Job E. Hedges

Among the men who are always welcome at Princeton mass meetings and
dinners, is Job E. Hedges. I remember what he said at a mass meeting at
Princeton in 1896. He was then secretary to Mayor Strong, in New York,
in which city the game with Yale took place that year.

The scene was in the old gymnasium. Every inch of space was occupied. On
the front seats sat the team and substitutes. Around them and in the
small gallery were the students in mass. Before the team were prominent
alumni, trustees and some members of the faculty. Earnest appeal had
been made by the various speakers tending to arouse the team to a high
point of enthusiasm and courage, and the interest of their alma mater
and of the alumni had been earnestly pictured. Mr. Hedges was called on
as he frequently is at Princeton gatherings and as the usual field had
been fairly covered, his opportunities were limited, without repetition
of what had been said. He addressed the team and substitutes in typical
Princeton fashion and concluded, so far as a record is made of it,
somewhat as follows:

"There is a feeling in the public mind that football games breed
dissipation and are naturally followed by unseemly conduct. We all know
that much of the excitement following football games in New York is due
largely not to college men but others, who take the game as an excuse
and the time as an opportunity to indulge in more or less boisterous
conduct, with freedom from interference usually accorded at that time. I
wish it thoroughly understood that in no way as a Princeton man do I
countenance dissipation, intemperance, boisterous or unseemly conduct.
It may be a comfort for you men to know, however, that I am personally
acquainted with every police magistrate in the City of New York. While I