February 7, 2018

The Capacity for Wonder: Dreams, Dreamers, and Frank Borzage

Atmosphere is radiance, glamour, warmth, mystery. It is what gives beauty a soul and makes it alive. — F. Scott Fitzgerald

By Stuart Mitchner

As the current news cycle has made clear, Dreamers is a word to be reckoned with, creating instant sympathy for the cause it represents. That’s why the State of the Union speechwriters made a feeble attempt to undermine the cause by having the president say “Dreamers are Americans, too” when it’s generally understood that the true heroes of the narrative of the American dream are the immigrants who came to this country looking for a new life.

There’s an echo of that narrative in the closing paragraphs of The Great Gatsby when F. Scott Fitzgerald writes of “the last and greatest of all human dreams,” and of “the enchanted moment” when “man held his breath in the presence of this continent … face to face with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder.” The narrator then thinks of “Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him. somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.”  more

Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Are Specialties of Nicole Schrader, MD, FACS

By Jean Stratton

The opportunity to look one’s best at any age is becoming increasingly available. Today, there is no need to go “undercover” or “retire into the shadows” at a “certain age” when so many facial treatments offer very positive rejuvenating results. Whether one opts for a minimum “nip and tuck,” a full makeover lift, or one of the non-invasive treatments, a new look is waiting for you! more

Three Artists Featured in PDS “Adaption” Exhibit

“BLOOM NO. 2”: This hand-built porcelain sculpture by Lindsay Feuer is part of “Adaption: An Exploration of Scale,” on view from February 12 through March 8 at Princeton Day School. An artists’ reception is on Thursday, February 15 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Anne Reid ’72 Art Gallery at Princeton Day School (PDS) presents “Adaptation: An Exploration of Scale” featuring the work of artists Lindsay Feuer, PDS science teacher Carrie Norin, and Madelaine Shellaby, on view from February 12 through March 8. There will be an artists’ reception on Thursday, February 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. more

Hun Students Take Top Honors at Art Exhibition

“THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS”: Rachel Huffaker of the Hun School of Princeton received first prize in the photography division of the Phillips’ Mill Youth Art Exhibition for this black and white Philadelphia cityscape. The exhibition runs through February 11.

Hun School of Princeton seniors Rachel Huffaker and Nicholas Reilly have been awarded top prizes in the Phillips’ Mill Youth Art Exhibition in New Hope, Pa.

Huffaker received first prize in the photography division and Reilly received second prize in the 3-D division of the juried art competition. This year, 126 students from 18 high schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania entered the competition. It is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday through February 11, from 1 to 5 p.m. more

Call Me by Your Name: Gay Teen Seduces Dad’s Doctoral Student in Adaptation of Novel

By Kam Williams

In 1983, 17-year-old Elio Perlman (Timothee Chalamet) is spending another summer in Lombardy, in northern Italy, with his parents. Each year, Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an archaeology professor, invites a different doctoral candidate to live with his family over the summer and be his research assistant.

This year, the guest is Oliver (Armie Hammer) who is Jewish and gay. That’s just fine with Elio, who’s exploring his sexuality and has been dating a local girl (Esther Garrel), until Oliver arrives at the villa.

It isn’t long before Elio realizes that he is developing feelings for the 24-year-old Oliver, who is quick to understand what is happening. Elio and Oliver spend long stretches of time flirting with each other, whether it’s swimming in the lake, canoodling at a cafe, or taking walks along the shore.  more

PU Men’s Hockey Tops St. Lawrence in OT As Senior Goalie Halford Stars in Relief

FORD TOUGH: Princeton University men’s hockey goalie Ben Halford guards the net. Last Friday, senior Halford came off the bench, making 16 saves and not giving up a goal in 32:03 of action as Princeton rallied from a 4-3 deficit to beat St. Lawrence 5-4 in overtime. The Tigers, who edged No. 3 Clarkson 4-3 a night later in improving to 10-10-3 overall and 7-8-1 ECAC Hockey, play at Brown on February 9 and at Yale on February 10. (Photo by Shelley Szwast, Courtesy of Princeton’s office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

When Ben Halford came to Baker Rink last Friday, he was expecting to play his accustomed supporting role for the Princeton University men’s hockey team as its backup goalie.

The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first eight minutes over St. Lawrence and it appeared Halford would be witnessing a rout from his seat on the bench. more

Haunted by Former Hun Star Cambridge, Tiger Men’s Hoops Falls to Brown in OT

FALLING HARD: Princeton University men’s basketball player Devin Cannady, right, dives to the floor for a loose ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, junior star Cannady scored 27 points in a losing cause as Princeton fell 102-100 to Brown in overtime. The Tigers, who dropped to 11-9 overall and 3-2 Ivy League with the setback, were slated to host Penn on February 6 before playing at Harvard on February 9 and at Dartmouth on February 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As a post-graduate player for the Hun School boys’ basketball team last winter, Desmond Cambridge headed across town to Princeton University to play some pick-up games at Jadwin Gym.

“When Princeton was recruiting me, I came up here to play with the guys five or six times,” said Cambridge. “I got a feel for the gym; I didn’t really like it at first. It is a weird, funky gym. I got accustomed to it.” more

With Senior Captain Zammit Leading the Way, PHS Girls’ Hockey Making Solid Progress

GETTING IT DONE: Princeton High girls’ hockey player Alexa Zammit, left, goes after the puck in recent action. Last Friday, senior star defenseman and team captain Zammit helped PHS defeat Pingry 6-4. The Little Tigers, now 7-5-3, are next in action when they compete the WIHLMA (Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic) tournament at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa. from February 16-18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having lost 11-4 to Summit in late December, the Princeton High girls’ hockey team was looking forward to a rematch between the foes last week in the annual State Cup game.

“Everyone was really excited to play them again,” said PHS senior defenseman and captain Alexa Zammit, reflecting on the January 30 contest. more

Producing a Slew of Personal Records, Stuart Track Wins 1st Indoor Prep B Title

SPOILS OF VICTORY: Members of the Stuart Country Day School team show off the plaque they earned for placing first in the state Prep B indoor championship meet last Saturday at Lawrenceville. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Heather Kwafo, Alex Ottomanelli, Priscilla Francois, and Cara Carr. In the back row, from left, are senior captains Alison Walsh, Kendra Brenya, Michelle Kwafo, and Sonia Mohandas. Not pictured are Michaela Meyer, Miranda Maley, Taj’hana Tyson, Sarah Girgis, and Olivia Giblin. It marked the first-ever state indoor crown for the Tartans.

By Bill Alden

Coming into the state Prep B indoor championship meet last Saturday, Len Klepack wasn’t expecting his Stuart Country Day team to end up with the title.

“I thought we would maybe be in the top three because Villa Walsh would have too much distance strength; I think they won four of the last five titles and it would be very difficult to beat them,” said Stuart head coach Len Klepack in assessing the competition that was held in the Lavino Field House at the Lawrenceville School. “We planned on getting the most points that we could with the squad we had.” more

January 31, 2018

White Out

Princeton Day School students provide raucous support at McGraw Rink as the PDS boys’ hockey team hosted its annual clash against local rival Lawrenceville last Thursday. The Panthers drew a lot of cheers as they skated to a 3-1 win over the visiting Big Red. For more details on the game, see page 32. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

ML7 Buys Five-Story Bank of America Building

By Anne Levin

The real estate investment firm ML7 has purchased 90 Nassau Street, the five-story office building on the corner of Nassau and Witherspoon Streets that houses Bank of America on its ground floor. Jeffrey Siegel, ML7 president, said Tuesday that the company will renovate the unoccupied spaces of the building, which dates from 1899, but has no plans for significant changes.

“Our purchase of this building is not dissimilar to why we purchase a lot of things,” said Siegel, whose company has offices in Princeton and New York. “It is a premier property in Princeton and we love its architecture and history.” more

Howard, Liverman Won’t Run In Next Council Election, But New Names Enter Race

By Anne Levin

Barely a day after Princeton Council members Heather Howard and Lance Liverman revealed that they will not run for re-election, two people have announced their candidacy. Eve Niedergang and Dwaine Williamson, both active in the local Democratic party, have declared their intentions to enter the race.

The terms of Howard and Liverman end at the end of December. more

Meetings With Architects, Education Expert To Address PPS Referendum, Building Plans

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) have invited the community to attend one of two town hall meetings on February 8 to discuss ideas for a new fifth and sixth grade school and the renovation and expansion of Princeton High School (PHS).

PPS will submit preliminary building plans to the State Department of Education (DOE) in April, and a referendum vote is scheduled for October 2. more

DREAMers Remain in Limbo With One Month To Go for DACA Program

By Donald Gilpin

With the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program March 5 termination date fast approaching, some 800,000 DREAMers, brought to the United States as children, remain in limbo, with lawmakers in Washington still unable to come to agreement on a proposal to replace DACA.

Democrats continue to call for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants but without sharp cuts to legal immigration, significantly-enhanced enforcement, or a $25 billion wall. They have rejected the most recent White House proposal leading up to last night’s State of the Union address, which occurred after press time.  more

PRISMS Robotics Team Wins First Place In International Space Competition at MIT

ROBOTICS CHAMPS: From left, freshman Alex Maiorov, advisor and engineering instructor Gregory Herman, and team leader senior Savva Morozov traveled to MIT earlier in the month as part of the Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science Zero Robotics team and scored a victory in the International Space Station Finals of the Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2017.

By Donald Gilpin

Competing against more than 400 high school students from around the world, Princeton International School of Math and Science’s (PRISMS) 13-student team claimed a championship spot at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) earlier this month in the Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2017.  more

Schubert and Salinger — The Sound of Two Hands Clapping

Man is like a ball, the plaything of Chance and Passion. —Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

God, how I hate it when somebody yells “Good luck!” at me when I’m leaving somewhere. It’s depressing. — J.D. Salinger (1919-2010)

By Stuart Mitchner

Schubert, whose remarks about “Chance and Passion” are from a journal he kept at 19, was born on the last day of January in Vienna. Salinger, who was born on the first day of January in New York City, is speaking in the voice of his creation Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye, which came out in 1951. When his collection Nine Stories was published in 1953, Salinger prefaced it with a Zen Koan: “We know the sound of two hands clapping. But what is the sound of one hand clapping?” more

Griggs Farm Fire Destroys Studio Of Local Artist Marina Ahun

DEVASTATING DAMAGE: The home and art studio of painter Marina Ahun is littered with clumps of insulation material that froze as firefighters battled the December 27 Griggs Farm blaze. While the fire did not spread to Ahun’s apartment, water damage and the caved-in roof took a significant toll.

By Anne Levin

A month after the devastating fire at Griggs Farm that took one life and left 35 residents homeless, Marina Ahun was allowed to return to her apartment to retrieve whatever she could. She gets emotional when recalling what she found. more

Princeton Symphony Orchestra Presents Dynamic Piano Soloist in Works of Bach and Glass

By Nancy Plum

Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s concert on Sunday afternoon centered on guest pianist Simone Dinnerstein, but another subtler theme also ran through the performance. PSO Music Director Rossen Milanov programmed a concert with a narrative covering three hundred years of music history, featuring innovation and new musical ideas within well-known frameworks. The addition of dynamic and technically dazzling American pianist Simone Dinnerstein made the afternoon that much more exciting.  more

Mama Africa: Miriam Makeba – The Rise, Fall, and Return of South African Singer/Activist

By Kam Williams

Zenzile Miriam Makeba was born black in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1932, which meant she was a second-class citizen. In fact, she spent the first six months of her life in prison with her mother, a sangoma (witch doctor), who was sent to prison just days after giving birth.

Luckily, her mother was also an amateur singer, and that was a gift Miriam inherited. She married at 17 and had a child a year later, but was soon abandoned by her abusive husband. So, to support her young daughter, she started singing professionally.

After performing and recording with several different bands, she found a measure of fame as the lead singer of an all-girl group called The Skylarks. However, while on tour out of the country in 1959, Miriam’s passport was revoked after the release in Italy of Come Back, Africa, a secretly filmed anti-apartheid documentary drama in which she appeared.  more

Featuring an Influx of Precocious Young Standouts, Princeton Men’s Squash Writing Turnaround Story

YOUNG GUN: Princeton University men’s squash player Youssef Ibrahim displays his form in a recent match. Freshman Ibrahim is undefeated at No. 1 as Princeton has posted a 7-1 record and risen to No. 6 in the national rankings. The Tigers will look to keep on the winning track as they play at Penn on January 31, at Harvard on February 3, and at Dartmouth on February 4. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

Youth is being served this winter as the Princeton University men’s squash team is enjoying a breakthrough campaign.

After going 6-13 last season and 4-10 the year before, Princeton has started 7-1 this winter and is ranked sixth nationally, going with a lineup featuring four freshmen (Youssef Ibrahim at No. 1, Cole Becker at No. 3, Duncan Joyce at No. 6, and Alex Engstrom at No. 9) and two sophomores (Adhitya Raghavan at No. 2 and Gabriel Morgan at No. 7). more

With Multi-talented Aririguzoh Making Strides,Tiger Men’s Hoops Primed for Ivy Stretch Run

RICH EXPERIENCE: Princeton University men’s basketball player Richmond Aririguzoh grabs a rebound in recent action. Last Sunday, sophomore forward Aririguzoh tallied eight points and eight rebounds to help Princeton defeat Division III Rowan 86-60 in its first game after a 15-day hiatus for exams. The Tigers, now 10-8 overall, resume Ivy League play when they host Yale on February 2, Brown on February 3, and Penn on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

He is the guy from Trenton Catholic, but Richmond Aririguzoh brings a lot more than local flavor to the Princeton University men’s basketball team.

Born in Italy, Aririguzoh speaks four languages and is handling a pre-med class load. more

Boasting Talent Throughout Its Lineup, Undefeated PU Women’s Squash Ranked No. 1

LIVING IT UP: Princeton University women’s squash player Olivia Fiechter covers the court in recent action. Senior star Fiechter is 8-0 at No. 1 so far this season, helping Princeton post a 9-0 start on the way to being ranked No. 1 nationally. In upcoming action, the Tigers hit the road for matches at Penn in January 31, at Harvard on February 3, and at Dartmouth on February 4. (Photo Courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communication)

By Bill Alden

For the Princeton University women’s squash team, inserting three freshmen into its starting lineup has made it stronger from top to bottom.

“We have a good mix, people that were higher are now in the middle,” said Princeton head coach Gail Ramsay, whose squad is 9-0 and now ranked No. 1 nationally. “We are competitive with everybody because we are deeper.” more

PHS Boys’ Track Produces Historic Effort, Winning First-Ever Indoor County Crown

CELEBRATING HISTORY: Members of the Princeton High boys’ track team celebrate last Sunday after they placed first at the Mercer County Track Indoor Championships in the Lavino Field House at the Lawrenceville School. It was the first-ever indoor county crown for the program, which last earned the outdoor county title in 1982.

By Bill Alden

Even though the Princeton High boys’ track team appeared to have the pieces in place to win the Mercer County Track Indoor Championships last Sunday, Ben Samara knew nothing was guaranteed.

“We knew we were the favorites going in, but as I said to the guys on the bus, that doesn’t really matter because we were the favorites indoors and outdoors last year too,” said PHS boys’ head coach Samara, noting that PHS had never won the indoor county title and last earned the outdoor crown in 1982. “You have to get the job done and that is the bottom line.” more

January 24, 2018

A Time Out On A Nice Day

A gentleman catches up on the news in “The Newspaper Reader,” J. Seward Johnson Jr.’s bronze sculpture set near the Princeton Battle Monument. This past weekend provided warmer weather to enjoy outdoor activities. (Photo by Erica M. Cardenas)

Community Collaboration Features Migrations

By Donald Gilpin

A community collaboration of more than 30 organizations in and around Princeton will explore the theme of migrations in a variety exhibitions, performances, lectures, and other programs from February through May.

“We shaped the theme of migrations in order to invite as many nonprofit organizations as possible to participate,” said Princeton University Art Museum Director James Steward, who initiated the idea. “Immigration and its real world consequences are so much in our minds that we wanted to open a conversation that includes the migrations of animals and even of ideas, and in doing so increase the resonance across ideas and organizations.” more