Wilson’s world.
So true Mark. Thanks for those good points.
Theresa wrote: "I found it really amazing that a former President didn't like to "ask for money". That's one of the biggest use of a President's time these days. and when they aren't asking for money for elections..."Thanks Theresa. To me, supper clubs were exclusive clubs where people ate and socialized. There were very selective as well, similar to fraternities.
Wilson had a great message about college for middle and lower classes. He advocated bringing in public high school graduates to Princeton.
thanks Bryan. In my head I was comparing them to fraternities but I wasn't sure if that was accurate.
You are welcome, Theresa. I think Wilson used this theme of clubs as a statement of privilege pretty effectively, at least from the outside.Boy, academic politics is rough. How do you think Wilson handled it all?
I haven't read this section in its entirety yet, but I think it is important to recognize that Wilson's presidency of Princeton was not in a vacuum. Charles Eliot of Harvard had been making changes to how the College was structured since 1869. These changes included wooing wealthy corporate donors, recruiting talented faculty, a broadening of the curriculum, secularization of the school, and an expansion of graduate and professional schools within the college. So I personally cannot give Wilson credit for trying to make the same changes Eliot had made. Apologies for the pomposity, but 'the academy" (a term which has become an anachronism in today's university) was the environment of my profession. I can say that dealing with faculty anywhere, anytime is incredibly difficult and Wilson does seem to have done a good job managing them.
G wrote: "I haven't read this section in its entirety yet, but I think it is important to recognize that Wilson's presidency of Princeton was not in a vacuum. Charles Eliot of Harvard had been making changes..."Good info, G. I was wondering where Wilon's ideas came from. It sounds as if he was building on ideas that were already being proferred by others.
I had to chuckle at (and can relate with) your comment about the difficulties of "dealing with faculty anywhere anytime".
I agree, G. Perhaps Cooper is saying that Wilson made bold moves because he saw what was going on elsewhere, agreed with them, and executed them at Princeton. As you say in the last paragraph, to undergo major reforms like this with a board and some independent deans must have been very tough. It does sound like he had the backing of the faculty. But it seems the wealthy donors made the difference.
Our own president at UVa was ousted by the board last summer, but then reinstated. Some wealthy people were players in this attempt, saying reforms were not going fast enough. Ah politics....
This quote is interesting about misjudging the board:"His [Wilson] agitation and rigidity may have stemmed from his reaction to his illness the previous summer. His impatience to see the Quad Plan enacted and his combativeness toward critics and opponents bordered on obsession." (p. 95)
Later in that paragraph, Wilson admits he is rushing things on the Quad Plan.
I had trouble figuring out the significance of replacing the "dining clubs" as well. Here is an interesting article which talks about the Princeton dining clubs, both today and in the past: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_c...Towards the end of this Wikipedia article, it says
...Woodrow Wilson was, in part, driven from Princeton by alumni and administrators because he loathed the effect the clubs had on academic and social life...""
It is my understanding that the eating clubs in Wilson's time especially were so elitist because class and money were such important criteria for acceptance by the membership, who voted on new members. The clubs were a lot like fraternities except members didn't live together. They were located in large "houses" where there were also rooms for studying and socializing. Much of the Princeton social life revolved around these clubs. Wealthy Princeton Trustee Moses Tyler Pyne provided a lot of money to these clubs.
Cooper says that Wilson wanted "to reorganize the undergraduates into residential units, where they would be overseen and taught by members of the faculty, after the fashion of the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge." (p.89) This was the Quad Plan and these new residential colleges definitely competed with the dining clubs in organizing college life.
I read a lot of English novels, but I have never really understood the education system at Oxford and Cambridge. This article, outlining the differences between these schools and American universities was helpful in trying to figure out what Wilson had in mind in emulating the "college" system at Oxford and Cambridge: http://www.education.com/reference/ar...
The traditions at these two elite British universities have been in effect for centuries, so I think the basics apply to Wilson's time as well. This article says:
"The college is the center of university life at Oxford and Cambridge. Students live, study, and socialize within their own colleges. The many small colleges, with between 200 and 700 students, make up the larger university...College communities include undergraduate and postgraduate students, teachers, and lecturers. Students attend tutorials within their colleges. Each college has libraries, computers, common rooms, and academic and personal support. They provide recreational activities, including entertainment, sports, music, drama, and other special events.
I may have made some false assumptions about Wilson's exact plans. I wish Cooper would have explained them more. I guess he would have, had the Quad Plan actually been implemented. :-)
Great, Ann, thanks for that. I found a couple nuggets on the Quad Plan in the glossary, and it matches up to what you are saying.
I was very impressed that Wilson himself taught 2 courses a year during his time as head of the university. I wish all administrators would do that!There are signs in this section that Wilson failed to prepare the way for his more radical plans and then lacked the ability to compromise to get most of what he wanted. Too bad, since most of his ideas were excellent. He even lost the support of his best friend, Jack Hibben.
Cooper says on page 95, "His impatience to see the Quad Plan enacted and his combativeness toward critics and opponents bordered on obsession."
Thanks, Bryan. I should have known to check the glossary on the Quad Plan. :-) The article I cited which compared the British and American university systems also enlightened me on the British tutorial system, which I have NEVER understood, so that was helpful in any case.
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Having also been a member of one of the Greek organizations I can attest that this was also a great social group for me; but everyone has their preferences I am sure.
Every college and university has different experiences with fraternities and sororities.
Lots of folks have provided lots of money for many things at Princeton.
And that is why if you get into Princeton - it is one of the few colleges/universities which offer need-blind admission and meet 100 percent of each admitted student’s financial need with generous aid packages - you will have no loans just grants which could cover the entire cost of your tuition.
It is one of the best in the country and it is because of its alumni who give back for everybody's benefit. Their endowments are tremendous.
The get togethers at the dining clubs are for the most part open to all students whether they are members or not and there are eleven dining clubs open to 3rd and 4th year students. Wilson belonged to one himself when he was a student.
And financial aide is given to cover belonging to one of these dining clubs so that everyone is able to participate. They try very hard to give everybody a level playing field.
It is a nice way to socialize on campus and it is no more elitist than folks at a school or college meeting at their favorite dining hall on campus to eat together.
People make a lot of what they do not understand, are envious of or maybe had a bad experience with. But countless folks love them including Wilson himself when he was a member of the Ivy Club. The dining clubs are an institution in and of themselves on campus and I can see Wilson running into a brick wall on this. He probably wanted the quad plan so much that he was willing to dismantle pretty much anything including what he had enjoyed himself. I am sure he believed in what he proposed wholeheartedly and he was convinced this was the right thing to do. But maybe it wasn't.
This article printed in 1907 describes how frustrated Wilson was with the rejection of his quad plan and that there were rumors of a resignation in the wind.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract...
Thanks, Bentley for adding some "first-hand experience" context. The article ended with rumors of Wilson's resignation, but they were not rumors. He was drafting such a letter but decided to drop it. Clearly, the clubs were popular.
I get the impression Princeton is much more diverse today, reflecting our society. It is unclear about Wilson's time. You get the impression many students were pretty wealthy, but Cooper doesn't give us a run-down.
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You are welcome on the other. Yes, today it is much more diverse than in Wilson's time but it was the sign of the times then wasn't it - in terms of education and the desire for it. And the ability to spend your days reading and studying and not have to help pay for your family's survival.
So true, Bentley, the few that went to college were fairly well off. The students going to Yale, Harvard, Princeton seemed to be quite rich.
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Bryan wrote: "So true, Bentley, the few that went to college were fairly well off. The students going to Yale, Harvard, Princeton seemed to be quite rich."The most prestigious intercollegiate sport rivalry at the time, even greater than football was crew racing. The Harvard / Yale regatta drew the largest crowds (some alumni arrived in grand yachts) for year long bragging rights. I have not searched to see when Princeton entered crew racing, but they were not a part of the rivalry.
In listening to these 2 chapters I came away with a bit more understanding of Wilson's stance on the racial issue . . . but it reminded me almost of a feeling of Apartheid in that he discouraged an Afro-American from applying to Princeton and suggested he would be better off applying to one of the colleges in the south. And again that issue of increasing social mixing would encourage intermarriage which would sully the Caucasian race . . . I believe the term was that the Afro-Americans didn't "Rise" and improve themselves . . . this is more of the same rhetoric spewed by Thomas Jefferson in his works. A hundred years later it was still being used as an excuse for denying part of the citizenry their rights . . . this seems in contradiction to the fact that women and an Afro-American were invited to his inauguration as President of Princeton.That same mentality in part dealt with his opposition or indifference to women's suffrage . . .
Interesting, Mark, thanks. I don't remember if he rowed or not.
Tomerobber wrote: "In listening to these 2 chapters I came away with a bit more understanding Wilson's stance on the racial issue . . . but it reminded me almost of a feeling of Apartheid in that he discouraged an Af..."I can't remember the term either...soft racism, maybe?
Ann wrote: "I was very impressed that Wilson himself taught 2 courses a year during his time as head of the university. I wish all administrators would do that!..."
Back when I was an undergraduate at NYU (late 1970s) the president of the university (John Sawhill) did teach some classes. I have no idea how widespread this is.
Peter, that's great. I hope a lot of administrators do it.I was looking at it from the perspective of a former public high school teacher. I used to think teaching classes from time to time could result in a reality check for administrators - especially as they kept imposing new lesson plan requirements and a completely different kind of scheduling.
I do think some presidents are out there that teach here and there. So true, Ann, it would be helpful to see what is happening on the front lines.
What are your impressions about Mary Peck? Friend? Lover? Do you think she filled a void that his wife couldn't seem to fill?
Bryan wrote: "What are your impressions about Mary Peck? Friend? Lover? Do you think she filled a void that his wife couldn't seem to fill?"I don't know; but I don't care.
I think that a president's personal life should be.... personal. Not just Wilson's, but all of them. Whether Wilson had an affair should, I think, concern only 3 people: Wilson, his wife and Ms. Peck.
This wouldn't include cases where the affair involved national security or something (e.g. if a president was accused of sharing state secrets with a lover).
Point taken, Peter. It does bring up the issue of women in his life, though. It seems he talked a bit about politics with her, as well. I think it also shows how he wanted women in his life that he could talk with.
Ellen suffered from depression. Depressed people often cannot offer much support to others, and Wilson was under great stress with his work problems and health concerns. He may have worried about burdening Ellen with too many worries. He found Mary Peck very attractive (although the picture isn't that flattering), and she was a good friend to him - possibly more. It doesn't bother me, either way.I agree with you in theory, Peter, but biographies that don't tell us about the private lives of famous people are pretty dry. :-)
You're right, Bryan. Wilson was used to confiding in women. In my experience, women friends tend not criticize, but concentrate on making you feel better.
Bryan wrote: "What are your impressions about Mary Peck? Friend? Lover? Do you think she filled a void that his wife couldn't seem to fill?"I assume we are addressing the idea if Wilson honored his marriage with fidelity? If not, does this add to the definition of his character? If he is incapable of integrity to his family could we then suppose he is capable of the same characteristic when addressing people beyond his family? Or, why would assume fidelity beyond his family when we know it does not exist within his family?
Is the idea of trust or integrity important, or is it passé?
You make some interesting points, Jim.
Peter wrote: "Ann wrote: "I was very impressed that Wilson himself taught 2 courses a year during his time as head of the university. I wish all administrators would do that!..."
Back when I was an undergrad..."
I agree that it would be nice to see more administrators teach, as well as be so involved with the students. Wilson he was president, professor, reformer and found time to socialize with the students and be involved. I enjoyed the bit about him butting heads with some of the trustees over the hiring of some faculty. I personally have not seen an administrator that involved with students.
Thanks Teri. Yeah, I think the norm is that university presidents don't teach.
Most universities have been following the corporate model for decades. The chief academic officer (typically, but not always), the Provost, teaches as well as interacts with faculty and other academic constituencies. The president, following the chief executive officer model, takes advice from the Provost on academic matters. The Provost also has direct access to the board. So it's no longer In the presidents 'job description' to teach, even though I've known a few who have. I agree, it is a real pity the Presidents don't have more hands on experience.
As I read in Cooper, Wilson may have started a division of labor paradigm at the top administrative level of Universities when he appointed a business manager. "This division of labor, in which the president would concentrate on general policy and external relations....foreshadowed the practice that most American colleges...(would later adopt)". P 110, my edition.
Thanks, G, it seems Wilson was building a modern university at Princeton both academically and administratively.
We also see Wilson changing his politics from the conservative Democrat to progressivism. Cooper writes,"His affinity for strong, activist government and his permissive views about the 'ministrant' functions of government always contained the potential for moving in a reformist direction, and this new vision of social renewal from below made such a move nearly impossible to resist." (p. 108)
Do you agree with Cooper that this change is more than just ambition?
Yes, I think he was a man of integrity, never primarily motivated by ambition. His experience at Princeton made him more distrustful of the privileged class, especially as he did not come from this group.
Thanks, Ann. It might point to how big Princeton made an impact on him at a personal level. After fighting against the privileged at his school, he might have seen the whole world a bit different.Could we compare this to LBJ working with Hispanics and the underprivileged while teaching in a kind of opposite way?
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On the other hand, Wilson was rather privileged in terms of what he experienced at a young age. His family was intact and his father was well thought of.
True, Bentley, his family was well-off, something LBJ could not claim. Good point.It is interesting to see how his Princeton experience plays a role in his political development, since his students were from wealth. I think education progressives were seeing that college was not just for the wealthy anymore.
The "less well off" that Wilson wanted admitted to Princeton probably weren't much like the kids LBJ worked withLBJ (as noted above) was poor himself at the time. But the kids he was working with were *really* poor; they were also Mexican.
But comparing LBJ to Wilson is interesting - were any two presidents *less* alike? Wilson was cerebral, well-educated (PhD!), religious, polite; LBJ was earthy (oh boy!), poorly-educated (at least in terms of formal schooling), non-religious (as far as I know from reading, but I'm pretty sure) and crude.
The History Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Educational Legacy of Woodrow Wilson: From College to Nation (other topics)Woodrow Wilson: A Biography (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
James Axtell (other topics)Robert A. Caro (other topics)
Robert A. Caro (other topics)
Robert A. Caro (other topics)
John Milton Cooper Jr. (other topics)
For the week of April 8, 2013 - April 14, 2013, we are reading Chapter Four and Five of Woodrow Wilson: A Biography.
This week's reading assignment is:
WEEK THREE: April 8, 2013 - April 14, 2013 (p 79 - 119)
Chapter 4. Bold Leader and 5. Academic Civil War
We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.
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~Bryan
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