Princeton Magazine | Celebrating the Heritage of Princeton, New Jersey

Ambassador of the Arts

Adam Welch, executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, has energized the arts community and beyond

By Anne Levin | Photography by Jeffrey E. Tryon

When Adam Welch has trouble sleeping at night, he goes online and reads old newspapers about the history of Princeton. Any mention he finds of 102 Witherspoon Street — home of the Arts Council of Princeton, of which he has been executive director since September 2020 — is especially gratifying.

“It’s not that I’m obsessed with the past,” the affable Welch says during a conversation in his art-filled office on a rainy morning. “I just want to see where we came from.” more

Princeton, 240 Years Ago

George Washington (1732-1799) in front of Nassau Hall by Edward Percy Moran. (Wikimedia Commons)

From “An Obscure Village” to “The Capital of America”

By Wendy Greenberg

Some 240 years ago, on June 30, 1783, Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson described Princeton in a letter to his wife: “With respect to situation, convenience, and pleasure I do not know a more agreeable spot in America.” more

A Global Exchange

Morning Circle at YingHua International School

Opening Doors for Young Students Through International Language Immersion

By Taylor Smith

The study of foreign language begun at an early age has been shown to set children up with an undoubted advantage in terms of socialization, critical thinking, memory, and listening abilities. Thankfully, within the greater Princeton area, there are many opportunities to expose children, teens, and young adults to summer camps, schools, and coursework related to foreign language and culture that are exciting and enjoyable. A bilingual education from a young age also increases a person’s overall language learning ability, making it easier to study and acquire additional foreign language aptitudes later in life. Broadening of the mind and seeing the world and the people within it in a global fashion is yet another undeniable positive. Some would argue that with the current environmental and political state of the world, teaching the next generation the art of collaboration and contribution is more important than ever. more

A Closer Look at IVF in the Modern Era

By Taylor Smith | Images courtesy of shutterstock.com

When people begin to think of fertility treatments, in vitro fertilization (IVF) most likely comes quickly to mind. That’s because the procedure of fertilizing an egg and sperm outside of the body in a petri dish and then placing it inside the uterus has clinically been practiced since 1978. more

The Art of Fencing

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

“Marvelous” Sport Enjoys Growing Popularity

By Justin Feil

Long before Paul Epply-Schmidt was a repeat national fencing champion, he grew up pretending to fight.

“At the very young level, you did what I did,” said Epply-Schmidt. “Kids play with sticks and trash can lids, and you think you’re a medieval knight or musketeer. Lots of kids play with things that are supposed to be swords.”

Fencing evolved into a sport out of a war form centuries ago and spread from Europe to North America and Asia. The United States is stronger than ever internationally in the sport as it continues to grow in large part due to increasing youth numbers. New Jersey, which has produced many Olympians, is particularly strong nationally. Fencing clubs and the Princeton YMCA offer local training opportunities for beginners to competitive fencers of all ages and backgrounds. more

The Wisdom of Fintan O’Toole

Photo by Ben Russell, Princeton University

The words of the Leonard L. Milberg ’53 visiting lecturer in Irish Letters at Princeton University serve as a balm during turbulent times

By Ilene Dube

Although a small country (population 5 million), Ireland has produced some of the world’s finest writers, from James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Becket to Iris Murdoch, Seamus Heaney, Edna O’Brien, Colm Tóibín, Elizabeth Bowen, William Trevor … we could be reciting the names of writers for as long as it takes to read Joyce’s Ulysses aloud.

If non-fiction writers are admitted to the pack, The Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole would be among them. He is considered one of the Emerald Isle’s leading public intellectuals. In 2011, The Observer named O’Toole one of “Britain’s top 300 intellectuals.” more

Joyce Carol Oates: From Alice to Marilyn

By Stuart Mitchner

In her introduction to the 20th Anniversary Edition of Joyce Carol Oates’s Blonde, literary critic Elaine Showalter calls it her “most ambitious novel,” in which she “uncannily channels” Marilyn Monroe’s “inner voice and demands that the star be given recognition, compassion, and respect.”

If you have ever fallen in love with Norma Jeane and Marilyn, the Girl and the Vision, it’s hard to believe that any mortal writer could produce such a book without exploiting so exploitable a human subject. But here the nature of exploitation is a given, like wind and rain, sun and shadow, and the book becomes a weather event driven by Oates’s gale force prose. There’s even an underground wind of sorts in one of the best-known images of the star, which Oates describes in Blonde and quotes from on her website Celestial Timepiece: “She’s standing with bare legs apart on a New York subway grating. Her blond head is thrown rapturously back as an updraft lifts her full, flaring skirt, exposing white cotton panties.” more

“A Groundbreaking Program”

(Photo courtesy of Jackson State University)

The Princeton-HBCU Alliance for Collaborative Research and Innovation

By Donald H. Sanborn III

The Princeton Alliance for Collaborative Research and Innovation (PACRI) is being launched to facilitate research collaborations between Princeton University faculty and their peers at historically Black colleges and universities. more

A Well-Designed Life

Waldorf School of Princeton Summer Camp

For six weeks, Waldorf School of Princeton will offer exploratory and outdoor-oriented summer camp for ages 4 through 12. Running from June 26 through August 4, camp hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Campers will be divided by groups based on age and will spend the day in play and discovery led by counselors and assistants, all over the age of 18. Staying with these peers and counselors, camp days include activities and projects with the lead teaching artist along with games, creek exploration, crafting, singing, and playing on Waldorf’s 20-acre Princeton campus. Campers will bring snack and a lunch daily from home. more

TCNJ Alumni Weekend 2023

The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) will celebrate its Alumni Weekend on campus on April 21 and 22. The events begin with a performance by the TCNJ Orchestra at the Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall on Friday night. Come back Saturday for an action-packed day of alumni fun. The $30 Alumni BBQ package includes one drink ticket, T-shirt, and drawstring backpack. There will also be a campus tour of the athletic Hall of Champions, TCNJ’s Art Gallery and BFA Art Senior Exhibition, School of Business Social Hour, and Student/Teacher Reunion. more

Dalton Farms Tulip Festival

Tulips bring more than a powerful pop of vibrancy to your garden. Did you know that this flower has historically been a symbol of wealth and was considered to be as valuable as a diamond during the 17th century?

With this in mind, Dalton Farms is gearing up for the Annual Tulip Festival. This year’s event will run from April 1 through April 23. The “you-pick” tulip opportunity includes the cost of an admissions ticket, as well as the cost of the flowers, which are $10 for 10 tulips, $20 for 20 stems, $30 for 30 stems, or $2 per stem. The tulips are available in a rainbow of colors and make for a magical way to spend a spring afternoon. more

Trenton Punk Rock Spring Fling

The Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market’s annual Spring Fling shopping experience returns on April 1 and 2 to the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton. This is the largest and most unique shopping experience in Central New Jersey. Over 500 small businesses, artists, makers, and crafters from nearly 25 states will be present. The 40,000-square-foot-arena will also be occupied by food trucks, live tattooing, live music, celebrity guests, punk rock karaoke, and a huge scavenger hunt filled with prizes. Guests can also sign up for the VIP area, which is limited to 100 people and includes perks and goodies. more

Experience Lambing Day at Howell Farm

On Saturday, March 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Howell Living History Farm, experience the seasonal joy of lambing day. Will a lamb be born on lambing day? It has happened before, but it’s ultimately up to the schedule and the timing of the ewes. Lambing season lasts for several week and whether you’re at Howell Farm or not, there is much to learn about the practice of lambing in the barn where sheep spend much of their winter. more

A PEEP-tastic Display at Peddler’s Village

Now through April 23, Peddler’s Village presents the 4th Annual PEEPS in the Village, an event that showcases the creative talents of regional residents — and the longstanding allure of the colorful candies. Guests will see more than 100 marshmallow masterpieces carefully crafted with bright bunnies and chicks in inspired, inventive settings. more

An Evening with Fran Lebowitz, March 30

Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank welcomes Fran Lebowitz on March 30 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

In a cultural landscape with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of the most insightful social commentators.

Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media — as well as her pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. The New York Times Book Review calls Lebowitz an “important humorist in the classic tradition.” Purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker. more

SummerQuest 2023 at Princeton Montessori School

SummerQuest at Princeton Montessori School is a wholesome, stimulating, and nurturing experience for toddlers through age 6. The summer program, although implemented with a Montessori approach and seasoned teachers, is unique and separate from the school year in that the novel experiences that are designed for the children revolve around: outdoors, crafts, special visitors, theater, friendships, and favorite traditions like gardening, building teepees and forts in the woods, and time for daydreaming and unstructured time with familiar and new friends. more

Summer 2023 at Stuart Country Day School

Summer camp registration is now open at Stuart Country Day School. Those who sign-up by March 13 will receive the early bird discount and get 5 percent off camp tuition. Sibling discounts and multi-week discounts will also automatically be applied at checkout.

Before and after care is available and an optional camp lunch will be served in the new student center.

The 2023 program includes both co-ed and all-girls camps, with robust arts, athletics, academic, and STEM offerings that are led by Stuart faculty and staff. more

Enjoy Summer Camp at Terhune Orchards

Experience life on the farm!

Terhune Orchards welcomes children to enjoy a unique, fun-filled week of summer camp on a picturesque, 250-acre working family farm where they will discover how a farm operates through fun, interactive, and educational activities.

Campers will also take advantage of Terhune’s beautiful surroundings, streams, nature trails, and fields while getting a closer look at resident wildlife and barnyard friends. In addition, campers cultivate a children’s garden, enjoy wagon rides, experience the harvest, and sample the crops in season. Daily activities and craft projects blend learning, doing, and fun! Campers spend time both outside exploring the farm and nature, as well as inside engaged in activities within Terhune’s Amish-built barn. more

Pi Day Princeton Celebration 2023

Pi Day Princeton and Einstein’s birthday celebration this year will be more fun than ever!

Einstein was born on March 14 — 3.14, the numeric equivalent of Pi. Every year, the town of Princeton celebrates with an irrational number of events, including:

Pre-Teen Pi Recitation Winner receives $314.15

Youth Einstein Look-Alike Winners receive $314.15

Pie Eating Contest

Pie Throwing Contest

Pie Flight Tasting

Dinky Rides with Einstein more