On Monday, December 7, Mrs. Mary Hanko’s K-1 class had a wonderful day in the city of Philadelphia.  First they attended the “Sound All Around” program at the Academy of Music, where Mr. Loren Lind of the Philadelphia Orchestra introduced them to the flute and piccolo.  They enjoyed his music, joined in sing-alongs, and listed to a story accompanied by the flute and piano.  After that they walked to Macy’s where they watched the Christmas lights show.

TAA is collecting food for Operation Brotherhood, a ministry of Skilton House Ministries that distributes Thanksgiving food to the needy.  In 2008, nearly 2000 families received a Thanksgiving bag in the name of Jesus, along with a copy of the gospel of John.  This year, for those who wish to donate through TAA, Wednesday November 18th is the last day for collecting these goods:  l lb. can of peas, 1 lb. can of corn, l lb. can of green beans, l lb. can of cranberry sauce or fruit, 1 box of stuffing, or 1 lb. can of yams.   Special thanks to TAA senior Noelle Ludlum for coordinating our participation.  Visit the Operation Brotherhood web site for more information.

Monday afternoon 11/16 from 4-5 PM our students in grades 7+ will have a special FPRI opportunity that was just added to the FPRI schedule.  The subject is “Munich 1938: New Revelations from the Czech Archives,” relative to the famous Munich Agreement which permitted Hitler’s takeover of the Sudetenland portion of Czechoslovakia prior to WW II.

The speaker, Milan Hauner, is an associate scholar of FPRI who grew up in Prague and has earned two PhDs at prestigious European universities and who taught at other important institutions.  Hauner has written and co-edited ten books and many scholarly articles and has most recently edited several unpublished manuscripts of the former Czechoslovak president Edvard Benes, as well as reconstructing 3 volumes of this leader’s wartime memoirs.

The lecture will be held at the FPRI library/offices at 1528 Walnut, a smaller venue around the corner from the Union League.  TAA students who are interested in attending should notify Mrs. Anthony; we will need to make reservations.

It’s that time of year to begin thinking of “Operation Brotherhood,” an outreach sponsored by Skilton House Ministries in the name of Christ to provide food for needy families at Thanksgiving time. Last year 1,831 food bags were packed (aided by our able students!) and distributed, along with a 12-pound, frozen turkey added later to each bag. Donations of any amount of the following canned foods will be appreciated: 1 lb. can of Peas, 1 lb. can of Corn, 1 lb. can of Green Beans, 1 lb. can of Cranberry Sauce or Fruit, 1 box of Stuffing, 1 lb. can of Yams or Potatoes, 1 or 2 lbs. of Rice.

WHYY (the Natl Public Radio outlet in the Philadelphia area, at 91 FM) is going to feature TAA Advisor Dr. Allen Guelzo in a live interview on Lincoln and Douglas as part of their morning call-in feature, “Radio Times,” with Marty Moss-Coane http://www.whyy.org/91FM/radiotimes.html Tuesday May 13th from 10.45 am until noon. This is in connection with an appearance he’ll be making at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia later that day.

TAA has received an invitation from our friend Ms. Marianne Hansen, assistant curator of Rare Books, and we plan to take our students to the Bryn Mawr College Library Rare Book Room spring exhibit on Books of Hours, which are medieval illuminated prayer books.  Bryn Mawr has one of the great liberal arts college libraries in the country, with more than a million volumes and nationally significant collections on the history of women, classical antiquity, the early development of printing, and many other fields. Unfortunately, time and handling have taken their toll on many of these books, resulting in broken bindings and damaged pages that put their long-term survival at risk.

On January 3, a group of 12 TAA’ers attended Anthony Lawton’s production of CS Lewis’ Screwtape Letters at the Lantern Theater in Philadelphia.  A clever staging used the character of Toadpipe (Screwtape’s demon-personal secretary) to deliver the letters from nephew Wormwood, demon in training, who just couldn’t quite capture the soul of a Christian young man in WWII London.  We all agreed that the choreography segments were “a bit much,” but nevertheless it was a worthwhile evening and much discussion was generated.  We were thrilled to have two TAA grads able to join us: Kate Anthony UPENN ’10, and Julie Soper Swarthmore ’11.

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.

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.