As the country wrestles with racial justice in the wake of the May 25 killing of George Floyd, Swarthmore’s Human Relations Commission (HRC) is attempting to finalize a mission statement, draft a diversity and inclusion statement for the borough, and identify concrete steps to improve Swarthmore’s racial climate.
Swarthmore Borough Council debated the benefits of continuing work over Zoom versus returning to in-person meetings at its July 13 legislative session. Also, a settlement has been reached for 311 Cedar Lane / 409 College Ave., some discussion of an anti-racism resolution, and a police policy review.
COVID-19 may have put a stop to live musical performances, but new music is still available. Local duo Last Chance — Swarthmore’s Ingrid Rosenback and Wallingford’s Jack Scott — released their fourth CD on July 1. “Summer Again” boasts 16 original songs by Scott.
The Wallingford-Swarthmore School District plans to open schools for in-person instruction this fall, Superintendent Lisa Palmer wrote in a July 3 email to the school community. “However,” she continued, “we know school must look different.” Palmer went on to discuss the district’s tentative plans, which seek to balance the district’s preference for in-person instruction with concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
Recently, I tried to convince a kid on my block that the soap bubbles he was blowing were his captured thoughts drifting up to outer space and that aliens were collecting them and storing them in a glittering galactic library. He stared at me for a long moment, then said, “You think weird.”
Freshman and sophomores are the two main cohorts of Swarthmore College students invited to campus this fall. Incoming transfer students and resident assistants will also be permitted on campus. But even for those students, very little about college life will be normal.
Have a beer after work on the terrace of the Swarthmore Co-op? Pick up a bottle of wine along with your chicken and your dish soap? Many Swarthmoreans have long dreamed of such scenarios. Now those dreams are one giant step closer to coming true.
Why do so many people seem embarrassed when they tell me what books they love and what books they’ve never read? And why do so many people tell me they know I’ll love a certain book when they have no idea what kind of books I love?
We asked you, and you responded. Here are some of the books our subscribers, friends, and neighbors recommend, as well as the titles they’re reading this summer.
School in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District will start one week earlier than originally planned. The school board hopes this modest but significant measure would mitigate effects of a second wave of the coronavirus by keeping people out of school buildings for longer periods this fall and winter. Also, the anti-bias organization Teaching Tolerance will conduct a series of professional development workshops for WSSD teachers and staff next year.
I’ve seen a lot change because of COVID-19. I recently graduated from Swarthmore-Rutledge School, and I liked that my online instruction schedule was flexible. Still, I missed things like playing capture the flag and dodgeball with my classmates in gym class. I have learned a lot during the pandemic, like remembering to be grateful for everything and adjusting to changes. Staying at home is tough sometimes, but I’ll remember a lot about this time when I’m older.
I have a passion for collecting gardening and horticulture books. In this column, I share a few I’ve read and others I plan to read soon. Some of my suggestions are recently published, while others are decades old.
The pull of the sun, magnetic fields, and prevailing winds have done their jobs. Migration is done, the young have left or are about to leave the nest/den/burrow, and the pull of the reverse migration has not yet been felt. Most creatures are taking a short vacation.
Since 2000, Swarthmore resident Lawrence Katz has been a guitarist for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, a group you most likely know for songs they recorded before Katz joined them, such as 1992’s “Where Did You Go?” or 1993’s “Someday I Suppose.” The band’s sound is sometimes punk overlaid with ska horns, sometimes straighter ska but with rock-and-roll guitar solos. This is a story of his musical journey, including how he found Swarthmore.
This Juneteenth, the Historically Black Neighborhood of Swarthmore (HBNS) organized a combination Juneteenth celebration and Black Lives Matter protest. Various speakers, including two young people, offered thoughts on Juneteenth, Black Lives Matter, and the meaning of freedom. The Swarthmorean is featuring photos taken by Swarthmore resident and photographer Andy Shelter documenting the celebration.
Most summers, the Community Arts Center (CAC) in Wallingford is full of children making art, exploring nature, and forming and renewing friendships. This year, the traditional Summer Spree program has been reconceived.
Swarthmore has many options for walks and hikes within its borders. A new series of maps can help you find your way. The Swarthmore Senior Citizens Association’s Walks and Trails Committee, chaired by Carol Menke, has documented traditional local walks and added some new ones. Working with Tara Cannon, Swarthmore College ’20, a Green Advocate with the Office of Sustainability, the committee mapped walks and trails on the AllTrails app.
I took special note of two (anonymous) comments to our latest survey, “How Long Do You Have to Have Lived in Swarthmore to Be Considered a Real Swarthmorean?” One person said, “I believe you are welcomed as a Swarthmorean as soon as you live here. However, there is a second milestone when neighbors start referring to your house with your last name not the previous owner’s. This can sometimes take 10 years!”
Have you missed looking at the strawberries before deciding if you want to buy them? Starting Saturday, June 27, the Swarthmore Farmers Market will again permit on-site retail sales.
The Borough of Swarthmore and the Independence Day Committee have made the difficult decision to cancel the annual Fourth of July celebrations due to COVID-19 health and distancing concerns. Affected festivities include the Swarthmore Recreation Association’s bike race and horseshoe tournament, the community parade, the Lions Club parade, the Community Award Ceremony, and the Swarthmore Fire and Protective Association events. But we have photos and a video from last year’s celebration to tide you over until 2021.
