Local author Judy Schachner has written eight books for children about Skippyjon Jones, a cute Siamese cat with enormous ears who thinks he’s secretly a chihuahua. If you would like to read along with Schachner, the entire catalog of Skippyjon Jones books is available at Swarthmore Public Library for contactless pickup. Library materials can be requested online.
Traffic on Fairview Road, Swarthmore’s response to the sale of the county regional wastewater management company, and accessibility were the main topics of the month’s sole Swarthmore Borough Council meeting on August 10. The meeting was (virtually) packed, with 26 people in attendance, including 16 residents of Swarthmore and Ridley.
Passed by Congress on June 4, 1919, ratified on August 18, 1920, and taking effect on August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment granted women the right to vote in all elections. But women of color are often erased from the suffrage story, and their influence and contributions remain unacknowledged.
Named in honor of Harriet Tubman, Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia celebrates women authors and artists. But the shop’s owner, writer and activist Jeannine Cook, does more than just sell books. Cook is deeply embedded in her community. She organized a book drive for essential workers during the pandemic and curated material for local educators. During the George Floyd protests, she gave away books about anti-racism to marchers. On Saturday, August 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Swarthmore resident (and Swarthmorean associate editor) Satya Nelms will host a sidewalk sale for Harriett’s in Swarthmore.
Swarthmore tends to be quieter in the summer, especially in August. College students are away; neighbors head north for respite from the heat and humidity; families take advantage of the break in the school year. But this summer’s quiet feels different.
Neighbors from Swarthmore and surrounding areas made their way to Umoja Park for a rally and march in support of Black lives. The rally was held on July 19 in part to commemorate the July 16 birthday of Ida B. Wells and her life-long commitment to activism, abolition, and education. Amy Beth Sisson, writer and former attorney, spoke about Swarthmore’s intimate history with racism, from segregated schools to discriminatory policies at the swim club. She left the crowd with these words: “We need to own our considerable history of racism, so that we can do better.”
Underneath the newspaper’s name, the Swarthmorean banner reads “Serving Swarthmore and Surrounding Communities Since 1893.” This publication seeks to support and lift up the community it represents. I find that a noble mission and ambition for a local paper. When I learned that the position of associate editor was available, that mission drew me in.
