Italian Encyclopedia (1935)

PL, Sa. R., DFD, H. Fu.

PRINCETON (AT, 132-133). - Town of the state of New Jersey (United States), in Mercer County, about 16 km. north-east of Trenton, on the Delaware and Raritan Canal. It had 3899 inhabitants. in 1900, 5136 in 1910, 5917 in 1920, 6992 in 1930 (of which 4740 Bianchi indigenous and born of foreign parents, foreign-born Whites in 1182, the remaining elements of Negroes and other races). The city is served by lines of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Cultural institutions. - The original source of Princeton University, one of the largest in the United States, can be traced back to 1739, when the Synod of Philadelphia wanted to create a 'university that would rule the comparison with the other major America. Religious disagreements delayed, however, the foundation until 1746: in that year was established under the name College of New Jersey, the new school, which opened in 1747 in New Jersey. Was transferred almost immediately to Newark and, in 1752, in Princeton. In 1754, construction began on the first building, the Nassau Hall (named in honor of King William III of Nassau). There in 1783 G. Washington received the official thanks of Congress for the conduct of the war. The history of the university, who took the title in 1896 and it is unrelated to any religious denomination, is marked only by its progressive development, by successive additions of new faculties and reforms of internal systems, which tend to make more rigorous study. Located in the country (its 7 buildings occupy the center of a very picturesque esplanade) and equipped for the stable permanence of students, stands out among American universities for the character of his courses, in which, except in the right part d ' engineering, and humanistic orientation towards pure science prevails absolutely practical orientation of the applied sciences. This address was also established explicitly for the future, when the school was given the title of university. The curriculum includes a lower course (undergraduate schools), which releases bachelor's degrees, and an advanced course (graduate schools), after which you earned the title of master or doctor. In this course, each student specializes in a branch of studies included in the 15 faculties of the university and at the end of each year an examination which gives comprehensive examination. The final exam focuses on the work of the last two years. The individual classes are split into various groups, in which the lessons consist of lectures deprived of all formality, given by preceptors of arguments. This system (tutorial system) is followed especially in the faculties of philosophy, history, political science, art, languages. The university is governed by a board composed in part by students and chaired by the Governor of the State of New Jersey. Special systems allow pupils who are not able to fully pay their expenses, to cover them in whole or in part without gaining leave the residence in the university. Princeton University has a library of 700, 000 volumes, a natural history museum and one of historical art, an astronomical observatory. Addition to the University are to be mentioned: the Institute for Advanced Study, founded in 1930, to assist those who want to continue studies and research without the worry of practical results to be achieved; Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, founded in 1812, which has a library of about 188, 000 volumes.