October 4, 2017

They Grew Up in Princeton And Remember It Well

PRINCETON MEMORIES: The Facebook Group “I Grew Up in Princeton” is nearly 3,000-strong, and is particularly popular with those who recall the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. The group was honored by Princeton Council last month.

By Anne Levin

At a meeting of Princeton Council last month, the Facebook group I Grew Up in Princeton was honored by the governing body with a special Certificate of Appreciation. Administrators of the group were on hand to accept the certificate, which praises them “for their outstanding contributions to the Princeton community.” more

State of the Art Renovations At Hun’s Middle School

NEW AND IMPROVED: The Hun School’s $5.5 million renovation of its Middle School facilities is now completed. Light flows into the Buck Building, designed by Clarke Caton Hintz architects.

The Hun School has unveiled its most recent capital improvement with the renovation of the Middle School. Clarke Caton Hintz architects of Trenton designed the $5.5 million project, the Alexander K. Buck ’49 Building. more

The New Residences At Carnevale Plaza Offer a Quality and Convenient Life-Style

QUALITY AND CONVENIENCE: “People are often more interested in renting today. They prefer not to have the upkeep and maintenance of owning a home.” Lou Carnevale (right), co-owner of The Residences At Carnevale Plaza, and Linda Fahmie, project manager, are very proud of this new opportunity for quality living in an inviting in-town Princeton location.

By Jean Stratton

Tired of cutting the grass, raking the leaves, and shoveling the snow? All the home repairs, continued maintenance — and all the rest? All these responsibilities of home ownership can be a burden as time goes by, and many people are looking into rental opportunities.

As one tenant who is enjoying the benefits of renting put it: “Just pick up the phone, and someone comes to take care of the problem. How nice is that!” more

A Sense of Where We Are: Escaping the Doldrums With John McPhee

By Stuart Mitchner 

On one of last week’s unseasonably hot heavy days, deep in the late-afternoon do-nothing know-nothing blahs, I tried to pull out by reading the latest New Yorker and only felt worse. Next I tried King Lear, usually a reliable energy source, but this is the play that begins when Lear tells Cordelia “Nothing will come of nothing,” which dooms them both and is the word at the dead center of my ennui. more

Talking About the Past and Future

Architect and Town Topics shareholder J. Robert Hillier was keynote speaker on September 29 at the YWCA Princeton’s Annual Friends Luncheon. Hillier’s focus was on Princeton’s segregated past, and the importance of a community space that is welcoming to all. From left: YWCA Chief Executive Officer Judy Hutton, Hillier, Studio Hillier Principal Barbara Hillier, and YWCA President Dr. Cheryl Rowe Rendleman.

“Art at Kings Oaks” Pop-Up Exhibition

“ART AT KINGS OAKS”: A pop-up exhibition featuring the works of 26 artists will be at Kings Oaks Farm in Newtown, Pa. from October 6 to 15. An opening reception is on October 6 from 6-9 p.m. Shown here are a painting by Susan Jane Walp, top left; a monotype by Stuart Shils, top right; an installation by Margaret Parish, bottom left; and a sculpture by Maxwell Mustardo.

“Art at Kings Oaks,” a pop-up art exhibition in a historic barn and chapel on Kings Oaks Farm in Newtown, Pa., returns for its fifth year this October 6-15 to present its largest group of artists to date. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, ceramics, and installation works by 26 renowned and emerging artists from the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. and Italy. more

Scott Exhibit at RU Art Gallery

“A CITY SQUARE”: This oil on canvas by Bill Scott is part of Rider University’s exhibit featuring a 40-year survey of the artist’s work, which runs through October 29. An artist’s talk is October 5 at 7 p.m.

The Rider University Art Gallery presents “Bill Scott: The Landscape in a Still Life Paintings, Pastels, Prints, and Watercolors, 1977-2017” through October 29. An artist’s talk is Thursday, October 5 at 7 p.m.

The exhibit includes still life and figure compositions made before Scott’s painting veered toward abstraction. His recent abstractions include references to garden and landscape imagery: flowers, foliage, and tree branches. more

Princeton University Concerts Opens Season With Multimedia Phenomenon

By Nancy Plum 

Princeton University Concerts has innovatively combined different forms of media in the past, most notably a concert a few years ago featuring actress Meryl Streep and the Takács String Quartet fusing literature and music in one performance. To open the 124th season of Princeton University Concerts, The Emerson String Quartet joined forces with seven well-established actors for a “multimedia theatrical realization” of Anton Chekhov’s story The Black Monk in a fantasy also exploring the lives of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich and Russian leader Josef Stalin.  more

Stunned by Late 63-Yard TD Pass From Columbia, Tiger Football Falls 28-24 to Lions in Ivy Opener

INTO THE LIONS’ DEN: Princeton University running back Collin Eaddy gets stymied in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, freshman Eaddy rushed for 62 yards on seven carries in a losing cause as Princeton fell 28-24 to visiting Columbia in the Ivy League opener for both teams. The Tigers, now 2-1 overall and 0-1 Ivy, host Georgetown (1-3) on October 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last fall, the Princeton University football team dropped an overtime heartbreaker to Harvard in late October but bounced back to run the table with four straight wins and earn a share of the Ivy League title.

The 2017 Tigers will need to display that same brand of resilience in order to be an Ivy title contender this fall, suffering a stunning 28-24 loss to visiting Columbia last Saturday which saw the Lions score the winning touchdown on a 63-yard scoring strike from Anders Hill to Ronald Smith II with 1:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. more

Grinding Out 3 Wins as it Starts NWPC Play, No. 11 PU Men’s Water Polo Improves to 12-3

PAYNE CONTROL: Princeton University men’s water polo player Matt Payne gets ready to unload the ball in recent action. Last weekend, junior star Payne came up big as the 11th-ranked Tigers opened Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) play with wins over Harvard (11-9 on Saturday), MIT (13-11 on Sunday), and Brown (9-8 on Sunday). The Tigers, now 12-3 overall and 3-0 NWPC, are next in action when they host Wagner on October 5. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over its recent four-game swing in California, the Princeton University men’s water polo team squandered some opportunities in going 2-2.

With an 11-8 defeat to No. 6 Long Beach State on September 22 sticking in his mind, Princeton head coach Luis Nicolao knows that his squad was on the verge of a great trip. more

October 2, 2017

More and More Girls Head Toward Science Projects As STEM Educational Opportunities Increase in Area

Girls in the fourth grade at Stuart Country Day School learn about coding as well as electricity in their STEM class. They combined the two by using the application Scratch to program electronics, and used a toolkit called Makey Makey to test circuit connections with different materials. In this photo, the girls are sharing the activities and games they develop with girls in other grades in the Lower School.

By Jean Stratton

As a young girl, Katherine Johnson loved to count. “I counted everything,” recalls the 99-year-old former NASA mathematician, whose remarkable story was prominently featured in the 2016 movie Hidden Figures. “I counted steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed — anything that could be counted, I did.” more

September 27, 2017

For The Love Of Books

Ame Dyckman, author of “Wolfie the Bunny” and “Horrible Bear!,” among others, was one of more than 80 authors and illustrators featured at the Princeton Children’s Book Festival at Hinds Plaza on Saturday. Presented by Princeton Public Library, the annual event gives young fans the opportunity to meet their favorite authors and illustrators, listen to them discuss their work, and have books autographed. Readers share the interesting books they found at the festival in this week’s Town Talk, and more photos are on page 14. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

University Unveils Lewis Center for the Arts

By Anne Levin

After a decade of planning and four years of construction, the studios, rehearsal rooms, and theaters at Princeton University’s ambitious Lewis Center for the Arts have opened on schedule. Music, dance, and drama classes are underway in the three buildings along Alexander Street and University Place, part of the University’s $330 million Arts and Transit development.

“It’s rare to have a project to work on that is transformative on a performance level and on the programs housed within,” said Noah Yaffe of Steven Holl Architects, during a press tour of the complex on Monday. “What is so fascinating is that we’re maximizing the visibility of the arts while maximizing the porosity of the place.” more

Protestors Call for “Diplomacy, Not War” With North Korea

By Donald Gilpin

About 50 people, many carrying signs, gathered in Palmer Square at noon on Saturday to rally for diplomacy, not war with North Korea.

In a demonstration organized by the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action (CFPA) in response to heated rhetoric and threats, including President Trump’s threat at the United Nations last week to “totally destroy” North Korea, eight different speakers called for de-escalation and diplomacy rather than the saber-rattling that has been characteristic of the dialogue on both sides. more

206 Bridge Project To End on Schedule In Early November

By Anne Levin

The project to replace the bridges that span the historic Stony Brook will be completed on schedule by November 3. Deanna Stockton, Princeton’s municipal engineer, reported the news to Princeton Council at the governing body’s meeting Monday, September 25.

The completion of the project, which began on July 5, is “perfect timing for the half marathon on the fifth,” said Stockton, referring to the annual Princeton HiTOPS Half Marathon, which draws crowds to the area. more

Unruly Sounds Music Festival Returns for The Third Year — October 1 at Hinds Plaza

NEW MUSIC: Sandbox Percussion (pictured) will be among the twelve acts performing at this Sunday’s Unruly Sounds festival. Now in its third year, the event features composers and performances by local artists and Princeton University affiliates.

By Doug Wallack

On Sunday, October 1, Hinds Plaza, adjacent to the Princeton Public Library, will play host to the third annual Unruly Sounds festival — a showcase of composers and new music from local artists and from the Princeton University Department of Music.

Mika Godbole, the festival’s organizer, says that this year’s lineup has more of a singer-songwriter focus than in past years — more of an emphasis on groove-based music than on the highly experimental music that has been Unruly Sound’s signature in past years. But it will hardly be a pop lineup. Acts will include smpl (an electronics and percussion duo, joined by dancer Ursula Eagly), the electro-country group Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves (equal parts synthesizer and slide guitar), and compositions by PU Professor Dan Trueman for prepared digital piano — full of otherworldly pitch-bending, delay, and waveforms played backward.  more

Peter Baker Discusses Obama’s Legacy, Trump’s Divisiveness, Polarized Country

OBAMA AND TRUMP: New York Times White House Correspondent Peter Baker, author of the recent book “Obama: The Call of History,” spoke to a full house Monday night at Princeton University’s Arthur Lewis Auditorium, Robertson Hall, on the subject of President Obama’s legacy in the current Trump era. 

By Donald Gilpin

Peter Baker is still trying to figure out who is Barack Obama, and what exactly will be the substance of his legacy?

Chief White House correspondent for the New York Times since 2008, Baker told a full-house gathering of about 200 at Princeton University’s Arthur Lewis Auditorium, Robertson Hall on Monday that he wrote his new book, Obama: the Call of History (June 2017), to try and tackle those questions.  more

Lawrenceville Student Writes Civics Text To Encourage Youth Political Engagement

James Wellemeyer

By Donald Gilpin

In a political climate that looks each day more contentious, toxic, and discouraging, what sort of recruitment campaign could ever inspire young people to get involved in politics?

Lawrenceville School senior James Wellemeyer has the answer to that question, and he has written a civics e-textbook, Young Voices, on youth political involvement to spread the word. In addition to his book, that will be launched at the Chapin School this spring and is currently under review for future use at a number of other public and private schools, Wellemeyer is working to create a Presidential Youth Council and a New Jersey Gubernatorial Youth Council to give high school students more visible platforms on which to express their views and propose solutions to political issues. more

Sam Shepard’s “Simpatico” Is a Gritty Tale of Double Lives; A Red Orchid Theatre Brings Chicago Production to McCarter

“SIMPATICO”: Performances are underway for A Red Orchid Theatre’s production of “Simpatico.” Directed by ensemble member Dado, the play runs through October 15 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Vinnie (Guy Van Swearingen, left) threatens to sabotage the veneer of respectability that is carefully maintained by his ex-partner Carter (Michael Shannon. (Photo by Richard Termine)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

McCarter Theatre has opened its season with Sam Shepard’s Simpatico. Asked by The New York Times what makes actors good in their work, the playwright — who died July 27 —responded, “Adventure. An actor who’s willing to jump off the cliff, he’s going to go anywhere.” This production proves Shepard’s point.  more

The Bard and the Dreamweaver: Celebrating “King Lear” and “I Am the Walrus”

By Stuart Mitchner

Fifty years ago this week at EMI’s Abbey Road studios, the Beatles were recording John Lennon’s “I Am the Walrus,” a rock and roll tour de force unlike anything in popular music before it, including other Beatles pinnacles like “Tomorrow Never Knows,” “A Day in the Life” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” Lennon has claimed on numerous occasions that the bizarre, unabashedly nonsensical lyrics were written to baffle listeners looking for hidden meanings, including in particular the English teacher at Lennon’s old school whose class was studying Beatles lyrics.  more

PU Football Overruns Lafayette 38-17, Moves to 2-0; Now Girding for Ivy Opener Against Upstart Columbia

SPRINTING TO VICTORY: Princeton University football player Charlie Volker eludes a foe in 2016 action. Last Saturday at Lafayette, junior running back Volker, an Ivy League champion sprinter, rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries to help the Tigers cruise to a 38-17 win over the Leopards. Princeton, now 2-0, hosts Columbia (2-0) on September 30 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into its clash at Lafayette last Saturday, the Princeton University football team was determined to unleash its ground attack.

“We felt that we weren’t tight enough in our run blocking; we weren’t doing a great job on our double teams, getting at the backers,” said Princeton head coach Bob Surace. more

Buoyed by Victory Over No. 10 Maryland, Princeton Field Hockey Posts 2-0 Weekend

BACK ON TRACK: Princeton University field hockey player Maddie Bacskai controls the ball in recent action. Last Sunday, senior star Bacskai scored the lone goal as 17th-ranked Princeton defeated No. 24 Boston University 1-0 to post its third straight win. The Tigers, now 4-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy League, host Yale on September 29 and play at No. 6 Syracuse on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Running through a gauntlet of nationally ranked foes, the Princeton University field hockey team went winless in its first four contests against Top 20 squads this fall.

Last week, 17th-ranked Princeton broke through against No. 10 Maryland, posting a dramatic 2-1 win over the Terps on September 19, taking a 2-0 lead and then holding off a furious charge from their foes. more

Featuring Mix of New Faces, Key Veterans, PHS Girls’ Cross Country Making Strides

SETTING THE PACE: Princeton High girls’ distance runner Chloe Taylor competes in a track meet this past spring. Last Saturday, senior star Taylor helped the PHS girls’ cross country team take fourth in the Girls Varsity 1 race at the Bowdoin Cross Country Classic in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. Taylor placed seventh individually, covering the 5,000-meter course in 20:38.40. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Jim Smirk, guiding the Princeton High girls’ cross country team this fall has centered on blending some key veterans with precocious newcomers.

A pair of seniors, Chloe Taylor and Lauren Cleary, along with freshmen Charlotte Gilmore and Chloe Ayers, and sophomores Erica Oake and Lizzy Hare, have been running at the front of the pack for PHS. more

September 20, 2017

All That Jazz

Thousands of music lovers gathered in Palmer Square on Sunday for the 26th annual JazzFeast, which featured performances by some of the industry’s best jazz musicians and showcased food from many of the area’s finest restaurants. Fans share their favorite jazz greats in this week’s Town Talk, and more photos are on page 22A. (Photo by Erica M. Cardenas)

Vigil Shows Support for Imprisoned Student

By Donald Gilpin

About 200 professors, colleagues, friends, their families, and other supporters gathered in Princeton University’s East Pyne Courtyard Friday evening to hold a candlelight vigil in support of Xiyue Wang, a graduate student who has been imprisoned in Iran for the past 13 months.

Speakers, who included Wang’s wife, two of his professors, and several of his colleagues and friends, focused mostly on Wang’s qualities as a person, a scholar, a husband, and father to a 4-year-old son. Those closest to Wang, 37, described him as a talented, ambitious, dedicated scholar, full of intellectual curiosity and interest in Iranian culture, a steadfast friend and a loving family man with a distinct flair for cooking.  more