Volume 8, Issue 3 Princeton Theological Seminary Bits & Pieces Paul Rorem, a former Visitor helped him find a Make your reservations now for November 2011 p.m. on Friday, November 11. Dan- the Holiday Buffet on Friday, (1998-99, 2006-07) in the faculty position at Edward T. Cone Concert Series School of Historical Studies, the Seminary, which Friday, November 4, and ielle Allen, UPS Foundation Professor December 16. Reservations are in the School of Social Science, will limited and tend to fill up quickly! writes: he occupied until Saturday, November 5, 8:00 p.m., Between the Institute and his retirement in the Wolfensohn Hall speak about education and equality at For more information, visit 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November www.admin.ias.edu/dh/ias/buffet. downtown Princeton is another mid-1970s. Other Institute Artist-in-Residence Derek Bermel venerable local educational historians from the performs on clarinet with composer Timo- 16. Maude Barlow, Chair of the Coun- cil of Canadians and Chair of Food institution that may look like Seminary have been thy Andres on piano, accompanied by Ha- it’s part of , IAS Visitors over runi Rhodes on violin. A concert talk will and Water Watch, will give a lecture on the global water crisis at 5:00 p.m. but it’s not. Going toward town the years, including take place in the hall following the Friday on Mercer, just past the Einstein Bruce Metzger and performance and at 6:30 p.m. prior to Satur- on Wednesday, November 30. Weather Alerts With the winter season upon us, it house, is Princeton Theological Leong Seow in an- Handbell concert at Princeton Theological Seminary day’s performance. Please visit Seminary, where Library Place cient (biblical) texts, www.ias.edu/special/air/music to register Princeton Symphony Concert is helpful to be prepared in case of snow or ice storms. Being pre- marks the ongoing construction and myself and Scott Hendrix in library, although now squeezed for tickets. Sunday, November 20, of a new seminary library. In medieval or early modern stud- into one building at Stockton

pared may mean having fresh batteries for 4:30 p.m., Wolfensohn Hall 1812, the Seminary split off ies. The Center of Theological and Library Place, still wel- Daylight Saving Time Ends Tickets are free but should be your flashlights and purchasing bottled wa- ter or canned food. To stay on top of the from the “College of New Jer- Inquiry on Stockton Street is a comes IAS scholars while con- The United States reverts to stan- requested in advance. To reserve sey,” as Princeton University spin-off of the seminary, a struction continues through dard time on Sunday, November 6, up to four tickets per household, please visit weather, you may access Princeton’s weather forecast at www.weather.com. was known then, for the sake of mini-Institute now on its own; it 2012. For more information, see at 2:00 a.m. Don't forget to set your http://web.ias.edu/events/pso-nov2011. educating Presbyterian clergy. will be hosting dialogues of the website www.ptsem.edu. clocks and watches back an hour. So it is fast approaching some science and theology during the bicentennial festivities. It is still coming year including Piet Hut If you are looking for accom- Princeton Christmas Tree Lighting Presbyterian, but includes many from IAS. The Seminary wel- Writers Conversation modations near IAS, you may Tuesday, November 8, 5:30 p.m., Friday, November 25, 4:45 p.m. other Christian denominations, comes Institute families to its choose to contact Princeton Theo- Dilworth Room At the end of November, just and offers a Ph.D. besides the dining hall and bookstore (in logical Seminary’s Erdman Center, American composer and lyricist Stephen after Thanksgiving, Princeton basic ministerial degrees. The Mackay Campus Center), daily located at 20 Library Place, (609) Sondheim will talk about his life and work lights its Christmas Tree. The relationship to the Institute is worship in Miller Chapel, and with Derek Bermel, Institute Artist-in- festive event begins in the center slim, but growing. During special lectures and concerts, 497-7990. Room rates start at Residence. Please reserve at of on the green World War II, the Institute wel- plus its guest quarters in the $55 per night for a single bed with http://web.ias.edu/events/writers-nov2011. just in front of the . comed a refugee historian School of Christian Vocation a shared bathroom to $90 per The lighting is complete with the named Edward Jurji and then and Mission. Most of all, the night for a family suite that can appearance of Santa Claus arising sleep two to three guests. Public Lectures from a chimney. Many other Wolfensohn Hall events are held during the holiday NSTITUTE Thanksgiving—An American Tradition Peter L. Galison, Joseph Pellegrino Univer- season and will be highlighted in sity Professor at Harvard University, will

the December issue of TatI. I Brig Gebert writes: In the past, several families at the Institute speak about the limits of objectivity at 5:00 Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth have gotten together and brought dishes to share Thursday of November. This year it will in the Activities Center. If you are interested in November 2011 Volume 8, Issue 3 A D V A N C E D S T U D Y be on Thursday, November 24. It’s as organizing an event like this, please contact

for festive and elaborate as you want it to be. It’s Linda Cooper at [email protected].

about being thankful for the bounty of the har- You might enjoy another American Tradi- TIMES at THE INSTITUTE vest and giving thanks with family and friends. tion: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Traditionally, it revolves around food. It might New York City. It takes place on Thanksgiving THE INSTITUTE for ADVANCED STUDY be the classic turkey with all-American side Day and dates back to 1924 when it was started

Einstein Drive, Princeton, , 08540 dishes, like sweet potatoes and stuffing, or to celebrate all the diverse heritages of Macy’s “tweaked” versions, representing your heritage employees. Since you live in Princeton and just a Times at the Institute is published by the Association of Members of the Institute for Advanced Study (AMIAS) or taste preferences. You can purchase “turkeys” train ride away from the action, you should con-

at made with vegetarian ingredients, or stuff your sider visiting the parade in person, or join the Editorial Board: Linda Cooper, Brig Gebert, Helen Goddard, Kelly Devine Thomas turkey with more meat. Everything goes! See millions who watch it in the comfort of their www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com/ homes on television. Layout and design: thanksgiving-in-new-jersey.html for more fun Whatever you do, please share your favorite Brig Gebert tips to celebrate Thanksgiving in New Jersey. activity with us, your very grateful TatI team. Photos: Linda Cooper writes: Linda Cooper, Brig Gebert, Danielle Otis, Jen Strickland de Salazar, Vladimir Voevodsky N S T I T U T E

I On Friday, November 18, 4:00 p.m., IAS children are invited to the Activities Center to Please contact Linda Cooper with questions about AMIAS Activities at (609) 734-8259 or [email protected]. decorate their own giant paper turkey. The chil- See also the AMIAS website at www.ias.edu/about/amias for information about AMIAS activities dren may bring their own decorations or use the and to read past issues of Times at the Institute. IMES ones provided. There is no fee for this activity

Please send comments or contributions for this publication to [email protected]. and no reservation is required. We will be using paint, so please dress the children accordingly Founded in 1974, the Association of Members of the Institute for Advanced Study (AMIAS) is the organization of scholars and researchers who are current or former Members of or Visitors to the Institute. T and parents, please accompany your children. Its central purpose is to support the mission of the Institute and to continue for future generations the opportunities for independent, undistracted scholarship that AMIAS members have experienced. A shared Thanksgiving dinner

in the Activities Center A Year at the IAS with the Bierl Family...part 2

Anton Bierl, Professor Ordinarius for An- thing organized. I saw huge dinosaur skele- cient Greek Literature and Language at the tons, ancient animals and peoples, and the University of Basel (Switzerland), was a best of the museum, the planetarium. Member in the School of Historical Studies As a freshman in high school coming November 2011 in 2010–11. Before leaving the Institute, he from Switzerland and naturally not yet flu- and his wife, Judith, and fourteen-year-old ent in English, the beginning of school was twin daughters, Josie and Maura, wrote a really hard. Being supposedly good enough More information about the AMIAS activities listed in this calendar may be found at www.ias.edu/about/amias/activities. collaborative essay on some impressions of for the regular English class, I immediately their unforgettable year at the Institute. had to write essays every week and even Part I with contributions from Anton and read the Odyssey, to the great pleasure of Josie appeared in the October issue. Part II my father who teaches ancient Greek and is Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat with contributions from Judith and Maura a specialist in Homer. appears below. It took me the first quarter to get used to Judith and Anton Bierl at the annual Midwinter Party everything and even a bit longer until I had belongings. Our house in Basel is a very no problems with the language at all. With- snug two-hundred-year-old farmhouse with Reservations are out a school bus, my sister and I had to get small rooms and windows with green shut- required for dinners, 1 2 3 4 5 to school by bike (even sometimes in the ters. Clarke House on the Princeton Battle- concerts and trips. Pottery Class, Hatha Yoga, winter), which took us twenty-five minutes. field reminds me of it. I had always wanted Thank you! 9:30 a.m., AC 12:00 p.m., DR After school, there were always hours of to live in such an old house, but after this homework to be done. When I joined the year, surrounded by modern architecture, I Dates and times After Hours, Dinner, DH track team for the spring season, I experi- am not so sure anymore. We were surprised are current as of 5:30 p.m., HB enced the American way of practicing seri- by all of the historic buildings in Princeton, publication date. Dinner, DH AiR Concert, AiR Concert, 8:00 p.m., WH 8:00 p.m., WH ously every single day and going to meets and I was amazed at how clean and orderly almost once a week. the town was––even more clean than Swit- During vacation or holidays, it was al- zerland! The police presence and the 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ways something special to have lunch at the prompt parking enforcement are likewise English Conversa- Pottery Class, Hatha Yoga, The American Museum of Natu Institute cafeteria. impressive. It was always nice to stroll in tion, 10:00 a.m., OL 9:30 a.m., AC 12:00 p.m., DR We had a harsh winter with lots of snow town, visit the public library, and have a Maura writes: in Princeton. On some days the whole Insti- coffee. Sometimes I even unexpectedly met After Hours, Writers Conversa- After Hours, Public Lecture, With parents very interestedral History in in New culture York tute was covered in deep snow, and you one of my daughters walking down Nassau 5:30 p.m., HB tion, 5:30 p.m., DR Buffet Dinner, DH 5:30 p.m., HB 5:00 p.m., WH and art, who tried to miss not a single mu- could not leave the house until the streets Street with friends. Movie Mondays, Film Series, 7:00 p.m., DR 8:00 p.m., WH Dinner, DH seum wherever we went (New York, Wash- were dug out. Meter-high snow piles were Supposedly the Princeton weather in ington D.C., Philadelphia, etc.), my sister everywhere, but my father nevertheless July and August is so unpleasant that many and I had to spend long exhausting days, for biked to his office. On a school-free day due scholars leave the Institute in June. We en- example at MoMA. The Museum of Natural to a severe snowstorm, some kids and I tried joyed our summer at the Institute tremen- 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 English Conversa- Pottery Class, Hatha Yoga, History in New York, however, was some- to build a snow igloo on top of a huge but dously, and the few times it was very hot tion, 10:00 a.m., OL 9:30 a.m., AC 12:00 p.m., DR thing totally different. My family would flat snow pile––it only lasted, however, and humid, we thought of countless rainy AMIAS Trip have never gone to a natural history mu- until a snowplow destroyed it. days in Switzerland and spent the day in the Public Lecture, After Hours, Fun Fridays, seum, if there were not the trip offered by Judith writes: pool or our cool air-conditioned apartment. 4:30 p.m., WH 5:30 p.m., HB 4:00 p.m., AC the Institute. I was already excited days A little more than a year ago, we arrived After we had to cancel our big trip to the After Hours, 5:30 p.m., HB Dinner, DH Dinner, DH earlier, because I had seen the movie “A with eight suitcases, partly filled with Wild West the children said, “O Mum, Night at the Museum,” in which all kinds of Toni’s papers and books. Everything fit don’t worry, didn’t we somehow have a creatures and people in the Museum of nicely into our apartment. We wondered whole year of vacation?”

Natural History come alive during the night, how some neighbors who had arrived with 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 English Conversa- Pottery Class, while the museum guard tries to keep every- big containers were able to organize their tion, 10:00 a.m., OL 9:30 a.m., AC

Princeton Symphony Crossroads Craft Fair Concert, 4:30 p.m., Thanksgiving Holiday The first Sunday in December, Crossroads traditionally holds its annual scholarship event. This year it WH After Hours, Institute Offices and Dining Hall closed will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 4. It is a fun afternoon full of family- 5:30 p.m., HB No Dinner friendly activities, good food, beautiful things to buy, and above all, friendship. All of the proceeds of

the event benefit the Crossroads scholarship fund, providing tuition assistance to Princeton-area fami- 27 28 29 30 AC: Activities Center; BH: Bloomberg Hall; CNS: lies in financial need. One of the highlights of the event is the craft sale, full of handmade items: toys, English Conversa- Pottery Class, Crossroads Nursery School; CR: Common Room; DH: Dining Hall; DR: Dilworth Room; HB: Harry’s clothing, decorative pillows, jewelry, among other splendid objects. The majority of these are made by tion, 10:00 a.m., OL 9:30 a.m., AC Public Policy –upper level of Dining Hall; HC: Housing members of the Crossroads community at weekly craft workshops. Each year, the staff also sew a Lecture, 5:00 p.m., Complex;Bar MH: Marquand House; OL: 97 Olden WH Lane; TC: Tennis Courts; WH: Wolfensohn Hall; patchwork quilt, which is raffled (see image). A silent auction offers additional delights, such as a stay Playreading, WLH: West Building Lecture Hall; WLR: White- in a vacation home, homemade meals, or theater tickets. After Hours, 7:00 p.m., MH Levy Room. 5:30 p.m., HB Dinner, DH

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