This article is about the Princeton University alma mater. For other Princeton uses of the term, see Princeton University.
"Old Nassau" has been Princeton University's alma mater (school song) since 1859. Harlan Page Peck was the lyricist and Carl A. Langlotz (sometimes Karl Langlotz)[1] was the composer. The lyrics were changed in 1987 to address sexism at the newly co-educational institution. For a brief time the song was sung to the melody of "Auld Lang Syne" before Langlotz wrote the music on demand. The lyrics were the result of a songwriting contest by the Nassau Literary Review.
Freshman student Peck penned the words that year and published it in the March 1859 issue of the Nassau Literary Review,[2] which is the oldest student publication at Princeton and also the second oldest undergraduate literary magazine in the country.[3] The winter 1858–59 issue of the magazine had offered a prize for a college song and Peck won.[4] Peck would go on to pen both the Class of 1862 ode and the Class of 1862 poem.[4] Later in Spring 1859,[1] German teacher Langlotz composed music for the song.[2] The song has four verses of lyrics and a refrain.[5]
The lyrics were originally sung to the melody of "Auld Lang Syne", but William C. Stitt (Class of 1857), a student at the Princeton Theological Seminary found this arrangement unsuitable. He sought out Langlotz and stood over him until he composed more suitable music. The song and its lyrics then appeared in Songs of Old Nassau, the first Princeton songbook, Spring 1859.[4]
According to Langlotz' autobiography
During the winter and spring of the year 1859, some of the seniors and tutors use to meet with me in a little old house on Williams Street, just east of the college grounds, where we use to smoke and sing college songs over our glass of beer. When 'Old Nassau' was written, we tried to sing it to the air of 'Auld Lang Syne', but found this utterly unsuitable. Mr. William C. Stitt ['56], one of the company,...suggested that I should write original music to the words...my memory was strengthened from day to day by Stitt who requested it for tomorrow...there I was sitting on my front porch smoking my peaceful pipe, when energetic Stitt arrived on the scene, and asked me in an off-hand way if I had anything particular to do that afternoon. I answered 'No'. Immediately he produced pencil and music paper saying 'Here is Old Nassau. Now do as you promised and put it the music to it.' I did write the music then and there, with Stitt standing guard over me.
The first women were admitted to Princeton in the late 1960s and the song was considered sexist by 1987, when Princeton had reached 35% female enrollment.[7] Some such as Daily Princetonian journalist Jack Goodman question whether changing the lyrics of the Princeton alma mater would serve any real purpose.[8] The impetus to change the lyrics came in late 1986 from Janet Sarbanes, daughter of United States SenatorPaul Sarbanes.[7] Sophomore Class of 1989 President David Littell helped lead the petition to gain 500 signatures for a referendum on the issue.[7] A Princeton alum lyricist was consulted to for suggested revisions.[9]
In December 1986, the student council voted in strong support of revising the song.[7] In late February 1987, the student body rejected the revision by an 872 to 794 margin, but the vote was not considered to represent a quorum.[7] As a result of insufficient opposition in the voting and inconclusive forums and polls, the revision was referred to the office of the president and board of trustees.[7]
The following week, Princeton President William G. Bowen noted that "Old Nassau was written to be inclusive for the Princeton of its day," going on to say "These changes in lyrics allow it to be more inclusive for today's Princeton."[10] The refrain was changed from "In praise of Old Nassau, my boys, hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! Her sons will give while they shall live, three cheers for Old Nassau." to "In praise of Old Nassau, we sing, hurrah, hurrah, hurrah! Our hearts will give, while we shall live, three cheers for Old Nassau."[10] The Princeton board of trustees, student government and alumni council all ratified the revision.[9]
Other universities followed Princeton's lead. Dartmouth endured controversial change to "Dear Old Dartmouth" in 1988,[11][12][13][14]University of Chicago held a competition for an entirely new alma mater during the 1990–91 school year, due to the original song's sexist content.[15] Harvard made lyric adjustments to "Fair Harvard" in the late 1990s.
^ ab"'Old Nassau' Seen In 'Lit' in Year 1859". Daily Princetonian. May 23, 1929. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^"About: What Is The Nassau Literary Review?". Princeton.edu. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^ abcArmstrong, William C. (1906). Patriotic Poems of New Jersey. New Jersey Society Sons of the American Revolution.
^"Old Nassau's Lyrical Change". Princeton.edu. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
^The Bookman. Vol. 42. Dodd, Mead and Company. September 1915 – February 1916. p. 511. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^ abcdef"Is 'Old Nassau' Sexist? Princeton Examines Its School Song". The New York Times. February 22, 1987. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^Goodman, Jack (May 23, 1987). "Changing 'Old Nassau' Does Not Solve Gender Problems". Daily Princetonian. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^ abPryor, Larry (March 1, 1987). "Princeton Sons Take Note of Daughters in Their Midst". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^ ab"Co-Ed Princeton Nods to Women in 'Old Nassau'". Los Angeles Times. February 27, 1987. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
^Krieger, Barbara L. . Dartmouth College Library Rauner Special Collections Library. Archived from the original on January 16, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
^"Northeast Journal". The New York Times. October 12, 1986. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
^Casey, John (February 26, 1989). "At Dartmouth, the Clash of '89". The New York Times. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
^"Dartmouth Changes Old School Song". Boston Globe. Associated Press. May 25, 1988. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
^Shen, Ted (September 27, 1990). "Help Wanted: U. of C. seeks new song". Chicago Reader. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
nassau, this, article, about, princeton, university, alma, mater, other, princeton, uses, term, princeton, university, been, princeton, university, alma, mater, school, song, since, 1859, harlan, page, peck, lyricist, carl, langlotz, sometimes, karl, langlotz,. This article is about the Princeton University alma mater For other Princeton uses of the term see Princeton University Old Nassau has been Princeton University s alma mater school song since 1859 Harlan Page Peck was the lyricist and Carl A Langlotz sometimes Karl Langlotz 1 was the composer The lyrics were changed in 1987 to address sexism at the newly co educational institution For a brief time the song was sung to the melody of Auld Lang Syne before Langlotz wrote the music on demand The lyrics were the result of a songwriting contest by the Nassau Literary Review Old Nassau SongPublishedApril 1859GenreAlma materComposer s Carl A LanglotzLyricist s Harlan Page PeckAudio sample source source 52 second a cappella versionfilehelp Contents 1 Composition 2 Lyric change 3 Notes 4 External linksComposition EditFreshman student Peck penned the words that year and published it in the March 1859 issue of the Nassau Literary Review 2 which is the oldest student publication at Princeton and also the second oldest undergraduate literary magazine in the country 3 The winter 1858 59 issue of the magazine had offered a prize for a college song and Peck won 4 Peck would go on to pen both the Class of 1862 ode and the Class of 1862 poem 4 Later in Spring 1859 1 German teacher Langlotz composed music for the song 2 The song has four verses of lyrics and a refrain 5 The lyrics were originally sung to the melody of Auld Lang Syne but William C Stitt Class of 1857 a student at the Princeton Theological Seminary found this arrangement unsuitable He sought out Langlotz and stood over him until he composed more suitable music The song and its lyrics then appeared in Songs of Old Nassau the first Princeton songbook Spring 1859 4 According to Langlotz autobiographyDuring the winter and spring of the year 1859 some of the seniors and tutors use to meet with me in a little old house on Williams Street just east of the college grounds where we use to smoke and sing college songs over our glass of beer When Old Nassau was written we tried to sing it to the air of Auld Lang Syne but found this utterly unsuitable Mr William C Stitt 56 one of the company suggested that I should write original music to the words my memory was strengthened from day to day by Stitt who requested it for tomorrow there I was sitting on my front porch smoking my peaceful pipe when energetic Stitt arrived on the scene and asked me in an off hand way if I had anything particular to do that afternoon I answered No Immediately he produced pencil and music paper saying Here is Old Nassau Now do as you promised and put it the music to it I did write the music then and there with Stitt standing guard over me Carl A Langlotz 6 Lyric change EditThe first women were admitted to Princeton in the late 1960s and the song was considered sexist by 1987 when Princeton had reached 35 female enrollment 7 Some such as Daily Princetonian journalist Jack Goodman question whether changing the lyrics of the Princeton alma mater would serve any real purpose 8 The impetus to change the lyrics came in late 1986 from Janet Sarbanes daughter of United States Senator Paul Sarbanes 7 Sophomore Class of 1989 President David Littell helped lead the petition to gain 500 signatures for a referendum on the issue 7 A Princeton alum lyricist was consulted to for suggested revisions 9 In December 1986 the student council voted in strong support of revising the song 7 In late February 1987 the student body rejected the revision by an 872 to 794 margin but the vote was not considered to represent a quorum 7 As a result of insufficient opposition in the voting and inconclusive forums and polls the revision was referred to the office of the president and board of trustees 7 The following week Princeton President William G Bowen noted that Old Nassau was written to be inclusive for the Princeton of its day going on to say These changes in lyrics allow it to be more inclusive for today s Princeton 10 The refrain was changed from In praise of Old Nassau my boys hurrah hurrah hurrah Her sons will give while they shall live three cheers for Old Nassau to In praise of Old Nassau we sing hurrah hurrah hurrah Our hearts will give while we shall live three cheers for Old Nassau 10 The Princeton board of trustees student government and alumni council all ratified the revision 9 Other universities followed Princeton s lead Dartmouth endured controversial change to Dear Old Dartmouth in 1988 11 12 13 14 University of Chicago held a competition for an entirely new alma mater during the 1990 91 school year due to the original song s sexist content 15 Harvard made lyric adjustments to Fair Harvard in the late 1990s Notes Edit a b After Many Months Princeton Alumni Weekly December 9 1905 Retrieved May 16 2013 a b Old Nassau Seen In Lit in Year 1859 Daily Princetonian May 23 1929 Retrieved May 16 2013 About What Is The Nassau Literary Review Princeton edu Retrieved May 16 2013 a b c Armstrong William C 1906 Patriotic Poems of New Jersey New Jersey Society Sons of the American Revolution Old Nassau s Lyrical Change Princeton edu Retrieved May 17 2013 The Bookman Vol 42 Dodd Mead and Company September 1915 February 1916 p 511 Retrieved May 16 2013 a b c d e f Is Old Nassau Sexist Princeton Examines Its School Song The New York Times February 22 1987 Retrieved May 16 2013 Goodman Jack May 23 1987 Changing Old Nassau Does Not Solve Gender Problems Daily Princetonian Retrieved May 16 2013 a b Pryor Larry March 1 1987 Princeton Sons Take Note of Daughters in Their Midst Los Angeles Times Retrieved May 16 2013 a b Co Ed Princeton Nods to Women in Old Nassau Los Angeles Times February 27 1987 Retrieved May 16 2013 Krieger Barbara L The Alma Mater Dartmouth College Library Rauner Special Collections Library Archived from the original on January 16 2008 Retrieved January 7 2008 Northeast Journal The New York Times October 12 1986 Retrieved January 7 2008 Casey John February 26 1989 At Dartmouth the Clash of 89 The New York Times Retrieved January 7 2008 Dartmouth Changes Old School Song Boston Globe Associated Press May 25 1988 Retrieved January 7 2008 Shen Ted September 27 1990 Help Wanted U of C seeks new song Chicago Reader Retrieved May 16 2013 External links EditOld Nassau lyrics at Wikisource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Old Nassau amp oldid 1146753895, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
