Students who are interested in seeing intercollegiate fencing may be interested in the University of Pennsylvania fencing schedule. January 13 is the Philadelphia Invitational; February 10th is the Ivy League Round Robin 2; and March 1 is the NCAA Regionals at Drew University in NJ. TAA graduate Kate Anthony is presently on the women’s varsity fencing team at the University of Pennsylvania. TAA students and families: please let Mrs. Anthony know if you would like to attend any of these meets.

Congratulations to the following TAA students who won awards from Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 1711):

Voice of Democracy: Joel Fink 1st place, Barbara Matejova 2nd place, Sam Anthony and Noelle Ludlum 3rd place tie.

Patriot’s Pen: Patrick Devine 1st place, Ace Robinson 2nd place, and Samuel Miller 3rd place.

The top two students from each section were sent to the district-wide contest.

Thank you to Mrs. Robinson for the delicious cupcakes and special cake with the Blue Star insignia, which is the organization of mothers of active military.

On Thursday, December 20, Mrs. Hanko’s K-1st grade class presented the nativity story at Beaumont. Their program was warmly received by about 25 residents of Beaumont Residential Community in Bryn Mawr, including Mrs. Ruth Schmitt, a long-time friend of TAA. Mrs. Schmitt was thrilled to have her “children” come and treat her and her friends to Christmas carols, hymns and recitation of scripture. Several residents were singing along and reciting the verses with the students. The girls also made Christmas cards in bright green envelopes, which they handed out to the Beaumont residents.

This New York Times editorial, entitled “A Vote for Latin” by Harry Mount, promotes the study of classics, particularly Latin. Mr. Mount is the author of Carpe Diem: Put a Little Latin in Your Life by Hyperion Books. His editorial begins:

At first glance, it doesn’t seem tragic that our leaders don’t study Latin anymore. But it is no coincidence that the professionalization of politics — which encourages budding politicians to think of education as mere career preparation — has occurred during an age of weak rhetoric, shifting moral values, clumsy grammar and a terror of historical references and eternal values that the Romans could teach us a thing or two about.