Donald ‘Nick’ Wilson ’51 suggested the idea for the design of the jacket because he felt the class “should do something appropriate to celebrate the nation's bicentennial in 1976 as part of our 25th, and I'd never seen a red, white, and blue reunion jacket. Turned out that Gordon of Philadelphia had produced a jacket for sale in connection with the bicentennial in red, white, and blue patch madras, and we could buy in at a reduced price.” His suggestion provoked a lively discussion within the reunion committee. “A bit of an impasse developed, and it was agreed that if Fred Fox '38, the OFFICIAL keeper of Princetoniana, agreed, my selection would go forward. Freddy liked the idea and pointed out that red and blue had been the colors of Whig and Clio long before orange and black were Princeton's colors and therefore the red, white, and blue would be particularly appropriate to celebrate '51's and the Nation's anniversaries.”

“We looked really great in red, white, and blue in the company of all that orange and black in the Prade to celebrate the Nation's birthday - Princeton in the Nation's Service personified!”