In the fall of 1952, I joined the Princeton admission staff under Bill Edwards ’36. Joe Bolster ’52 and I were the only staffers. A few years later, Bob Goheen invited me to spend a couple of hours daily helping him with the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Program — from 4 until 6 p.m., five days a week. And thereby hangs my tale.

Around that time, I was invited to move to the University of Pittsburgh as that institution’s first director of admission. I asked Bob for his advice and he encouraged me to accept the offer — in part because it would allow me to finish a Ph.D. in English, which I had begun six years earlier at Yale. Then came Bob’s further response: “If I’m not promoted pretty soon (from assistant professor of classics), I’m going to start looking, too.” About a year later, Bob was “promoted” — to president!

I’ve always been grateful to Bob — not only for his advice, but for the example he set. I did finish the doctorate and went on to be president of two small colleges, one private and one public.

Like all of you at Princeton, I’ll miss him.

Bernard S. Adams ’50
Colorado Springs, Colo.