While students today celebrate Valentine’s Day by hurrying off to ballroom dances, assembling floral bouquets, and anticipating date drop emails, our package room workers of the past were buried beneath the weight of February mail.
On February 14, 1928, a weary postman staggered into The Daily Princetonian’s offices at 48 University Place, heaving a pack brimming with love letters. “[He] stated dramatically that the coming St. Valentine’s Day was adding many a gray hair to his head with the students’ increased mail.”
“Never have so many boxes of bonbons found their way out of the confectioners’ shelves to women’s colleges,” reported the ‘Prince’ on the extent of affectionate tokens mailed to the Seven Sisters Colleges. Princetonian boys had a long history of obsession with girls from Vassar College since the late 1800s.
In the years since postmen were overburned with besotted Princeton men and their romantic correspondence, students have developed new and inventive ways of celebrating the occasion. Student groups have taken an entrepreneurial spin on the day, offering on-campus performances and packages as an alternative to the standard Valentine’s letter.
The century-old Princeton University Band spread love this Valentine’s Day with live music performances, serenading unsuspecting students in the dining halls with Band-o-grams. “Last year, somebody requested that we play the Canadian National Anthem for somebody they were with,” recalled Kairi Schrenker ’27, who plays the tenor drums. “It was really funny because they requested that we play [the song] a second time.”
While percussion and brass reverberated during meals, fashionable mail also circulated across campus. Dozens of Princetonians opened their dorm doors and were greeted by style bundles delivered by InstantReplay.
“The main theme and curation was the Valentine’s Day Candy,” explained Grace Anne McCooey ’26, the founder and CEO of her sustainable company that sells excess inventory from fashion brands. Each style bundle ordered included surprise clothing or accessories, a handwritten letter, and candy to celebrate Cupid’s day.
Remember, Princeton, it’s not too early to plan your Valentine’s Day gift giving for next year. Why overburden our postmen with traditional letters when you can send the Princeton University Band chasing after your loved ones or revamp their wardrobe with the latest fashion?
Lola Horowitz is a staff Archivist and assistant Features editor.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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