Exam-time was no bedlam at Princeton this year as the Tiger Administrative Board cracked down on an ancient and honorable Nassau tradition--the traditional "11 o'clock break" which has been usually noted by the frequent explosion of fire crackers.

Firecrackers, however, are prohibited by New Jersey law, and the College, after several years of unsuccessful compromise with the law, this year finally ordered proctors to pick up noise-creating students.

A statement by Assistant Dean Jeremiah S. Finch explaining the College's stand on the red-hot firecracker question took up the second lead position in a recent issue of the daily "Princetonian." Finch said that proctors would be expected to use their own judgment in deciding action in cases against individuals.

Last year the College Administration drew a careful distinction between "responsible" and "irresponsible" use of fireworks. The Princetonian called this policy on what it terms "the annual controversial campus issue", "not too clear."

Finch, however, got in the last word this year. He wrote that "it does not make much sense for college students who want to be regarded as mature to be worried about whether they could have firecrackers."