Join us as special guest Eric Vettel, Executive Director of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, reveals the details of new archival documents that have recently been added to the Presidential Library's Collection. Mr. Vettel describes his newest research project best in his own words:

Presidential biography offers an easy education in American history, rendering the past more vivid, more intimate, more accessible - more connected to ourselves. Presidential biography also reminds us about the human side of the presidency, revealing their choices, their decisions, their worries. Unfortunately, our understanding of Woodrow Wilson is hobbled because we have not had access to the fullness of his story, which has left us with a pretty poor tale. The history we have is focused on events and a number of gifted writers have filled in the gaps to tell a compelling history; however it appears stiff, stoic, staid, emotionless - we are missing the human side of a very important period in our history.

By happy coincidence, in our effort to know more about Woodrow Wilson, we have uncovered more new historical documents than anyone had ever thought existed heretofore. On March 17, 2005, I received an email message that began: My name is Kathy Turnbull and I write to you from Cumberland, Maryland. Recently, I found a large trunk in my husband's office attic that contains 1000's of letters about, to and from Woodrow Wilson. Do you want them? "Of course we did," was my reply. Soon after, a couple living in Wytheville, Virginia contacted me to say they own the birthplace home of Edith Bolling Wilson - Woodrow Wilson's second wife - and they wanted to know if we wanted the "stuff" they had found in their attic. "Of course," again, and we now have these new Edith Bolling Wilson materials. Surprisingly, there have been many more, but the penultimate acquisition occurred in July of this past year. The family of the late Admiral Cary Grayson - Woodrow Wilson's physician and best friend from the day he entered the White House until the day he left - asked if the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library wanted their father's private collection of papers. "Of course," and we took a team of archivists to the Grayson family home to begin sifting through tens of thousands of never-seen-before papers.

As I sifted through files and files of correspondence, some with the likes of Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lloyd George and Clemeanceau, I felt much the way I imagine Carter must have felt when he opened Tut's tomb for the first time. "Can you see anything?" Carter was asked. He replied, "Yes ... wonderful things." I can say, without hesitation, the papers we have recently acquired will not only change the way we think about the history surrounding Woodrow Wilson, the very act of finding these papers will make history itself. However, we will not tell the world about our discoveries until we have organized, catalogued and processed these new documents so students and scholars can use them efficiently and effectively. So we have gone silent, but the temptation to tell someone is simply oo great - it just seems so natural and reasonable to at least offer a few Princeton alumni the chance to glimpse history before history is made. In speaking before you I would confront at least two of the most compelling mysteries in U.S. history: was Woodrow Wilson too sick to run the country following his stroke in October, 1919, and if so, who replaced him?

Our new evidence will no doubt surprise you.

Wine and cheese will be served following the reception, courtesy of Larry Kurtz '72. Space limited to first 40 RSVPs.

Date:	Tuesday 5/2
Time:	6-8
Location:	McKesson Solution Center, San Francisco, CA 94104
Address:	One Post Street @ Market
RSVP:	Please RSVP by April 28 to the contact listed below.
Member Price:	Free
Non-Member Price:	Free
Contact:	Emily Walling '99 415-640-7517

On September 11 2001, political Islam announced in unmistakable fashion its deeply antagonistic attitude towards the West. Unfortunately, the nature of the challenge posed by political Islam -- indeed, its very existence as the key factor in the post-9/11 situation -- has gone largely unrecognized in the United States. But the Madrid & London bombings / the electoral victory of Hamas / and the Mohammed (pbuh) cartoon controversy have all made the centrality of political Islam unavoidably clear.

In this context, we'll situate political Islam in two different contexts -- as a historical phenomenon of Muslim politics in the 20th century; and its structural similarity to other current religio / political movements (the Christian right in the US / the Israeli hilltop settlers / the Hindutva - BJP - RSS in India / the Shinto - Yasukuni rehabilitation movement in Japan). Once this is done, we'll analyze the broad outlines of its main internal dynamics (including the significance of the Sunni / Shiite schism), and the consequent interrelated dynamics of its relation to the US on the one hand and Western Europe on the other.

David Caploe is the Founder and President of the Minerva School, a free-standing graduate school for working adults that uses the best of the liberal arts tradition for career development in emergent 21st century employment fields. He has a Ph.D. in International Political Economy from Princeton, where he participated in the Middle East faculty seminar chaired by Carl Brown. He has written articles about the region for Middle East International / Israel et Palestine / the Nation / Inquiry / and Working Papers, among others.

This dinner will be subject to sufficient interest. The restaurant serves Indian food. It has a dinner buffet which is $12.95 per person. It is within walking distance of the Concord BART Station.

Date:	Saturday 5/6
Time:	7-9
Location:	Swagat Restaurant , Concord
Address:	1901 Salvio @ Galindo
RSVP:	Please RSVP by May 1 to the contact listed below.
Member Price:	$
Non-Member Price:	$
Contact:	David Marshak '66 925-932-6436

It's time for the Princeton Club's Annual visit to beautiful SBC Park. (You always knew that your orange and black gear would come in handy!)

Princeton has a group of 30 seats reserved for the San Francisco Giants' May 23rd night game against the Saint Louis Cardinals. Come cheer on the home team and wear your best school colors - they won't be out of place on game night! A seat is yours for the low price of $18 - seats are located in left field, behind Barry Bonds, section 137. If you are new to San Francisco or have never been to a GIANTS game, SBC Park is one of the most aesthetically pleasing ballparks out there -- come out and see it for yourself. Additionally, Barry Bonds is six home runs away from tying Babe Ruth's record - you never know when history will be made - you could be there!

Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your date... but please RSVP by May 15th (unclaimed seats must be released on this day). If you are a member, your guests' tickets cost will be the same as yours (member price). Once all RSVPs are received an email will be sent out for details about where to meet up (for drinks/tailgate and ticket distribution before the game). Please email the contact below if you live in one of the South Beach apartment complexes near the ball park that has a communal BBQ area that we could use or are willing to volunteer your vehicle for a tailgate.

RSVP quickly as these tickets will go fast. See you at the game!

Date:	Tuesday 5/23
Time:	7-10
Location:	SBC Park, San Francisco
Address:	24 Willie Mays Plaza @ 3rd Street
RSVP:	Please RSVP by May 15 to the contact listed below.
Member Price:	$18
Non-Member Price:	$20
Please send your payment in by May 15 to the contact listed below.
Contact:	Emily Walling '99 239 Cowper Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 415-640-7517