July 11, 2018

A Resurgence of Interest In Unique Bordentown School

“TUSKEGEE OF THE NORTH”: On a 400-acre campus in Bordentown, African American high school students received quality academic and practical educations between 1886 and 1955. This illustration shows the Georgian buildings and acres of open land that made the school a haven for generations of students. (Courtesy of John Medley, Class of 1954)

By Anne Levin

John Medley had just graduated from junior high school in rural Blackwood when his stepmother heard about a boarding academy located not far away. The Bordentown School, also known as the Manual Training and Industrial School of Colored Youth, sounded almost too good to be true — especially in the early 1950s, when the education of African Americans was hardly a national priority. more

School Matters: Week of July 11, 2018

Local Teachers Collaborate With University Researchers

Teachers from Princeton Public Schools, The Hun School, YingHua International School, Montgomery, West Windsor-Plainsboro, and other districts throughout New Jersey are collaborating with science researchers to enhance their knowledge of science, math, and technology through the QUEST professional development program at Princeton University this summer. more

Just Peachy Festival

Enjoy everything peach on August 4 and 5 at Terhune Orchards from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The weekend will include cooking demonstrations, a traveling zoo, a ride through the orchards on tractor-drawn wagons, pony rides, duck races, face painting, and Pam’s Everything Peachy Food Tent offering summer fare like peach pie, barbecue chicken, homemade gazpacho, and apple cider donuts.

NJM Group Contributes To Community Foundation

The Princeton Area Community Foundation has been awarded a $150,000 grant from NJM Insurance Group. The five-year grant will be paid in annual installments of $30,000, and will help fund the Community Foundation’s new All Kids Thrive initiative.

“We are grateful for this tremendous support from NJM, which has been a longtime partner to nonprofits throughout New Jersey, including the Mercer County region,” said Jeffrey M. Vega, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Our All Kids Thrive program is a bold, new initiative designed to improve the lives of young people living in poverty in our region, but we know we cannot tackle this problem alone. That’s why supporters like NJM are so important. We hope this inspires other funders to collaborate with us, as we work to ensure that All Kids Thrive.” more

Joint Effort 2018 Plans 10-Day Witherspoon-Jackson Celebration

By Donald Gilpin

“Witherspoon-Jackson Community: Stories Lived, But Seldom Heard” will be the theme of the 2018 Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program (JEPWJ) from August 2-12, with this year’s celebration dedicated “to all of our ancestors who passed this year, especially Jim Floyd,” said lead organizer John Bailey.

Started more than a decade ago by Bailey and Witherspoon-Jackson (WJ) resident and historian Shirley Satterfield, the JEPWJ program this year will retain its focus on community, history, personalities, and families in Princeton’s 20th historic district, but a number of new events will take place during the 10-day celebration, including the first Jim Floyd Memorial Lecture delivered on Saturday morning, August 11 by black futurist Chet Sisk, who will discuss the recent world paradigm shift and its impact on Princeton.  more

Science Teacher Anne Soos Retires After 50 Years in the Classroom

“THE JOB THAT WAS MADE FOR ME:” After 50 years as an educator, Anne Soos retired last month from The Hun School of Princeton, where she taught science for five years. For the first 45 years of her career she taught at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, also chairing the science department for 16 years and serving as Upper School head for 12 years. (Photo courtesy of The Hun School)

By Donald Gilpin

This fall will be different for science teacher Anne Soos, who just retired after five years at The Hun School of Princeton and 45 years before that at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. “This will probably be the first September since I was 4 that I won’t be thinking about school,” she said. more

Local Princeton Resident Turns 101

Acorn Glen Assisted Living resident Mr. Shih Tsun Lin turned 101 on Saturday, July 7, 2018. Mr. Lin along with his family and friends celebrated his birthday on Friday at his residence at Acorn Glen in Princeton. As part of the celebration, Mr. Lin’s talented family performed for the community. Shih Tsun was born in China, the third among a total of 8 children. He studied to become a chemical engineer and first came to the United States on a year-long scholarship to pursue his Master’s Degree and eventually moved to the U.S. permanently in 1971. Throughout his life he worked as a professor and enjoyed leisure activities such as bridge, reading, and tennis (which he played into his 80s). He has three children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Mr. Lin says the secret to his long and happy life are two things: family and faith. Congratulations to Mr. Lin on this wonderful milestone!

MC Campaign to Combat Stigma of Mental Illness

Mercer County has announced the launch of a stigma-free campaign to help those impacted by mental illness and addiction. The county acknowledges that many people remain unserved in part because of the stigma of seeking help.

The goal is to bring mental illness and addiction out of the shadows and encourage treatment and support. Greater public awareness about these conditions can change negative attitudes and behaviors. The county seeks to promote a message of hope and the belief that healing and recovery are attainable.  more

“Curiouser and Curiouser” — A Journey to the Center of Planet Einstein

By Stuart Mitchner

The recent media-driven erosion of the warm and fuzzy even saintly image of Princeton’s most famous resident has me thinking how differently we’d feel about Einstein if his public persona was as remote, as unknowable, as alien to most of us as the anatomy of his brain. What if there had been no beloved humanitarian to serve as a foil for stories like “Einstein the Anti-Racist? Not in His Travel Diaries” in the June 14 New York Times?  more

“Realism in Color and Form” At Pedersen Gallery

“REALISM IN COLOR AND FORM”: The new exhibit at the Pedersen Gallery in Lambertville features paintings by George Stave such as “La Belle Chocolatier,” above, and sculptures by Joe Brown, including “Counter Punch,” below. “Realism in Color and Form” runs July 15 through August 4, with an opening reception on July 14 from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Pedersen Gallery in Lambertville presents ”Realism in Color and Form,” featuring paintings by George Stave and sculpture by Joe Brown. The exhibit runs July 15 through August 4, with an opening reception on July 14 from 7 to 9 p.m.  more

AFTERGLOW Returns to Grounds For Sculpture

Grounds For Sculpture’s summer party AFTERGLOW will return on August 11 from 9 p.m. to midnight. This event is hosted by the Grounds For Sculpture Young Professionals, and presents a night of illumination, one-night-only experiences, and revelry, attracting hundreds of young professionals from the tristate area. Secure your ticket at www.afterglow2018.org.

AFTERGLOW attendees will experience the premiere of Social Sparkles – an interactive installation by multidisciplinary design studio Toer (Netherlands), reminiscent of fireflies on a summer night and filling the air with swarms of light that move overhead as guests walk below. Guests will also be among the first to view a new exhibition by artist James Carl, featuring works Carl has created using a remarkably elaborate and mathematical process of weaving lengths of venetian blinds. Guests will explore the grounds to see newly fabricated 26-foot steel sculpture, Dina Wind: Harp of David #1, as well as indoor and outdoor works by stone sculptor Masayuki Koorida. more

Summer Art Camps

Summer Art Camps are underway at The Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster. Camps are available for children ages 5 through teens. In addition, the center will offer Summer Art Camp for children with autism spectrum disorder and other special needs on Saturdays in July and August. The Center’s Summer Art Camps are designed to stimulate creative expression through projects and activities. New projects are introduced each week, and all sessions are led by professional teaching artists. There will be a supervised lunch for full-day campers. Children interested in only coming for a morning session or afternoon session can register for half-day camps. For more information or to register, visit www.ccabedminster.org or call (908) 234-2345.

Schreiber Following in Family Tradition As PU Lax Alum Heads to Worlds for U.S.

FAMILY TIES: Tom Schreiber heads to goal during his career with the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team. Schreiber, a 2014 Princeton alum who scored 200 points for the Tigers on 106 goals and 94 assists who has gone on to star in Major league Lacrosse, will be playing for the U.S. national team at the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse) World Championships in Netanya, Israel from July 12-21. Schreiber is following in a family tradition at the competition as his father, Doug, played for the U.S. squad that won the gold medal at the 1974 Worlds in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In 1974, University of Maryland men’s lacrosse star Doug Schreiber helped the U.S. national team win the gold medal at the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse) Men’s Lacrosse World Championship in Melbourne, Australia. more

Seizing Opportunity in Debut for NJIT Baseball, PDS Alum Franzoni Earns All-Freshman Honors

CATCHING ON: Paul Franzoni is taking control at catcher this spring in his freshman season for New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Division I baseball program. Franzoni, a former Princeton Day School standout, enjoyed a superb debut campaign for NJIT, hitting .271 and earning ASUN (Atlantic Sun Conference) All-Freshman team honors to help the Highlanders go 22-25 overall and 9-12 ASUN on the way to making the league’s postseason tournament. (Photo by Mike McLaughlin Photography for New Jersey Institute of Technology, Courtesy of NJIT Sports Information)

By Bill Alden

Surveying his options as he went through the college baseball recruiting process, Paul Franzoni concluded that the New Jersey Institute of Technology offered a range of opportunities that he couldn’t pass up. more

PFC Boca 16U Soccer Wins Mid-Atlantic Title, Punching Ticket to Colorado for Club Nationals

SELECT CLUB: Members of the Princeton Football Club (PFC) Boca 2002B team celebrate after they won the 16U title at the U.S. Club Soccer Mid-Atlantic Regional earlier this month in Somerset. PFC defeated PDA South Suarez 2-0 in the title game to earn a trip to the U.S. Club Soccer Nationals in Aurora, Colo. later this month. The PFC team includes Princeton High students Jared Bell, Brendan Coffee, Rafael Matar Grandi, Dylan Parker, Ethan Parker, Simon Sheppard, Noah LaPoint, and Ian Pompliano, along with Peter Sarsfield of Princeton Day School, Jakob Kunzer of Lawrenceville School, Xavier Guerreiro and Aron Szoke of Council Rock High North (Pa.), Herbert Ramirez and Brendan Sagbo from Hightstown High, Daniel Ingersoll of South Hunterdon, and Connor Staples from WW/P-South.

By Bill Alden

The Princeton Football Club (PFC) Boca 2002B team didn’t have to travel far to compete in the U.S. Club Soccer Mid-Atlantic Regional, as the competition was held in nearby Somerset.

But after surviving a gauntlet of tough foes in games played in a heat wave, the PFC 16U squad earned a trip of around 1,750 miles as it won the regional crown in its division to qualify for the U.S. Club Soccer Nationals in Aurora, Colo. more

Continuing Its Run Through Intermediate Playoffs, PLL Wins Sectional Title, Heading to State Final 4

BANNER DAY: Members of the Princeton Little League (PLL) squad display the banner they earned for winning the Section 3 Intermediate 50/70 tournament last week. PLL defeated host Middletown 12-6 to clinch the title and advance to the N.J. State tournament which starts this Wednesday in Lacey Township. It marked the second sectional crown for the PLL program. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Danny Harlan, Alex Winters, Nico Vitaro, Remmick Granozio, Jonathan Tao, Rohan Sheth, and Jack Durbin. In the back row, from left, are manager Jon Durbin, A.J. Surace, Ethan Roth, Lucas Pelc, Wes Yonish, Gordon Grandbouche, and coaches Damon Grandbouche, and Jeremy Vitaro.

By Bill Alden

After winning two nail-biters to start play in the Section 3 Intermediate 50/70 tournament, the Princeton Little League (PLL) squad was looking to put the hammer down as it faced host Middletown in its third game. more

Sparked by McArthur’s Versatile Play, NJ Spiritwear Rolling in Summer Hoops

SPIRITED EFFORT: John McArthur unloads a pass during his career with the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team. Last Monday, McArthur, now a rising sophomore at Immaculata University, tallied 18 points to help NJ Spiritwear top Majeski Foundation 81-70 in overtime in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

During his career for the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team, John McArthur’s inside-outside game helped him pass the 1,000-point mark in his career and lead PDS to the state Prep B title in 2015-16.

Last Monday evening, McArthur displayed his versatility, tallying 18 points to help NJ Spiritwear top Majeski Foundation 81-70 in overtime in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. more

July 3, 2018

Rally for Families

Hundreds of people gathered at Hinds Plaza in downtown Princeton on Saturday for Families Belong Together, a rally organized by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. Speakers included Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert, shown here addressing the crowd. (Photo by Laura Hawkins)

Threat to Trees on Hawthorne Avenue Is Finally Addressed

By Anne Levin

In an ongoing dispute involving trees at a property on Hawthorne Avenue, a step toward resolution was taken last Friday. RB Homes, which is developing a property at No. 258, next door to Galina Chernaya’s home at No. 260, hired a tree service company to treat the roots of five maple trees made vulnerable by construction.

“I don’t know how much it will help us, but at least it’s something,” said Chernaya, who has been trying since January to ensure that the trees that shade her property are not irreparably damaged by the teardown of the house next door and construction of a new one in its place. She has aired her concerns at meetings of Princeton Council and the town’s Shade Tree Commission, and hired attorney Roger Martindell to assist in her efforts. more

Cause Still Undetermined For Three-Alarm Fire On Sergeant Street

By Anne Levin

A three-alarm fire that broke out early Saturday morning at Markham Square, a group of townhouses on Sergeant Street, caused no injuries to residents or firefighters but caused major damage to three of the eight homes in the development.

“It appears as if it started on the balcony of one of the units,” said Bob Gregory, director of emergency services for the Princeton Fire Department. “They are still trying to figure out what happened. It got up into the eaves under the roof, and it got there pretty quick. Three of the units sustained heavy fire and smoke damage.” more

Proposed Parking Program Would Let Private Properties Benefit Too

By Anne Levin

On June 11, Princeton Council voted to introduce a resolution awarding a contract to PassportParking, Inc. for a new app that allows people to pay for parking through their mobile phones. An implementation that will ultimately replace the Smart Card, the program “takes Princeton into the 21st century,” Mayor Liz Lempert said.

One of the key features of the program, recommended by consultants Dixon Resources Unlimited, is that it allows the town to share parking services with the owners of private properties, such as churches and businesses, that might have spaces available during their off hours. more

New Cross and Repair for Trinity Episcopal Church Needed After Severe Damage From 2016 Storm

HISTORIC RESTORATION: “The new cross is an exact duplicate of the old one, except for the use of silicone. We determined that casting the new cross out of silicone bronze was the best approach and would last the longest,” says architect Mark Sullivan AIA, a partner at Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design (JZA+D).

By Jean Stratton

Not only is Princeton’s historic Trinity Church the largest Episcopal Church in New Jersey, it now has a brand new cruciform cross atop the church spire.

The previous cross, after having been badly corroded over time, fell in the strong winds of a severe 2016 storm. The heavy steel also damaged the roof and lower spire cap before tumbling to the ground. more

Founding Fathers, Founding Authors: Making Shakespearean Sense of the State of the Nation

By Stuart Mitchner

Ten years after signing the Declaration of Independence, two future American presidents made a pilgrimage to the one-time “mother country” Nathaniel Hawthorne called “our old home.” Their goal was Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon. When they got there, Thomas Jefferson “fell upon the ground and kissed it,” while John Adams “cut a relic from a chair claimed to have belonged to Shakespeare himself.” The witness was Abigail Adams, quoted in James Shapiro’s collection, Shakespeare in America (Library of America 2013). The two founding fathers eventually become political enemies, then friends once more before sharing their last day on earth, July 4, 1826. Not knowing Jefferson had died five hours before him at Monticello, Adams’s last words were “Jefferson still survives.” more

“An Eclectic Assembly” at Gourgaud Gallery

“GREEN AND RED”: Works by artist Gary David Fournier will be showcased in “An Eclectic Assembly of Work in Oil, Water Colour, and Acrylic” at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury. The exhibition runs July 8 through July 27, with a reception on Sunday, July 8 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The Gourgaud Gallery, located in Town Hall at 23-A North Main Street in Cranbury, presents works by artist Gary David Fournier in “An Eclectic Assembly of Work in Oil, Water Colour, and Acrylic.” The exhibition runs July 8 through July 27, with a reception on Sunday, July 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. more

Gupta Solo Exhibit At Small World Coffee

“ELIXIR”: The works of artist Spriha Gupta are featured in a solo exhibition in Small World Coffee in Princeton this July. Gupta uses textures and recycled products to create organic forms on canvas.

The art of Skillman area resident Spriha Gupta is the focus of a solo exhibit this July at Small World Coffee in Princeton.

Gupta is a self-taught visual artist who brings new aspects to the medium of art by using textures and recycled products to create organic forms on canvas. more