Illustration by Nicholas Massarelli Swarthmore students helped spark a national movement toward fossil fuel divestment. But their own school has yet to take action. by Steve Neumann When freshman Kate Aronoff arrived in 2010 on the small, idyllic campus of Swarthmore College, a “Little Ivy” tucked away in the suburbs of Philadelphia, she was already
MoreIllustration by Donte Neal History Lessons essay by Donte Neal I never saw myself in the history of the United States of America during my K–12 education. It made me feel invisible. We had Black History Month, but the learning points were either solicitously innocuous, patronizing or about slavery. The Pledge of Allegiance got harder
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Dear Diary by Anna Herman Handcrafting a book to jot down favorite quotes or sketch your garden plans is an hour or two of work well spent. With a bit of planning and practice, you can transform scraps and hand-me-downs into practical or fantastical journals, albums or printed books. These make great presents and gifts,
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Photo by Julien Roubinet Bound by Matt Bevilacqua Behind a set of red double-doors on South Philly’s quiet Alter Street, Bridget Morris is hard at work. Her bookbinding company, Bella Forte, typically handles between three and 10 orders at a time, all of them handmade by Morris, her husband, Paul King, and two other employees.
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Photo by Margo Reed Anarchist Book Nook by Emily Kovach You might not expect to find a radical bookstore among the pawn shops and window displays of sneakers and jewelry on South Street. But at 704 South, there it is: the storefront for Wooden Shoe Books and Records, an all-volunteer collective that’s been a mainstay
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Photo by Margo Reed Kooky and Calm by Emily Kovach Ann Tetreault has always been a book lover. Her parents—both teachers—would frequently stop to peruse bookshops with their children, and Tetreault became a book collector at a young age. She studied literature in college and got her master’s degree in folk studies, going on to
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by Emily Kovach Entering a comic book shop can feel intimidating. Will you encounter a peevish clerk, à la the Comic Book Guy on “The Simpsons,” already and always disappointed by your plebeian lack of knowledge on the finer points of the X-Men universe? Or will it be a male-dominated space, dismissive or unwelcoming to
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by Marilyn Anthony For inquisitive kids who can appreciate the magical aspects of science, it’s hard to imagine a more engrossing summer playground than the Franklin Institute. FI’s summer Discovery Camp boasts, “We have FUN down to a science” and the extensive, imaginative programming seems to support their claim. The Science Adventures program kicks off
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by Marilyn Anthony The hacktory’s staff believes that the best way to understand things is by “repurposing, decoupling, breaking and rearranging them from their intended use.” It’s fitting that the Hacktory Summer Camp is a “do-ocracy,” repurposing “democracy” just as the West Philadelphia nonprofit organization created its name by melding “hack” and “factory.” There’s more
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by Marilyn Anthony In the heat of summer, everyone wants to be near water, and City Wild offers plenty of it. Campers gather each day of the two-week sessions at the Fairmount Waterworks, then set off by van for points around the city, including Dilworth Park and the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. Afternoons at
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