diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
index 228379e..41756d2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
@@ -3255,18 +3255,6 @@
         parent = (PNode) in.readObject();
     }
 
-    // ****************************************************************
-    // Debugging - methods for debugging
-    // ****************************************************************
-
-    /**
-     * Returns a string representation of this object for debugging purposes.
-     */
-    public String toString() {
-        String result = super.toString().replaceAll(".*\\.", "");
-        return result + "[" + paramString() + "]";
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
      * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
@@ -3274,34 +3262,10 @@
      * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
      * 
      * @return a string representation of this node's state
+     * @deprecated
      */
-    protected String paramString() {
-        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
-
-        result.append("bounds=" + (bounds == null ? "null" : bounds.toString()));
-        result.append(",fullBounds=" + (fullBoundsCache == null ? "null" : fullBoundsCache.toString()));
-        result.append(",transform=" + (transform == null ? "null" : transform.toString()));
-        result.append(",paint=" + (paint == null ? "null" : paint.toString()));
-        result.append(",transparency=" + transparency);
-        result.append(",childrenCount=" + getChildrenCount());
-
-        if (fullBoundsInvalid) {
-            result.append(",fullBoundsInvalid");
-        }
-
-        if (pickable) {
-            result.append(",pickable");
-        }
-
-        if (childrenPickable) {
-            result.append(",childrenPickable");
-        }
-
-        if (visible) {
-            result.append(",visible");
-        }
-
-        return result.toString();
+    protected final String paramString() {
+        return "this Method (paramString) is deprecated and will go away in the next release.";
     }
     
     public PInputEventListener[] getInputEventListeners() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java
index 2204bb3..3a57fa9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PImage.java
@@ -234,22 +234,4 @@
         g2.dispose();
         return result;
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
-     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
-     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
-     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
-     * 
-     * @return a string representation of this node's state
-     */
-    protected String paramString() {
-        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
-
-        result.append("image=" + (image == null ? "null" : image.toString()));
-        result.append(',');
-        result.append(super.paramString());
-
-        return result.toString();
-    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java
index a63a41d..2523769 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PPath.java
@@ -420,28 +420,4 @@
         stroke = PUtil.readStroke(in);
         path = PUtil.readPath(in);
     }
-
-    // ****************************************************************
-    // Debugging - methods for debugging
-    // ****************************************************************
-
-    /**
-     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
-     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
-     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
-     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
-     * 
-     * @return a string representation of this node's state
-     */
-    protected String paramString() {
-        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
-
-        result.append("path=" + (path == null ? "null" : path.toString()));
-        result.append(",stroke=" + (stroke == null ? "null" : stroke.toString()));
-        result.append(",strokePaint=" + (strokePaint == null ? "null" : strokePaint.toString()));
-        result.append(',');
-        result.append(super.paramString());
-
-        return result.toString();
-    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java
index 37070c7..68a4114 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/nodes/PText.java
@@ -338,27 +338,4 @@
 			double height) {
 		recomputeLayout();
 	}
-
-	// ****************************************************************
-	// Debugging - methods for debugging
-	// ****************************************************************
-
-	/**
-	 * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
-	 * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
-	 * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
-	 * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
-	 * 
-	 * @return a string representation of this node's state
-	 */
-	protected String paramString() {
-		StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
-
-		result.append("text=" + (text == null ? "null" : text));
-		result.append(",font=" + (font == null ? "null" : font.toString()));
-		result.append(',');
-		result.append(super.paramString());
-
-		return result.toString();
-	}
 }
diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
index 6627e88..65067c6 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTImage.java
@@ -141,27 +141,4 @@
             }
         }
     }
-
-    // ****************************************************************
-    // Debugging - methods for debugging
-    // ****************************************************************
-
-    /**
-     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
-     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
-     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
-     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
-     * 
-     * @return a string representation of this node's state
-     */
-    protected String paramString() {
-        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
-
-        result.append("image=" + (image == null ? "null" : image.toString()));
-
-        result.append(',');
-        result.append(super.paramString());
-
-        return result.toString();
-    }
 }
diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
index 54400ec..8921f08 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
@@ -425,27 +425,4 @@
         }
         setShape(path);
     }
-
-    // ****************************************************************
-    // Debugging - methods for debugging
-    // ****************************************************************
-
-    /**
-     * Returns a string representing the state of this node. This method is
-     * intended to be used only for debugging purposes, and the content and
-     * format of the returned string may vary between implementations. The
-     * returned string may be empty but may not be <code>null</code>.
-     * 
-     * @return a string representation of this node's state
-     */
-    protected String paramString() {
-        StringBuffer result = new StringBuffer();
-
-        result.append("path=" + (shape == null ? "null" : shape.toString()));
-        result.append(",strokePaint=" + (strokePaint == null ? "null" : strokePaint.toString()));
-        result.append(',');
-        result.append(super.paramString());
-
-        return result.toString();
-    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file