Best Class, Best Year ... Best Class Day?

Earlier this year, senior class president Chris Lloyd unveiled the slogan "Best Class, Best Year" for the Class of 2006's final year at Princeton. While that claim might be a bit grandiose, Lloyd and friends might just have pulled off the best Class Day in recent memory this morning on Cannon Green.

Before the festivities could get started, of course, Beer Jacket-wearing seniors went through our daily ritual of standing in line for an inexplicably long period of time (at least we got bagels today) while our parents readied their cameras. Eventually, we processed, they photographed, yadda, yadda, yadda.



Once we got settled, President Bill Clinton, the much-anticipated keynote speaker, made a rock-star like entrance -- "Eye of the Tiger" was playing over the loud speakers -- as seniors jumped atop their seats in hopes of getting a glimpse of No. 42. And for the first time all weekend, my parents (like many others) seemed more interested in taking pictures of someone other than me.


President (of the University) Shirley Tilghman started things off by presenting incoming '06 president Danny Pugliese with a giant key, noting that it gives the Class of 2006 24-hour access to many things -- including Princeton's endowment, though only for deposits. (For the record, that's at least the third consecutive year she's made that joke. Perhaps if we give enough money, she'll be able to buy some new material for next year.)

Next up was President Clinton. He was introduced by senior Lauren Bush, who noted that among Clinton's many accomplishments, he has recently become the favored traveling buddy of her grandfather, better known as Prez. Bush the elder (ahh, connections). Speaking almost entirely extemporaneously, Clinton eloquently shared his vision of the "interdependent" 21st Century world and how he believed we could use our power to affect change. Without question, his words challenged and inspired every listener, no matter their political beliefs. To paraphrase former vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen, Bill Clinton is no Chevy Chase. (If you weren't on hand for last year's Class Day, that's a good thing. A verrrry good thing.)

The honor of following Clinton at the podium went to another president, Mr. Lloyd, who opened his speech by explaining that doing so is every public speaker's worst nightmare. Nonetheless, Chris delivered a truly excellent speech of his own -- I've got several pictures of Prez. Clinton laughing at his one-liners -- sharing 10 things every senior should do in their last 24 hours as an undergrad. (No. 4: Call our friends at Yale, mention that we enjoyed listening to Clinton and David Sedaris this weekend, and ask whether they enjoyed their graduation speaker, Anderson "360" Cooper.)

From there, a steady stream of the best and brightest of the '06ers were honored for their accomplishments. Seniors Ben Fast and Maggie Dillon both delivered humorous addresses, too, with Fast's in particular -- an explanation of how he developed his long-wished for super hero power while at Princeton -- drawing big laughs from the crowd.

After the festivities, seniors and family members reunited for boxed lunches on Alexander Beach. I assume the point of this event is to help parents better understand why we spent so much complaining about the dining services food.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with departmental receptions (and, for me at least, a much-enjoyed nap). Many of us will be heading to Jadwin Gym for the Senior Prom in a few hours, because the weekend clearly wouldn't be complete without grandma experiencing DJ Bob for herself.

For now, though, I've got a phone call to make to friends at Yale. Can't wait to hear about Anderson Cooper.

-- David Baumgarten '06, Managing editor emeritus; photos by Sherry Zhang '09, Princetonian staff photographer

Streaming video available

For those of you who weren't able to make it to Class Day to see President Clinton, the University has made a video stream of the event available. Broadband version here and low-band version here.

Full story coming soon on our main site.

-- Chan Sethi '07, Editor-in-chief

The $160,000 concert

Just got back from the senior step sing, a tradition that, according to my program, is nearly as old as the University: "On the warm spring nights of 1760, members of the senior class began to congregate on the front steps of Nassau Hall to sing jovial songs while townspeople and other Princeton students watched."

Two centuries later, the specifics have changed a bit, but the main idea -- jovial songs -- is more or less the same. Somewhere along the way, someone decided that the event was something that parents would enjoy -- and, indeed, the hundreds of family members in attendance seemed to be smiling. They also looked slightly perplexed as to how 1,000 supposedly brilliant students could be so excited to sing a Neil Diamond song. (Hint: Having a beer or two beforehand helps.)

Speaking of Neil Diamond, the program was a combination of "popular songs" (voted on by the '06ers) and traditional "Princeton songs." None of us seemed to actually know the words to any of the "Princeton songs," other than Old Nassau. I guess we should have spent less time on our theses and more time learning songs -- Who knew? Anyway, I doubt anyone actually cares, but for the sake of posterity, here's the set list for the evening:

1. Don't Stop Believing - Journey
2. Senior Step Song
3. Integer Vitae
4. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynyrd
5. The Orange and Black
6. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
7. Going Back
8. Piano Man - Billy Joel
9. Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
10. Old Nassau

We closed out the night with a few rousing '06 Locomotives, before dispersing back to dorm rooms and eating clubs. The night left me feeling rather sentimental, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. As corny as the whole thing was, it was absolutely a "Quintessential Princeton" event, the type of tradition that doesn't -- that simply couldn't -- happen anywhere but here. As I happily sang just a few hours ago, "Three Cheer for Old Nassau."

-- David Baumgarten '06, Managing editor emeritus

We're going to keep going ...

Feedback on our 'Prince' at Reunions blog has been overwhelmingly positive and, based on your requests, we've opted to keep going through Graduation.

Our staff and, in particular, our soon-to-be-graduated managing editor emeritus David Baumgarten '06 will continue blogging on this site through Commencement ceremonies on Tuesday, June 6. Today you'll find information on Baccalaureate and tomorrow on Class Day, where former President Bill Clinton will speak.

As always, we welcome your thoughts on this effort. Please do get in touch (edit0r@dailyprincetonian.com)

-- Chan Sethi '07, Editor-in-chief

Baccalaureate

The alums have gone home, but the festivities continue here on campus. Graduation events kicked off this afternoon with Baccalaureate at the University Chapel, which meant it was time to don my cap & gown (tassel on the left, for now). I'm sure the University will be posting some official photos later, but here in 'Prince' blogland, we present photojournalism from a different perspective: an '06er taking part in the ceremony ...

While family members found their seats outside the Chapel for the simulcast, seniors lined up from East Pyne to West College before the procession in.

University trustees and administrators lined up, too. The man wearing red in the picture: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist '74, a trustee -- and father of Harrison Frist '06. No word on whether he laughed at Baccalaureate speaker David Sedaris' joke that "the Harvard or Yale class dummy might turn out to be President one day" (paraphrasing here).

Once the processing finally began, seniors marched through the simulcast site as parents elbowed each other for a clean angle to take a picture as their sons and daughters passed by.

Inside the Chapel, the seniors filed into their seats as -- surprise! -- those ubiquitous Asian-inspired paper thingies flew over head. Because it clearly wouldn't be a University event without the flying paper thingies. Speakers during the service included President Tilghman and about a dozen students, as well as keynote speaker David Sedaris, a noted humorist. His address -- a hilarious story about his (imagined) time at Princeton and his parents' reaction to his career choices -- was extremely well-received by students and parents alike. The biggest complaint: it was roughly 87 degrees inside the Chapel -- and those robes we were wearing weren't exactly summerweight.

After the ceremony, seniors processed back out and through the East Pyne arch...as parents continued snapping away.

Seniors and family members reunited in McCosh Courtyard for strawberries and lemonade and -- wait for it -- more pictures.

-- David Baumgarten '06, Managing editor emeritus

Fire in the sky

Fireworks lit up the sky just after 9:15 tonight. The fireworks, set to music by the University Orchestra, have been an annual tradition since the University's 250th anniversary in 1996. The Santore Brothers of Garden State Fireworks choreographed the display. And the party continues ...


-- Chan Sethi '07, Editor-in-chief. Photo by Jonathan Williams '05, Princetonian photography editor emeritus.

The Great (and Muddy) Class of 2006

I'm covered in mud -- and I couldn't be happier. Just before 5 p.m. this afternoon, I joined my fellow Class of 2006 members at the tail end of the P-Rade, where we joyfully passed through the Bloomberg Arch and sloshed through the Poe Field mud in our first act as alums. But I'm getting ahead of myself ...

Along with the rest of the Class of 2006, my Saturday began with free Taco Bell in the U-Store courtyard just after noon. After about half an hour of enjoying Biblical Deluge No. 4, the skies finally cleared (sort of), and my classmates and I gathered on the Blair Arch steps for the senior class picture.

That important business taken care of, we were led down Elm Drive to our staging area for the P-Rade (with a brief detour to fill our beer jackets with beers and margaritas). Our next four hours were properly locomotive-filled, both given and received. Many of the older alum classes kindly stopped to chat with us and congratulate us. Actually, most of the alums (especially the older gentleman) really only seemed interested in chatting with one of the eight or so '06ers I was standing with -- the lone female in our group. Somehow, I don't think it was a coincidence.

As the classes passing us by got younger, they also got wilder (and we got drunker). The exploits of one friend -- we'll call him "S" -- were epic: He chugged Jack from a handle with two gentlemen from the early '90s, briefly wore an empty Miller Lite case as a hat, and finally received a giant kiss on the cheek from a lovely woman from the late '90s. Needless to say, he had a big smile on his face the entire afternoon.

Eventually, it was our turn to join in, and so we burst through the restraining rope onto Elm Drive, chanting "Ohhhhh-six, Oh-six-oh-six-oh-six, Ohhhh-six, Ohhhh-Six" all the way. I distinctly remember waving a half-drank beer can above my head as a rushed past my parents, who were watching from the sidelines, presumably thrilled that this what they were getting for the $160k.

From there, it was through Bloomberg and onto Poe Field. Frankly, I have no idea what was going on at this point -- it took all my effort not to face-plant in the mud. I ended up covered in brown goup nonetheless, but like I said, right now, I couldn't care less.

-- David Baumgarten '06, Managing Editor emeritus

P-Rading down the years

A colonially-dressed man in a horse-drawn carriage, a firetruck tooting a melody on an organ and thousands of old men in bright funny clothes. What kind of circus is this? The reunions P-Rade is undoubtably deserving of the moniker "greatest show on earth," and it is a sight to behold. Brimming with pride for their alma mater, hordes of Princetonians mingle in reunion in wide bands around the central artery of campus, Elm Drive, through which the grand parade progresses.

Hearing sporadic cheers for particularly vibrant classes, it's clear there is inevitably a direct correlation between the brightness of an orange jacket and the width of the smile upon the bearer's face. As the classes walk past your field of vision they seem to grow younger against the passing of the years, beginning with that lone fellow from the Class of 1925 and reaching the climax with the 2006 grads, old men returning to their youth. After continual bursts of rain throughout much the day, the skies finally parted, the sun shone down and a rain-soaked Princeton campus reveled.

Also, an update for Princeton sports fans, we've just heard that the men's heavyweights, ranked No. 1 all season, fell to Cal by a slight margin at IRA nationals today, ending a dominant season just shy of a gold medal. A web update on the main page will follow soon.

-- Tyler Woulfe '07, Princetonian executive editor

Photo Journal: Part 2 (P-Rade!)

The sun wasn't exactly shining, but it also wasn't raining -- not that rain could have ruined an event like the P-Rade!

(Click on photos for larger image)

Pre-P-Rade:

Class of 1925:

The oldest returning alum in the P-rade carries the Class of 1923 cane, which is topped by a silver tiger.

Class of 1941:

Class of 1942:

Class of 1947:



Guest appearance:

Class of 1952:

Class of 1956:









Class of 1957:

Class of 1961:


Class of 1966:

Class of 1971:

And on the sidelines ...




Down on Poe Field:


Cheers!
-- Katherine Anderson '08, Princetonian associate editor for photography, with several photos contributed by Alice Easton '09, Princetonian staff writer.

Don't rain on my P-Rade

Tortorous heat may, for now, be a thing of the past, but one headache has been replaced with another: the rain. Accumulations up to one inch are predicted and visiting Tigers aren't likely to expect relief before the late evening. Photos from the P-Rade, or what was left of it, soon ...

-- Chan Sethi '07, Editor-in-chief. Photo by Ross Liemer '08, Princetonian senior writer

Photo Journal, Part 1 (Class Photos)

In sunnier, dryer weather, this post would be "Photo Journal, Part 18." Unfortunately though, cameras don't dry off as well as people do, so while I've been wading through puddles like everyone else, the cameras have escaped (so far) a weekend of rainy fun. Much to my surprise, however, when I woke up this morning, I heard not rain or thunder, but the drums & fifes of the class of '76. (Thanks folks!) So, with all the early morning photo enthusiasm I could muster, my camera and I made our way over to the U-Store courtyard just in time to see the senior Class, en masse, arrive for Taco Bell.


And minutes later, the class of '61 timed their arrival for their class picture to coincide with the day's first downpour.


The class of '06 seemed to have better luck with the weather, since the downpour turned into a drizzle as they took their place on the steps of Blair Arch ...


... and smiled for the camera ...







If I'm not mistaken, I can see some sunlight, which means that we'll have more photos after the P-Rade!

Cheers,
-- Katherine Anderson '08, Princetonian associate editor for photography