The origin of
Newman's Day may be forever shrouded in
mystery.
I contacted the Princeton library and asked them if they could provide any information about the origins of Newman's Day -- who was Newman, and how long has this been going on?
Their response, after sufficient time for serious research into the question, was:
I have consulted various sources, including our Historical Subject Files, the Princeton Alumni Weekly, and The Daily Princetonian, as well as the Web, but to no avail. I have been able to confirm the existence of this event, but not its history.
When the mighty Princeton library can't find a hint of the origins of a Princeton tradition, you'd better believe it's obscure. This is among the treasures of E2.
I've done my bit: now who's going to call the fraternities and ask alumni from various years whether they were aware of the tradition of Newman's Day back then?