Editing Princeton University (section)

=== 19th century ===
In 1795, President [[Samuel Stanhope Smith]] took office, the first alumnus to become president.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Smith">{{cite web|title=Samuel Smith|url=https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/smith/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628090358/https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/smith/index.html|archive-date=June 28, 2021|access-date=July 4, 2021|website=The Presidents of Princeton University|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref> Nassau Hall suffered a large fire that destroyed its interior in 1802, which Smith blamed on rebellious students.{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=31}} The college raised funds for reconstruction, as well as the construction of two new buildings.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=444}} In 1807, a large student riot occurred at Nassau Hall, spurred by underlying distrust of educational reforms by Smith away from the Church.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Smith" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Lange|first=Gregg|date=March 21, 2007|title=PAW Web Exclusives: Under the Ivy|url=https://www.princeton.edu/~paw/columns/under_the_ivy/uti032107.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104025900/http://www.princeton.edu/~paw/columns/under_the_ivy/uti032107.html|archive-date=January 4, 2020|access-date=July 4, 2021|website=[[Princeton Alumni Weekly]]|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref> Following Smith's mishandling of the situation, falling enrollment, and faculty resignations, the trustees of the university offered resignation to Smith, which he accepted.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=444}} In 1812, [[Ashbel Green]] was unanimously elected by the trustees of the college to become the eighth president.<ref name="Lewis-1957">{{Cite journal|last=Lewis|first=Robert E.|date=September 1957|title=ASHBEL GREEN, 1762—1848—PREACHER, EDUCATOR, EDITOR|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23325169|journal=Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society|volume=35|issue=3|pages=145–147|jstor=23325169}}</ref> After the liberal tenure of Smith, Green represented the conservative "Old Side", in which he introduced rigorous disciplinary rules and heavily embraced religion.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Green">{{cite web|title=Ashbel Green|url=https://www.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/green/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704063524/https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/green/|archive-date=July 4, 2019|access-date=June 29, 2015|website=The Presidents of Princeton University|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref>{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=229}} Even so, believing the college was not religious enough, he took a prominent role in establishing the [[Princeton Theological Seminary]] next door.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Green" /><ref name="Lewis-1957" /> While student riots were a frequent occurrence during Green's tenure, enrollment did increase under his administration.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=230}}

In 1823, [[James Carnahan]] became president, arriving as an unprepared and timid leader.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Carnahan">{{cite web|title=James Carnahan|url=https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/carnahan/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628205830/https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/carnahan/index.html|archive-date=June 28, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=The Presidents of Princeton University|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref>{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=52}} With the college riven by conflicting views between students, faculty, and trustees, and enrollment hitting its lowest in years, Carnahan considered closing the university.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Carnahan" /> Carnahan's successor, [[John Maclean Jr.]], who was only a professor at the time, recommended saving the university with the help of alumni; as a result, Princeton's alumni association, led by [[James Madison]], was created and began raising funds.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Carnahan" />{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=81}} With Carnahan and Maclean, now vice-president, working as partners, enrollment and faculty increased, tensions decreased, and the college campus expanded.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=81}} Maclean took over the presidency in 1854, and led the university through the [[American Civil War]].<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Maclean">{{cite web|title=John Maclean|url=https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/maclean/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628145417/https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/maclean/index.html|archive-date=June 28, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=The Presidents of Princeton University|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref> When Nassau Hall burned down again in 1855,<ref>{{cite web|title=3. The Fire of 1855|url=https://www.princetonianamuseum.org/artifact/de3eff9c-7aff-41d7-8ee5-c1fae3f2f8bf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706040843/https://www.princetonianamuseum.org/artifact/de3eff9c-7aff-41d7-8ee5-c1fae3f2f8bf|archive-date=July 6, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=Princetoniana Museum|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref> Maclean raised funds and used the money to rebuild Nassau Hall and run the university on an [[austerity]] budget during the war years.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Maclean" /> With a third of students from the college being from the South, enrollment fell.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=298}} Once many of the Southerners left, the campus became a sharp proponent for the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]],{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=64}} even bestowing an honorary degree to [[Abraham Lincoln|President Lincoln]].{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=65}}[[File:James McCosh.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|[[James McCosh]], President of the college (1868–88)|alt=A portrait of James McCosh]] [[James McCosh]] became the college's president in 1868, and lifted the institution out of a low period that had been brought about by the war.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=301–304}} During his two decades of service, he overhauled the curriculum, oversaw an expansion of inquiry into the sciences, recruited distinguished faculty, and supervised the addition of a number of buildings in the [[High Victorian Gothic]] style to the campus.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=301–304}}{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=72}} McCosh's tenure also saw the creation and rise of many extracurricular activities, like the [[Princeton Glee Club]], the [[Princeton Triangle Club|Triangle Club]], the first intercollegiate football team, and the first permanent [[Eating clubs at Princeton University|eating club]],<ref>{{cite web|title=James McCosh|url=https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/mccosh/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629022525/https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/mccosh/index.html|archive-date=June 29, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=The Presidents of Princeton University|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref> as well as the elimination of fraternities and sororities.{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=82}} In 1879, Princeton conferred its first [[Doctor of Philosophy|doctorates]] on James F. Williamson and William Libby, both members of the Class of 1877.<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=https://gradschool.princeton.edu/about/history|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316041323/https://gradschool.princeton.edu/about/history|archive-date=March 16, 2021|access-date=June 18, 2021|website=The Graduate School|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref>

[[Francis Landey Patton|Francis Patton]] took the presidency in 1888, and although his election was not met by unanimous enthusiasm, he was well received by undergraduates.<ref name="Princeton-Presidents-Patton">{{cite web|title=Francis Patton|url=https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/patton/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628152800/https://pr.princeton.edu/pub/presidents/patton/index.html|archive-date=June 28, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021|website=The Presidents of Princeton University|publisher=Princeton University}}</ref> Patton's administration was marked by great change, for Princeton's enrollment and faculty had doubled. At the same time, the college underwent large expansion and social life was changing in reflection of the rise in [[eating clubs]] and burgeoning interest in athletics.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=355}} In 1893, the honor system was established, allowing for unproctored exams.{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=102}}{{Sfn|Fiske|Lecuyer|2019|p=566}} In 1896, the college officially became a university,{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=91}} and as a result, it officially changed its name to Princeton University.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 25, 1896|title=Review of the Week|page=6|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|quote="The name of the college was changed to Princeton University."}}</ref> In 1900, the [[Princeton University Graduate School|Graduate School]] was formally established.{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=91}} Even with such accomplishments, Patton's administration remained lackluster with its administrative structure{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=356}} and towards its educational standards.{{Sfn|Oberdorfer|1995|p=102}} Due to profile changes in the board of trustees and dissatisfaction with his administration, he was forced to resign in 1902.{{Sfn|Leitch|1978|p=356}}