James M. Stewart, better known as Jimmy Stewart, entered Princeton as a Civil Engineering major (he wanted to be an architect) and was a “legacy” admission since his father also attended Princeton, graduating in 1898. Stewart attended Princeton and graduated in 1932, with honors. Stewart also served as Princeton’s head cheerleader during his junior year and was active in the Glee Club. Architecture turned out not to be his true love so instead of practicing it, he went into the theater and show business instead. While he was at Princeton he was active in the Triangle Club, a theater troupe founded in 1891.

Collectibles from Jimmy Stewart’s time at Princeton are rare. His performances in the Triangle Club are documented from surviving programs, such as the one pictured below from a 1930 play titled “The Tiger Smiles.” Princeton didn’t admit women until 1969 so the female parts in the musical were performed by males, although Stewart played a male character in this show, “Bruce Pelham, a senior.”

Stewart sang multiple parts in the musical in both acts one and two, singing a total of six times. His name is listed in the program among the cast of characters:

Images of Stewart as a cheerleader are captured in Princeton’s yearbook Bric-a-Brac, for the year of his graduation, 1932, and also he appears again in the 1933 Bric-a-Brac, where he is seen in a full page image along with his fellow cheerleaders. He's the tallest good looking geltleman.

Princeton doesn’t have fraternities or sororities like many other colleges and universities. Instead, they have “eating clubs,” where students take their meals and they are in effect like a fraternity or sorority. Stewart was a member of the Charter Club and his name is listed in Charter Club handbooks from the early 1930s. Stewart is also pictured as part of the Triangle Club in the 1933 Bric-A-Brac, seen front row, all the way on the right.

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