We’ve been hearing a lot of questions about how to vote in the November 3 election. The Swarthmorean has assembled some information that we hope will help you choose your voting method (in-person, by mail, using a drop box, or at a new Voter Service Center), and then vote efficiently.
Board member Jerry Ballas reported on the activities of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Ballas noted several disturbing incidents at Strath Haven High School on the first day of school. “It’s important that we not only talk about but fundamentally demonstrate that behavior of that type is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the school system,” he said. The public comments portion of the meeting included reading out the following letter, written by leaders of the group Wallingford-Swarthmore Schools Big IDEA.
Foundation Provides Financial Help for WSSD Families
The Foundation for Wallingford-Swarthmore Schools recently donated an initial $5,000 to provide financial help to families in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District who, because of COVID-19, are facing a loss of income, health problems, or unplanned expenses. Mini-grants are available to help pay for a variety of family needs, particularly childcare, food, household items, and school supplies.
Board Votes to Launch Hybrid Model, Sports
School buildings will open in October. And athletic competition will soon resume. Those were the main results of the three-and-a-half hour meeting of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District board on Monday night. Votes on both questions were 7-1, with board member Marylin Huff voting against.
Hedgerow Goes Virtual
Rose Valley’s Hedgerow has an advantage during COVID-19 that most theaters don’t: the company lives together. “We can keep working actually next to each other,” Reed says. “As opposed to something on a Zoom call you’re going to splice together.” Reed and his company are taking advantage of that proximity to reinvent themselves — temporarily, anyway — as online storytellers.
Mad Poets’ ‘First Wednesday’ Reading
On October 7, the Mad Poets Society’s “First Wednesday” reading series will feature Swarthmore resident Dilruba Ahmed and Swarthmore College alumna Keetje Kuipers. The program will be on Zoom from 7 to 9 p.m., and will conclude with an open mic session at which anyone may read a poem.
‘Taste of Fall Fair’ at Swarthmore Presbyterian Church
For over 40 years this local church fair—traditionally held the first Saturday in October—has been a gathering place for the community. This year the fair will adapt to the moment by being held outdoors, in the large parking lot behind the church. People will still be able to sample aromas and flavors — either via controlled in-person shopping or curbside pickup — and catch up with friends and neighbors.
Wildlife Observations: Light Migration
I look forward to fall for the chance to watch the southbound migration of warblers leaving the boreal forests of Canada for Central and South America. Certain patterns are evident. The American redstarts and black-and-white warblers are generally the first to come through, often starting in mid-August, and yellow-rumped warblers close out the migration season in late fall.
My Best Fronds: Favorite Ferns for the Garden
A gardening friend said to me the other day, “I never met a fern I didn’t like.” I generally agree. While some ferns are too aggressive for my garden, almost all can find a niche in somebody’s landscape.
Awkward Zoom Classes May Have Silver Lining
If my generation learns to transform our self-consciousness into self-awareness, I hope it’s a lesson we can carry out of the Zoom environment and into the real world — when we finally get back there.
Schools May Reopen Soon
Will school buildings reopen later this month? Maybe. The Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board discussed the possibility — and what a reopening could look like — at a three-plus-hour meeting on Monday night. Also: concerns about screen time, sports, and more.
Neighbors Oppose Subdivision, Council Approves Ballot Box
At the Swarthmore Borough Council meeting on September 8, five neighbors from surrounding houses expressed their concerns over Cavalier Homes’ plan to subdivide the lot at 686 N. Chester Road. Also, the county council has asked each of the county’s 49 municipalities to install a ballot box 5 feet high and 2 feet wide in a place that is ADA accessible, well-lit, and subject to 24/7 video surveillance. The box will be emptied by county election bureau employees, and will remain in place for five years.
Unscientific Survey: Ghosts
Sparked by Jon Cohen’s article about the spirits in his house, and in anticipation of the upcoming Halloween season, the Swarthmorean’s latest Unscientific Survey probed your beliefs about ghosts. The results show that, on this topic at least, Swarthmoreans are completely aligned with their fellow Americans.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Swarthmore Trees
Not sure what species that tree by the curb is? Wondering how many pounds of pollutants the oak on the corner absorbs? Now you can find out. The Swarthmore Street Tree Survey, which compiles information on all the street trees and public-park trees within the borough, is now complete. Collected by the Davey Resource Group, the data, together with a software program called TreeKeeper, will allow better planning, planting, and care of our tree canopy.
Could Smaller Houses Enrich Our Community?
As houses in the borough keep getting bigger, they fetch higher sale prices when they turn over. This means that the people who can afford to move to this town have to be increasingly rich. But while the property belongs to one person or family, the town belongs to all of us. This is about me. It’s about who I want my neighbors to be. This is about us, and what kind of community we want to be.
Formica in Virtual Dance at the Fringe
Dancer Bethany Formica of Swarthmore is performing virtually in David Gordon’s new work “The Philadelphia Matter 1972/2020” at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Gordon, a celebrated choreographer who is now 84, invited 30-plus Philadelphia artists working remotely to record video material on everything from iPhones to professional cameras. He then dissected, assembled, and collaged this material together with archival work in collaboration with video artist Jorge Cousineau.
Friday Night Live at CAC
Friday Night Live concerts are back at the Community Arts Center. The Dave Manley Trio will play on Friday, September 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., on the center’s side lawn. (RAIN DATE: Saturday, September 26). Dave Manley will perform with an electric jazz trio featuring Nimrod Speaks (bass) and Khary Abdul-Shaheed (drums). Typically held in the Duke Art Gallery, this concert, and the rest in the fall series, will all be presented outdoors.
Make Comics With Jasmine Walls on Sept. 25
Participants in this free, hands-on Zoom workshop will discuss what it means to make a comic while they make one of their own.
Something to Read
“Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You” by Lin-Manuel Miranda, illustrated by Jonny Sun, is a book of affirmations meant to inspire, encourage, and uplift.
Is Our Democracy Eroding?: The State of American Self-Government in 2020
Brendan Nyhan, professor of government at Dartmouth College, will present new research on the state of American democracy in a talk on Tuesday, September 22, at 7:30 p.m. Drawing from expert surveys conducted by Bright Line Watch, a watchdog group he co-founded, Nyhan will assess the extent to which the protections in the U.S. Constitution are preventing the erosion of key democratic principles and norms.