Mathey Residential College was dedicated in 1983 and named after Dean Mathey, Class of 1912. Dean Mathey played a large role in Princeton's financial history as an Alumni and Charter Trustee and is said to have made business decisions that helped the University through the Depression and World War II.¹. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa, he developed his financial acumen at Dillon, Read & Co. where he worked his way up to partner. Mathey Residential College consists of Blair, Edwards, Hamilton, Joline, and Little Halls with part of Campbell (see map). It was a two-year residential college until 2007 when it became a four-year college.

Rockefeller Residential College was established in 1982 and named after John D. Rockefeller III, Class of 1929. Rockefeller was known for his philanthropy, primarily through The Rockefeller Foundation as well as fundraising for Lincoln Center where he later served as President and Chairman. He was on Princeton’s Board of Trustees. The Rockefeller Family donated funds to re-organize the existing buildings. The College consists of Madison, Holder, Buyers, and Witherspoon Halls and the other part of Campbell (see map).

Special Activity Rooms in Mathey and Rockefeller

To accommodate the dining, community and study activities for both Mathey and Rockefeller, spaces were re-configured and retrofitted by Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown in 1981. (The newer residential colleges have the same types of spaces incorporated into their buildings’ design.) The dining rooms, which have existed in Madison Hall since it was completed in 1916, are either still used as the Colleges’ Dining Halls or used for other functions. They share a “servery” and each has a private dining room which can be reserved.

There are several Mathey-Rockefeller spaces including a classroom and a theater; both with up-to-date technology and sound equipment for lectures, plays and film screenings. The third shared room is a non-circulating library, available for studying or reading the library’s newspapers, magazines and books. These joint spaces are in Madison Hall.

Each residential college has a “Common Room” in one of Madison’s old dining halls. Mathey and Rockefeller have seminar rooms, kitchens and study rooms scattered throughout the dorms. In addition, there is a game room with pool, ping pong and foosball tables in Joline Hall next door to a TV Room; a lounge in the basement of Edwards Hall which has a separate recording studio; a dark room in Blair Hall basement; studio space with art supplies, as well as an Art Gallery, in Holder basement; and meditation space in Rockefeller College.

Kim D. Howie *78

¹ Christopher Knowlton, Fortune Magazine, October 26, 1967

Other Sources:

• Mathey and Rockefeller pages on Princeton University web site

• Britannica, John D. Rockefeller III section