Two TLS signed “Woodrow Wilson” as president of Princeton, to lawyer William Allen Butler, 1910. Wilson writes in response to a letter from Butler (included) complaining that his son, Lyman, graduated from Princeton without honors because of a clerical error. Wilson responds as follows. June 23, 1910: “I am very much distressed about the mistake to which you call my attention in the case of your son Lyman. I will at once consult with my colleagues and do all that is within my power to correct the mistake. In the meantime, I want to officially apologize to you for the extraordinary error….” September 28, 1910: “You may be sure that we have not lost sight of Lyman’s case. So far as the official Honor List is concerned, his name has been placed where it should have all along been in the list which is to appear in the annual catalogue. A memorandum has been filed with the proper officer of the Phi Beta Kappa and we have received assurances that there will be no difficulty about his being voted into that society at its next meeting…. The injustice done him at Commencement, unhappily, cannot be corrected. I regret it with deepest chagrin….” In very fine, bright condition. Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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