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Author: Lisa Jacknow

Living the American Dream Right Here in Princeton

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As we mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we are reminded of what it means to live in America. Nearly 30 Mercer County residents were amongst the 2,977 who perished that day as terrorists sought to challenge the freedoms of American life. While they took mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, daughters, sons and dear friends – they could not take away the American spirit or the desire from those abroad to live the American dream here.

In fact, in the weeks, and years since that fateful day, numerous families from war-torn countries have sought refuge in the United States, with Afghan and Iraqi refugees settling in places like Princeton, Lawrenceville, Hamilton and Montgomery. Today, 20 years after the attacks, our country is once again helping Afghan refugees. Interfaith-RISE (I-RISE), a Highland Park-based affiliate agency of USCRI (US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants) works with local assistance from the Princeton chapter of I-RISE and The Jewish Center’s Interfaith Refugee Resettlement Committee (TJC/IRRC) to assist and relocate families. Earlier this year I-RISE brought 47 Afghans to central New Jersey with another 125 of them making this area home after the recent US withdrawal.

“USCRI has the direct lines to the State Department and UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), and we provide on-the-ground support for these families when they first arrive,” explains Louise Sandberg, Coordinator of TJC/IRRC. “Our Committee has worked with families and individuals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Burma, Pakistan, Eritrea, Cameroon, Saint John, Guatemala, El Salvador, Tibet, Syria and Turkey.”

The refugees that have sought to resettle in Princeton came here because they have a friend or family that has offered support or because the committee was able to find affordable housing to assist them. Coming to the Princeton-area, they join a growing international population.

While there is no exact data available to detail how many nationalities are represented amongst the Princeton population, 2019 Census statistics indicate 28.5% of those living in Princeton, NJ are foreign-born – including 43% from Asia, 30% from Europe and 19% from Latin America. Some come here seeking refuge and assistance, and others come here to join family, follow opportunities in their profession or to advance their education.

Having internationally prestigious institutions like Princeton University (PU) and the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) plays a large role in attracting an international population to town.

Of the 271 visiting scholars at IAS this year, 124 of them are international and hail from 37 foreign countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Students from 58 countries (representing 13% of the incoming class) came to Princeton when PU welcomed its newly enrolled freshman 2 weeks ago. The students are citizens of countries including Albania, China, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, the Netherlands and Rwanda. At the graduate level, the 713 incoming students hail from 54 different countries. Due to COVID hampering the arrival of many international students last year, the last compiled data of the entire PU population from its 2019-2020 school year shows 2,053 international students were enrolled. A combination of undergraduate and graduate students (at a 1:2 ratio), those students vastly increase the international population of Princeton. Most of the students that came from other countries to study at PU are from China, Canada, India, United Kingdom, S. Korea, Germany, Australia, Turkey, Brazil, France, Italy, Russia, Mexico, Spain and Romania but there was also at least one student from each of 95 additional foreign countries, all represented in the map below:

In addition to the international student body and faculty the local educational institutions entice to Princeton, pharmaceutical and other high-tech businesses also attract numerous professionals to Central Jersey from around the world.

“New Jersey is our corporate home, and we are proud to have more than 13,000 world-class employees in New Jersey working across our campuses,” shares a Bristol Myers Squibb company spokesperson. “Bringing innovative medicines to patients depends on a workforce with diverse experiences, perspectives and personal backgrounds that reflect the patients and communities we serve around the world.”

Of those coming either temporarily or permanently for education or job opportunities, some come alone to this area, but many bring along their families. The Princeton Public School (PPS) system has approximately 45 languages spoken amongst its student body today. Some of the students come with proficiency in English, but many others need support to learn in our English-based schools.

At each of the four elementary schools there is a fulltime English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher assisting 20-30 students who qualify for ESL services. Princeton Middle School has a specialist that co-teaches English with one of the English teachers, as well as separate ESL classes. There was also an aide hired last year to help the Spanish-speaking ESL students who need additional support for their science, math and social studies classes. In the past five years, Princeton High School has enhanced its program to meet the needs of its many Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE). The high school engages multiple ESL teachers and has several co-taught classes to help this largely Latino population.

“For the other half of our ESL kids who come from all over the world, we have support classes in English, language arts and writing workshop classes. We also give them support in math, science and social studies if they need it,” explains Priscilla Russel, PPS Supervisor for World Languages.

Many adults that come here also take ESL classes to learn or improve their English language skills. Princeton Adult School and YWCA Princeton offer several classes. PU also has a language program for its own students. To learn more about what ESL is and how people living here have benefitted from these programs you can read How Princeton Helps Adults Learn the English Language in this issue. To further practice the language, Princeton Public Library offers ESL conversation groups, currently online.

With a desire to improve their English, many of the people that come to Princeton from abroad are highly educated. More than 81% of the municipal population overall has a bachelor’s degree or higher (56% have post-grad education), according to the 2019 Census. Additionally, less than 8% of the total Princeton population lives below the poverty line. Some of those people are here from other countries, in need of assistance.

Of those it helps, the Princeton Department of Human Services estimates 65% are Hispanic (mostly from Guatemala and Mexico), 20% are Black (many from Haiti and Ghana), 10% are Asian (from China and India) and 5% are Caucasian.

In addition to providing information and referrals to community partners that offer ESL, citizenship and driving classes, Health & Human Services assists people when applying for programs like General Assistance, SNAP (food stamps), Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the Well Baby Health Clinics as well as refers them to partners who provide meals and affordable housing.

The department occasionally serves refugees coming to this area, but they are most often assisted by organizations like I-RISE and TJC/IRRC. The incoming refugees are often in need of housing they can afford or that can be covered through community programs. If you have or know of residential locations that could fit this need, you can click here to contact Louise Sandberg.

Part of what makes Princeton so enticing to people from around the world is the municipality celebrates its diversity and strives to bring everyone together. One of the ways this is done is through Welcoming Week, which this year is being held until September 19th.

Welcoming Week Flyer – ADA Checked “During Welcoming Week, we join cities across the world to promote unity, diversity and inclusiveness to build strong connections and affirm the importance of community,” explains Veronica Olivares-Weber, Princeton Human Services Commission Chair. “Welcoming Week is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as a community to affirm that Princeton is a place where we want to weave together all residents to be a part of the fabric of our shared future.”

The internationality of this suburb also creates great opportunities to learn about other places and get exposed to tastes and traditions from a variety of cultures. These are a benefit whether you are new here or have lived here all of your life.

Many foreigners and immigrants have opened restaurants and experiences that offer a taste of their home country to Princeton. The flavors of China, India, Japan, Italy, Greece, France, Syria and so many other countries can be found in eateries across town. You can learn dances, shop for cultural mementos, enjoy international artwork and more at numerous locations. In fact, a sampling from every continent worldwide is available around the Princeton area and you can read more specifics from our April issue in You Don’t Have to Leave the Princeton Area to Experience the World.

Many come to the United States and retain their home citizenship, either as part of their identity, with a desire to return one day or because they are here only for a set amount of time. Others come and over time, decide this is where they want to stay and become a citizen. On Friday, September 17th, you can see the embodiment of what this means as the Princeton Public Library hosts a naturalization ceremony (closed to the public this year).

Though terrorists sought to destroy American freedoms on 9/11 twenty years ago, the way of life here is still something many seek out. As we honor the memories of those lost that fateful day, we can feel pride in the fact that the Princeton community has kept the American spirit going, inviting those from all over the world to make it their home.

Local Immersion Schools Offer Much More than a Bilingual Education

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Studies have shown that bilingual education creates students with more empathy and cultural awareness, enhances one’s ability to think and process concepts and provides a wider range of opportunities. So why is it that most Americans speak predominantly just one language when throughout most of the world it is quite common to speak two or more? While most Americans will learn concepts of a second language through school, the latest census data (2019) shows that only 35% of Princetonians speak a language other than English at home. There is, however, an increased desire for children to start learning a second language at a younger age and ultimately become bilingual.

Within Princeton, there are three language immersion schools – one each in Spanish, Chinese and French. All operate a little differently, but the goals are the same. To have their 8th grade graduating students fluent in 2 languages and cultures.

“Students are not only learning how to speak but also how to reflect, write, read. Those are the big differences between someone who can speak a language fluently, verbally but can’t necessarily reflect on a high-end subject,” states Dominique Velociter, Interim Head of School at the French American School of Princeton (FASP). “Students coming from French-American schools are often are more mature, have better time and work management skills and also tend to be more easily adaptable.”

Corinne Gungor, a teacher from the French Ministry of Education, came to Princeton and started FASP in a church basement 20 years ago. She ran the school, growing it through the years to its current location on Mapleton Road and this year handed over the reins to Velociter. FASP is one of roughly 50 similar schools in the states, part of a larger network (of approximately 500 schools worldwide) that is accredited by the French government but also by the local department of education here.

“Our program is very serious, very thorough and the French government creates a national curriculum. So, we really have experts that design the French part of the curriculum and its years and years of research and improvements we’re offering,” shares Velociter.

Students as young as three can begin in the school’s Maternelle program, a preschool program of the French government which aims to be more elaborate and sophisticated than traditional American preschool programs. FASP has chosen to combine this French curriculum with techniques and teachings of the Montessori method, creating a robust but individualized preschool experience taught in 90% French. As the children age up, the elementary school is taught in 60% French, 40% English and then becomes 50/50 in the middle school grades, so that all students are proficient in French but are also prepared to attend local American high schools.

The 165+ students are a mix of expats who want the bilingual education and locals who believe in its benefits. 57% of the current student body are English-native speakers, 28% French-native speakers and 15% are speakers of another native tongue. They usually learn some classes in French, some in English and some a combination of both. Math and French are taught in both languages, Science and other STEM classes as well as music are taught in English and social studies, art and physical education often in French.

“The secret recipe for a successful program is to use native teachers. That’s part of our relationship with the French government,” Velociter explains. “Most of our teachers for this program are actually teachers from the French Ministry of Education who are coming here on an exchange visa program and who are authorized by the French government to come and teach in our schools. They exchange with us their culture and then they bring back some of the American culture they’ve developed in the states when they go back to France or other countries.”

By the end a young child’s first year, they are usually pretty comfortable with the French language and often by the time they leave the school after 8th grade they are completely bilingual. It is not uncommon for an FASP graduate to enter AP French as a high school freshman, a course commonly taken by upper classmen. Similarly, the Chinese-language immersion school, YingHua International School (YHIS), sends students into AP Mandarin classes in 9th grade.

What started as a weekend school, YHIS was created out of a desire for families that wanted more. It was founded as a formal private school in 2007 and has existed in various locations (including a church basement) leading up to its current building on Laurel Avenue on the border of Kingston. With 108 students enrolled this year in The Early Learning Program through 8th grade, it is now exceeding capacity at this space and is hoping to move somewhere larger within the next five years.

Immersion in Mandarin, teaching of Chinese cultural lessons and an International Baccalaureate curriculum is what draws people to YHIS. There is a mix of local families that want the language proficiency for their child, families that move here from Chinese-speaking countries and want to continue with the language, as well as some families with one parent of Asian heritage that want to pass along a Chinese education. There are 23 nationalities represented in the school and 46% of the students at YHIS are from a non-Chinese heritage family. All go there for the benefit of a dual language education.

“A lot of families are drawn to us, they hold the assumption and it’s been backed, that learning an additional language helps to expand your world view, helps to make you more empathetic,” notes Kayla Sorin, a YHIS English teacher and Director of Community Relationships. “A lot of our families have expressed an interest in having their children immersed in another culture, because of the soft skills that can be made by that.”

Like FASP, YHIS starts with intense immersion. 100% of instruction from preschool through Kindergarten is in Chinese. In first grade, lessons are 20% in English up to 25% in second grade, 35% in third grade and 45% in fourth. Middle school classes, grades 5-8, are taught in 50% Mandarin, 50% English. Classes are taught in one language or the other, not mixed, but the teachers collaborate on their lesson plans to create continuity between the classes.

“We want to work out listening and verbal skills. The younger age they pick up quickly, so when they enter first grade, they’re very comfortable speaking in Chinese and they acquire knowledge,” details Wen-Lin Su, YHIS Director of Academics. “Our students overall, their proficiency achievement is higher than the majority of the schools, even higher than other immersion schools.”

As a private school, YHIS 8th grade students have an opportunity to earn a Global Seal of Biliteracy, indicating a high level of proficiency (normally achieved at the high school level) and a high percentage of them earn it. Last year they tested their 7th graders to see how they would fare, and two achieved it as well. To help them get to this level and enhance and test their verbal knowledge, YHIS has joined the Association of New Jersey Chinese Schools, a consortium of Chinese-language schools that competes with other students, who are most often from homes where both parents speak the language.

“Our students participate in a Chinese poetry recitation contest, Chinese karaoke singing contest and Chinese speech contest and we’ve won a lot of trophies,” Sorin explains. “One of our recent graduates, whose parents don’t speak Chinese at home, just graduated from our 8th grade class and she won the national contest.”

Though students come from around New Jersey to attend YHIS, most are from the greater Princeton area and they have all become a very tight knit community.

Across town, what was once a neighborhood Princeton Public School (PPS) is now the newest dual language program in Princeton. Seven years ago, Community Park Elementary School started one dual language cohort of students in kindergarten and another in first grade. Now there are nearly 400 students taking part in what has become the district’s centralized dual language immersion school.

“When we started, we were only permitted to tap into the Community Park neighborhood for our students, and we kept saying we’d like to be able to invite all of Princeton to participate,” recalls Priscilla Russel, PPS Supervisor for World Languages. “After about 3 years we got that permission, so now anyone who moves to Princeton may enter our program.”

The program was actually 10 years in the making, and it landed at Community Park because the school Principal, Dineen Gruchacz, was the elementary Principal interested in taking it on.

“We wanted to offer the opportunity for our native Spanish speakers to hold onto their language (and culture!) while learning English,” Gruchacz notes. She adds that the district also chose this language program because “Practically speaking, Spanish is widely spoken around the world and bilingualism is a global skill.”

Community Park already had three strong native-Spanish speaking teachers on staff to initiate the instruction, so it was a natural transition into the 50/50 one-way immersion program model that is followed, which means half of the academic time is spent in English and the other half in Spanish. One English and one Spanish teacher partner together in each grade with science, math and Spanish language arts taught in Spanish where the teachers do not speak any English, from the very first day. English language arts and social studies are taught in English.

With the goal of developing communicative and cultural competence and confidence, the program expanded adding a grade each year as the students aged up. This year all Community Park students grade K-3 are in the immersion program, though there is still one 4th grade and two 5th grade traditional classes in the building. In two years, there will no longer be any cohorts but all grades at the school will be dual language.

“When children started in 6th gr last year at the middle school, they were able to hire a bi-lingual native speaker to teach social studies, so the children made the switch from math and science into social studies and Spanish,” Russel shares. “Karen Encalada created a new (social studies) class in Spanish and she’s doing the same thing for this year’s 7th grade. We want to continue the program through 8th grade, so we have one more year to go to fulfill that dream.”

The transformation of Community Park into an immersion school meant (for most grades) it’s no longer a traditional community school for the neighborhood. Students from around Princeton are now able to choose it, starting in Kindergarten or first grade and likewise, neighborhood families that don’t want to enroll in such a program can choose to send their children to one of the other three district elementary schools. Due to the pandemic, they haven’t tested the kids in two years, but they are anxious to see if the dual language students surpass their monolingual peers on standardized tests, as has been the case elsewhere.

“They work very hard flipping back and forth when they need to. Of course, the amount of language, their proficiency level is so much higher than in a normal foreign language program. They just use it for everything,” Russel explains.

And that is the goal of these bilingual programs. Though each school does things in their unique way, they all have the common desire to generate a new generation of empathetic, worldly, bilingual speakers and thinkers in the Princeton community.

Editor’s Note

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Most of us spent the summer getting out more and resuming some of the activities we’d avoided during the previous 18 months of the pandemic, thinking the worst was behind us. And while the high vaccination rates in Princeton should prevent severe illness or death for most, Princeton is starting to see a return of COVID infections. The Delta variant is assumed responsible for 90% of NJ’s COVID-19 infections over the past 3 weeks, a trend that is starting to appear in town as well. Should this become more severe, it could prompt the municipality to enact some changes. For now, mask mandates are only being required at K-12 schools (per the governor), yet the Princeton Health Department is advising people to resume wearing masks when indoors, especially if going home to unvaccinated people.

Beyond COVID concerns, there are several other changes taking place or being discussed around town. In this month’s issue of Princeton Perspectives, Local Changes on the Horizon in Princeton, we are taking a deeper look into a handful of them.

Within our four articles, we only have space to cover a few of today’s main issues. Some of those are top of mind as we asked people around town what issues concern them the most, and some people have others to highlight. Watch our Pulse of Princeton to hear all of their comments.

We do know that 71% of Mercer County voters made a statement by choosing “Yes” on Question 1 in November. That vote was in favor of decriminalizing cannabis in New Jersey. Now, it is time for municipalities to decide whether or not to allow the licensing of cannabis businesses. What are the options? Where are the plans headed? We break it all down for you in Should Princeton Welcome Cannabis Businesses to Town Now That It’s Legal? Read it now to learn where things stand and stay tuned as our municipality makes its plans going forward.

Many groups around town are weighing in about whether or not to follow Summit, Maplewood and Montclair in creating restrictions around gas-powered leaf blowers. There are concerns about the environment and health that are being discussed and one of our guest writers shares those considerations for you in Changing the Landscape Project Encourages Residents to Reimagine Their Lawns.

Princeton taxpayers may soon vote to take on another referendum, in a school year marked with a lot of change. In Leaders and Goals Take Princeton Public Schools in New Directions we share details about this referendum proposal, as well as introducing you to several of Princeton Public Schools’ new leaders.

And you’ve seen the changes in town, spurred by COVID, providing expanded outdoor spaces for eating and more places to walk, bike and enjoy getting around. Our guest writer explains some of the transportation options and the future plans in Transportation Options Make It Easier to Get Around Town.

Perspectives Revisited offers a look back at information we’ve shared in the past and updates it. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of your screen to find out this latest news.

We are grateful to be able to share what matters to Princeton and provide specifics and details about the many local changes on the horizon. As the final weeks of summer are upon us, Health Officer Jeff Grosser says the increase in COVID cases in Princeton are being linked to international and inter-state travel, and indoor gatherings. So, please be safe.

The international nature of Princeton, which perhaps plays a role in all this travelling, is also something that makes this town so special and unique. Next month, Princeton Perspectives will take a look at the many nationalities and cultures living here together.

Please continue to share our magazine with others and click here if you have topic ideas you’d like to see us cover. We wish you a fun and healthy end to summer!

Pulse of Princeton: What issue in Princeton concerns you the most?

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Should Princeton Welcome Cannabis Businesses to Town Now That It’s Legal?

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67% of New Jersey voters (and 71% of those in Mercer County) approved it last November and in February, NJ Governor Phil Murphy signed the legalization of cannabis (for those over 21) into law, but does that mean Princeton residents want to invite the cannabis industry to town? There are not yet any cannabis businesses within the boundaries of Princeton, and the town is taking time to do its due diligence before deciding whether to allow any.

“I don’t want the public to think council members have prejudged where we go with cannabis,” stated Councilman Dwaine Williamson at a recent meeting. “We may go one direction we may go in another direction. There seems to be an attitude that there’s a presumption we’re going to opt-in in the future, but we can’t prejudge this. Whatever direction we go in is going to be well thought out and well prepared.”

When the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act was signed in February, it gave municipalities the option to follow regulations the state is creating or to have their own controls over what types of cannabis businesses could take place within their borders, with regards to cultivating, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, retail and delivery licenses. It also came with an August 21st deadline or an automatic opt-in would take effect for five years. With an agreement that making the right decisions for Princeton would take some time to determine, the four Council members present at the Monday August 9th Princeton Council meeting listened to public comment then voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance to opt the municipality out of all licenses, maintaining the ability to opt back in to any and all opportunities once the assessments are complete.

“This is opting out for now” said Councilwoman Leticia Fraga, at the August 9th Council meeting. “We do want to engage the public at not just one but maybe two community meetings. We’re looking at next September for our first.”

The opt-out buys time for the Cannabis Task Force that Princeton created to fully evaluate and determine what types of cannabis businesses to allow in town, if any, and under what controls.

“If we rushed it, we wouldn’t be able to have community meetings. The Task force is doing a lot of leg work on how this has impacted other towns, in other states, so we can have a real feel for whether to let market forces draw the decisions,” explains Princeton Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros, who is also a member of the Cannabis Task Force. “Do we ordinance things like hours and distance to schools and things like that? There’s a lot of detail to work out. We could’ve done it quickly but felt we didn’t want to rush.”

The 23-member Cannabis Task Force comprised of local officials, business members, town residents, representatives from Princeton Public Schools, the police, organizations and more has chosen to first look at retail licensing to determine what, if any, parameters should be created. So far, specific commercial zones have been identified within Princeton’s borders. These include 206 North (the Bottle King area), lower 206 North (corner of Mt. Lucas and Cherry Hill Roads), Witherspoon North (Witherspoon from Green Street to about Leigh Avenue), the Central business district (Palmer Square/downtown area), the Dinky area (where Metro North is), Jugtown Historic District (corner of Harrison and Nassau Streets) and Princeton Shopping Center. The Task Force is still considering if any or all of these zones should allow cannabis dispensaries.

“The business voices and some folks advocating for equity issues tend to argue for more centrally located dispensaries,” Dean Smith shares. Smith is owner of jaZams and a member of the Cannabis Task Force. “It seems that there is some hesitancy from municipal representatives to central business district locations because there is some fear of lines or parking issues. While those concerns cannot be discounted, wherever I have experienced dispensaries in other states (Maine, California & Colorado) I have never encountered long lines or unhappiness on behalf of business owners that are located adjacent to dispensaries.”

Smith says his perception so far is that business owners mostly support cannabis dispensaries in town. He and Pirone Lambros both get a strong sense from townsfolk they’ve spoken to and that have shared at meetings, they are supportive as well for the opening of a few.

“Residents have provided inputs to the Task Force and all citizen concerns have been circulated to all members. Honestly, there have been very few people that have had negative feelings about the possibility of dispensaries in town,” states Smith.

However, a recent poll of nearly 90 Princeton Perspectives readers found that while the majority support the decriminalization of cannabis, that does not equal support for the development of cannabis-related businesses here. Many are concerned about the safety of marijuana, as it pertains to development and overall physical and mental health.

“I’ve worked in the substance abuse prevention field for over two decades. The evidence is mounting on the negative impact of THC and mental health, especially for young people. I support decriminalizing cannabis, but not commercializing it. It’s Big Tobacco 2.0 in the making,” said one respondent.

When it comes to retail, more than 60% of those polled do not want dispensaries in Princeton. There is a great fear of retail exposing it to kids. There is also a bit of “not in my town” mentality with people concerned about ease of access, who it will bring into our community and it being a gateway drug.

“Princeton ought to think long and hard before succumbing to this feel-good wave,” one reader commented. “The reality is that after everybody takes their piece of the action, there’s really not much left for the taxpayers. These businesses too often wind up in the hands of the outside cannabis mafia and we haven’t even mentioned the downside for neighborhoods and the cannabis tourists it will bring to Princeton.”

When asked about cannabis businesses overall, half of the respondents do not appear to want any. Of the other 45 that responded to supporting businesses here, 42% are in favor of all 6 licensing opportunities, 36% are comfortable with retail, 13% support delivery and 9% the local cultivation. Several respondents share support because of cannabis’ medicinal benefits.

“Medical and therapeutic research of cannabis suggests there are benefits for people with chronic pain and illnesses that take the medical drug. And there are studies that suggest cannabis can reduce prescription opioids while offering alternative therapies and medicine,” Samuel Joseph Garcia noted in his response. “The establishment of dispensaries and other auxiliaries would help bring in jobs and money to the town, decreasing unemployment.”

Another person added onto the financial benefits, noting property taxes alone can’t pay for all of Princeton’s needs.

“With 1.5 million visitors to our town, this could be something for us to use to pay for roads, schools, police, etc. Our community will be growing by huge numbers. We need to be thinking creatively of how to raise money to support this growth. Cannabis could be part of that plan,” the survey-taker stated.

This is something being considered. In addition to zoning, the Cannabis Task Force is also discussing how to determine ownership and taxation benefits.

“The other things we want to do is figure out if there is the ability to have a 2% tax on the revenue of dispensaries that would go to the municipality. One of the things we want to do is to discuss what services we could funnel the money to, that would be in keeping with our social justice values,” Pirone Lambros explains.

Social justice was echoed in our Princeton Perspectives poll, too. A strong desire to repair historical racial injustices was a repeated reason people indicated support for expanding this business sector in town.

“I believe the legalization and decriminalization of cannabis are absolutely necessary steps towards abolishing the drug war, which is not, in fact, a war on drugs, but a war on people,” noted one respondent. “The drug war has done irreparable harm to communities, especially poor communities and communities of color. Princeton needs to do legalization right, meaning centering those who have been unjustly affected – making sure that black and brown communities have access to licenses and not just rich white men. Legalization needs to bring money back into communities that have suffered under this racist drug war.”

Dr. Leah M. Rader Bowers shared a similar sentiment in her response, adding “That’s one very important way we start closing the racial and socioeconomic gaps in the town of Princeton.”

Once the Task Force makes its decision about retail, it intends to move ahead with analyzing the other licensing options. Charles Johnson, co-founder and CEO of a cannabis distribution software company seeking to create a facility in Princeton, spoke during the public comment at Monday’s Council meeting to remind residents and officials that not all cannabis businesses make it easily accessible to the town.

“There are other license classes that aren’t necessarily touching the plant and ancillary businesses that could bring in jobs,” Johnson noted. “There are distribution companies that have an interest in setting up in Princeton, it’s not all about dispensaries.”

The Cannabis Task Force allows public input during its Zoom meetings. You can see the calendar of upcoming meetings here should you want to share your perspective.

Because of the potential health hazards of cannabis and marijuana and due to the fact it all remains illegal to those under 21, Princeton’s Cannabis Task Force has created an Education, Outreach and Enforcement subcommittee that plans to meet and create ways to educate and work with the community. Though much of the licensing is still to be determined, by state law, certain possession is no longer criminal. However, driving under the influence is still a crime at any age and those under age 21 will be treated as having committed a petty disorderly offense, like they would if found in possession of alcohol.

“The Princeton Police Department follows the newly enacted laws and rules established by the Attorney General regarding the decriminalization of marijuana,” details Princeton Police Chief Christopher Morgan. “The new laws and rules are very specific with regards to possession, distribution, and even more so for those under 21. Each officer in the department has been issued the new policy and has received internal training on the new laws.”

To get a better understanding of what the new laws decriminalize and what is still not allowed, you can see the NJ Attorney Generals FAQ here.

As far as Princeton is concerned, the Cannabis Task Force is continuing to meet, discuss, listen and learn. There is hope the Task Force’s recommendations on how to proceed will be presented to council in the fall.

“There’s a lot of excitement,” Pirone Lambros shares. “There’s a lot of ideas of possibilities, but we want to find ways this will have a positive impact on the communities.”

Leaders and Goals Take Princeton Public Schools in New Directions

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With just a few weeks left of summer, it is time to start thinking about heading back to school. Governor Phil Murphy announced last Friday that masks will be mandatory in K-12 school buildings at the start of the school year. While the constant variations of COVID could prompt protocols to change again before or during the start of school, at Princeton Public Schools (PPS) there are also numerous personnel changes and proposals that could affect local students and Princeton taxpayers alike. With a new superintendent, two new principals and a new referendum on the table, the school year is ready to begin.

REFERENDUM ON THE HORIZON

A new Health and Safety Referendum for PPS could be approved as early as January 2022, if that’s what Princeton voters want. At its July 27th meeting, the Princeton Board of Education (PPS BOE) voted 8-1 to authorize district administration to submit a proposal of facilities projects to the New Jersey Department of Education (Deborah Bronfeld was the dissenting vote, voicing concerns the district may be rushing into things). The hope is that the state will offset approximately 1/3 of the cost, the rest to be covered through a $17.5m referendum for a 20-year bond.

“This proposed referendum is consistent with our commitment to properly steward our physical and financial capital and, most importantly, to ensure that our schools are healthy and safe for all of our students, our teachers and our staff,” states Susan Kanter, Operations Committee Co-Chair, PPS BOE. “These needs have been deemed urgent by the administration and delays can only lead to on-going repairs, building damage and a delay to our desired solar project.”

Through ongoing inventory of all school facilities and systems, PPS administration identified a list of repairs and replacements that are overdue or needed soon. The assessments found roofs at Littlebrook, Community Park and parts of the high school are severely leaking and the remaining three school’s roofs are coming to the end of their useful lives. PPS would like to replace the roofs as soon as possible (starting with the leaky three next summer) and make all six school roof’s solar-ready. Additionally, deteriorating masonry and leaking tourets at Princeton High School (PHS), rotted siding at two elementary schools, old skylights at Johnson Park, many gutters in need of replacing and approximately 27 outdated HVAC units are in the proposal.

Like most school boards, PPS BOE only keeps about $2-4m in capital reserve. The BOE explains projects like this benefit from being funded through referendums to save taxpayers money.

“Doing the work through a referendum qualifies for significant support from the state which makes this the most economical and fiscally responsible way to do work. Because we have past debt maturing this February and the following February, taxpayers will experience no increase in the tax levy associated with debt service,” explains Kanter.

Princeton schools are still undergoing work from the last referendum, which was approved by voters in 2018. Before school begins in September, it is expected that the HVAC installation at Johnson Park, library renovation at Littlebrook and the guidance suite renovation and refurbishment at PHS should be completed. In September, the restrooms by the PHS athletic fields should get finished as well. The larger PHS renovations, including adding a floor and flexible learning spaces, are expected to run through late fall or early winter. This would mean all previous referendum projects should be finished before a new referendum vote is taken on January 25, 2022.

“The ongoing assessment and repair of our facilities is necessary as failing roofs and equipment need to be replaced,” said Matt Bouldin, Business Administrator for Princeton Public Schools. “In order to do work in the summer 2022, it is important to get the referendum passed as soon as possible.  There are long lead times with both NJ DOE approvals and construction bid/awards of work to be performed.”

There is hope the cost of the project may come in even lower than the proposed $17.5m referendum request, with energy savings programs covering some costs at the middle and high schools. Most of the assessments, deemed essential to prevent mold and structural damage at PPS schools, were confirmed by experts as well.

By late October it is expected the approvals will be back from the state, allowing the PPS BOE to vote at its November 16th meeting to approve the cost letter and authorize the specifics of the bond proposal and a special election. The BOE Operations committee invites community members to attend its meetings (posted on the website calendar) to learn more and ask questions. There are also plans to offer evening or weekend meetings to accommodate taxpayer’s schedules.

NEW SUPERINTENDENT

As of July 1, Dr. Carol Kelley began her tenure as the newly hired Superintendent for the district. Dr. Kelley had departed the Garden State to serve six years as superintendent for a district just outside of Chicago, Illinois, and is excited to be back in New Jersey to help move our children forward.

“It’s been a challenging time for sure because of the pandemic, but honestly for a lot of our students, school has been a challenging time, period,” explains Kelley. “While academics are really important, right now I’m primarily focused on our relationships. I am focused that every student feels known, nurtured and valued. I’m focused on every student feeling they have an adult in their corner and their voices are heard.”

Dr. Kelley is eager not just to go back to how things were, but to analyze everything as a means to learn what works in our district, what doesn’t and how we can do better for each student. She is nearly half-way through her 100 day “Listening Tour,” which she embarked on immediately upon arrival. Meeting with students, parents, staff, local officials and more, she is trying to listen to people’s voices and gather data to try and put successful structures and systems into place.

“Involving them in the process of creating those solutions and getting feedback of how things are going not only helps us to get that buy-in and support, but also will help to sustain whatever the changes may be,” Kelley contends. “And it will make some of the changes necessary for our students more palatable for those who may not feel that change is needed.”

One of the first new things Kelley did was bring PPS into the Better Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) Network, a national educational equity project. Through this, district leaders have been connected to a cohort of other figureheads, and students have been connected as well. Kelley worked to get youth invited to BELE Youth Symposiums this month to help develop ideas they’d like to see within PPS.

Equity, to overcome barriers based on race, socioeconomic background, gender, and learning differences, is a key goal for Kelley. She contends equity not only means providing support to students that need it but also preparing staff to sufficiently provide enrichment to students that know and understand a content area very well.

In addition to the data points and information she collects, Superintendent Kelley is looking to create advisory boards, including those of student voices, to help her along the way. She feels the pandemic gave us a chance to really reflect.

“I definitely want to use what we learned, in terms of making connections, seeing the importance of relationships and social interaction, to help better equip our classrooms and schools to meet the whole child needs of every learner,” adds Kelley.

A focus on equity was started under her fulltime predecessor, Steve Cochrane, who led the district from January 2014 until June of last year. From July 2020 through this past June, Barry Galasso served as the interim, guiding us through the pandemic and while the search for Dr. Kelley was underway.

Though she has been extremely busy learning the lay of the land since arriving, family is everything to Dr. Kelley. If she has any downtime, you may find her reading a romance novel or listening to Earth, Wind & Fire or Stevie Wonder, her favorite musicians. While her father’s hometown in Wilmington, NC, is the best place she’s ever visited, she is very excited to be in Princeton, as downtown Nassau Street ranks a very close 2nd.

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Beyond physical needs, the district is having school staffing updates as well. There has been a lot of turnover at Princeton High School, but as Dr. Kelley puts it, “a new team means new opportunities.” And the new team is coming together.

PHS Principal Jessica Baxter was in the role for just 18 months when she left in January, and Jared Warren then stepped up from his assistant principal role to finish out the year as acting principal. He has since left the district and PPS’s former Supervisor of Humanities (Gr. 7-12), Stephanie Greenberg, is moving into the assistant principal role he vacated. Leading the high school administration is now Frank Chmiel. A former Montgomery High School teacher, Chmiel spent the past nine years in leadership at nearby Franklin High School in Somerset, as vice principal then principal.

“I feel that I bring positivity, high energy, and humility to leadership. I realize that no matter how much I read and listen, or how many training sessions I participate in and lead, there is always so much to learn,” Chmiel explains.

A Princeton resident, Chmiel is committed to the community here. He knows this past year has been tumultuous for high school staff and students in many ways, and is committed to being approachable, communicating well and re-energizing everyone. Every Sunday in the new school year, upcoming events and PHS highlights will be shared with all PHS families via a phone, email and text blast. He is also planning Princeton Fridays, where everyone will wear their school spirit. Pep rallies and other assemblies hope to additionally bring them all together. Chmiel hopes this helps them develop as a whole but also looks to know everyone as individuals.

“A key thing though for me is visibility. This will also be practiced by the rest of the PHS Administrative Team,” informs Chmiel. “Students will see me in the halls. I get to learn students’ names and then I learn about their interests and hobbies. I will engage students in our Student Advisory Committee, which will be something new for Princeton High School.”

Students from all grades levels and background will be forming the Student Advisory Committee, meeting monthly to provide student perspective and insight on matters. Chmiel is also counting on his staff, including school counselors, the school psychologist and other administrators to ensure the social-emotional wellness of students is constantly in check.

At the end of the last school year Director of Guidance, Health and Wellness Dr. Kristina Donovan informed the district she was leaving and PPS Administration has just completed the process of hiring her replacement. Dana Karas has worked in schools as a teacher and counselor for years, including at Princeton Public Schools as a middle school French teacher and high school counselor. Princeton’s new Director of Student Counseling Services held a guidance supervisory role in both Lawrence Township Public Schools and Franklin Township Public Schools. With this new hire, his other administrators, staff, students and their families, Chmiel promises he is looking to work together.

“Taking the time to get to know people, how they feel, how they think, how they work, and what they are interested in, helps me to make more informed and personalized leadership decisions both on the micro and macro level. More importantly, our learning community members, including our parents/guardians and extended Princeton community, will know that I truly care about them,” Chmiel adds.

Chmiel will not be the only new principal in the district this year, with a vacancy now being filled at Riverside School.

On August 23rd, Ebony Lattimer will take over as Riverside principal. Mark Shelley and his family made the difficult decision in April to leave the area for Pittsburgh, after serving as the school’s lead administrator since 2018. Like the current turnover at PHS, Riverside has seen its fair share recently. After being led for 30 years by Bill Cirullo, who passed away in February 2016, it has since had three principals. When Cirullo became severely ill, the school was led for a year by Paul Chapin, its longtime music teacher. In summer 2016, Valerie Ulrich was named principal, who was replaced by Shelley in 2018 when she took on an administrative role in the district.

Throughout the summer a committee comprised of Riverside faculty and staff, people from the community and district administrators met and interviewed potential candidates. Earlier this month, Dr. Kelley interviewed the finalists and chose Ms. Lattimer due to “her passion for students, her leadership abilities and her knowledge of curriculum” which she says stood out from the rest. Lattimer comes to Princeton after more than four years as principal at The Titusville Academy, a private special education school for children, and eight years as an adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Dr. Kelley is looking forward to working with the new and existing school principals to build a strong district community with common goals. That combined with safe and efficient buildings, facilities and equipment should lead the PPS community to a strong future.

Editor’s Note

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Princeton is a unique town in many ways. Built more like a small city, it has culture, shopping, restaurants, multiple world-renowned educational institutions and such a vast historic landscape. On nearly every corner you can find something to learn about Princeton’s past.

There is so much you likely pass by on any given day without knowing its historical significance. For example, did you know the building that is currently home to Hamilton Jewelers was once one of Princeton University’s first dormitories? Or that the concrete clam shell-shaped fixture on the other side of Nassau Street was a drinking trough for horses in the 1800s? Have you realized the Clarke House as you see it from Mercer Street across the Princeton Battlefield is actually the back of the home (the front faces towards the woods)?

In this month’s issue of Princeton Perspectives, we aim to explain to you some of the historical significance of our quaint town. Everyone’s interests vary, some are keen to learn about the people, some about the land, others about the sites and buildings. What are your favorite historical aspects of Princeton? Now that the pandemic is lifting, we were able to walk around town and ask some of the locals on the street. Watch the Pulse of Princeton to see what they have to share.

How about all of the monuments, large and small, that you walk and drive by…do you know what they’re for? In Princeton Made its Mark in the Revolutionary War we share where you can find them and what they are meant to represent. It is amazing to follow, literally, in the steps of Revolutionaries. And these markers will take you for a ride!

Often when you’re traveling around town, you are likely thinking ahead to your destination – your favorite restaurant in town or park to play in. These establishments and facilities make this a town we all want to be in. So, How Did Princeton Become the Town We Love Today? This article takes us back to the beginnings and explains what came about and when, and how it all developed into the Princeton we know today.

It was the Quakers that first began developing the land. One Historic Family Develops Along the Stony Brook details the homes of the prominent Clarke family, some of which you can still drive by or visit today.

And if you can’t get out and see the history in person, you can learn about it online. The world wide web and so much more advanced technology did not exist during the Revolution or the lives of the Clarkes, so what does it mean for learning and sharing history today. Does Technology Share or Shape History? takes a look at how it affects what we know.

And our Perspectives Revisited takes a look back at stories we’ve run in the past. Read on to find out the latest about COVID in our area and how the Pandemic Pet craze has puttered out.

It’s been a long, hot summer but we hope you are enjoying being together once again. Princeton Perspectives is glad to bring you the stories that matter. If there’s something you’d like us to write about, please click here and share your ideas.

Our town has so much going on, and there are a lot of changes on the horizon. We’ll be taking a closer look at these changes and detail them for you next month. Until then, stay cool!

Pulse of Princeton: What’s your favorite historical fact about our town?

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We asked people around town to share what their favorite bits of Princeton history are. Watch the video, you might learn something new!

Princeton Made its Mark in the Revolutionary War

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The week of July 4th, firework displays in Lawrenceville, Hamilton, and Mercer County Park entertained us locally. Chances are as you drove to your destination, you passed obelisks and monuments on the sides of the road that you’ve passed a thousand times, but never really took time to discover what historic events they commemorate. And as the fireworks burst in celebration of the independence of our United States, you were likely more focused on who you were with and who brought the desserts than on what took place in history to allow you to gather together at all.

The marking of Independence Day is of major significance, for in July 1776 our forefathers declared the original 13 colonies independent from British sovereignty. But that alone did not lead us to freedom, as the crown did not accept this decree. Fighting continued and six months later, about to give up at the end of 1776, George Washington and his troops instead fought on.

“After numerous defeats at the hands of the British throughout New York, turning into a dire retreat through New Jersey and across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania, the Continental Army was on the verge of collapse due to illness, desertion, poor morale, and ending enlistments,” shares Michael Russell, Princeton Battlefield Society President. “The confidence and leadership of George Washington, in the face of every possible man-made and natural obstacle, rallied his men to not only go on the offensive and take Trenton from the Hessians and then stand toe-to-toe with the British at Assunpink Creek, but also gave them the fortitude and willingness to reenlist and continue fighting for the burgeoning freedom of the new thirteen states.”

According to a 1777 diary found from militiaman Ephraim Anderson the troops marched from Mill Hill to the brook to take the Quaker road to get from Trenton to Princeton. This path took them to what became known as the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. A battle that, in conjunction with the two Trenton battles just before it, turned the revolution in our favor.

“Strategically, winning in Princeton secured New Jersey in the hands of the Americans and denied the British the ability to ever regain a foothold in the state throughout the war. The British had to change their entire approach to the war after the Americans left Princeton for the higher ground of Morristown and the Watchung Mountains,” notes Russell.

Though not as prominent as the victories at Saratoga and Williamsburg, the Battle of Princeton remains an historically pivotal moment that kept us battling for freedom. To connect us to our past and remind us to embrace our future, those obelisks, monuments and other signage you may have blindly driven by have been strategically placed all around our town and county to ensure we know of the risks and efforts that were taken in these battles nearly 250 years ago.

“Many towns and locations find an immense amount of pride in detailing the historic events which occurred in their town, county, etc. These can range from events of some historic importance (i.e., skirmishes, meetings, etc.) to the mundane (Washington’s spring outside of the battlefield – Washington’s troops stopped to drink here). These markers commemorate historic moments no matter how small,” explains Will Krakower, Resource Interpretive Specialist for The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry. “The ground we walk every day, every walk in the park, every stroll down Nassau, every drive to work, rests on ground which our ancestors walked, and in some cases fought and died, for their right to live a good life – a free life.”

To mark this freedom and the 18-mile route the troops took to the Princeton Battlefield from Trenton, obelisks were placed in 1914 by the Sons of the Revolution. They used a collection of diaries, including that of Anderson’s, to map out the approximate route.

If you’re up for a fun scavenger hunt of sorts, you could set out this summer to march in the steps of the soldiers and find all twelve obelisks marking the Trenton-Princeton route:

“Keeping in mind there weren’t really roads back in 1777 along that route as we know what roads are today. Essentially, they were cutting through a lot of farmland,” details Roger Williams, historian for the NJ Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and co-founder of tencrucialdays.org. “They’re placed in weird places, in the middle of things. If you draw a straight line from the ones that are on Hamilton Avenue down through to the ones in front of Steinert High School and through the VFW post and all the way to the one on Quakerbridge Road, that gives you what we think the route was.”

In fact, Williams contends the obelisk at Quakerbridge Road and Nassau Park Boulevard was placed on the median rather than in the middle of what was then an adjacent farm field, where the troops actually marched, to ensure people would see it.

“The troops marched through what is now Home Depot, through Home Goods and through Dicks Sporting Goods,” he explains. Williams is in discussions to move the obelisk to correctly stand in the path of the march, in front of Dicks Sporting Goods.

Back in 1777, as the soldiers made their way beyond what is now the Institute Woods, they found themselves on a farm we today call the Princeton Battlefield, which became host to the infamous Battle of Princeton. Though so much surrounding the area is different today, there are three structures in Princeton that stand to connect us to that battle.

“The Thomas Clarke House and Mercer Oak are symbolically used to represent the Battle of Princeton,” Russell explains. “The Thomas Clarke House is the only remaining structure to eyewitness the battle and characterizes the peaceful Quaker farmland that was shattered by conflict and violence on January 3, 1777. The Mercer Oak embodies the life and sacrifice of General Hugh Mercer who was critically wounded and fell on the field, dying nine days later in the Thomas Clarke House.”

After fighting on this battlefield, the troops made their way north and continued fighting in front of Nassau Hall. If you look closely, you can see marks on the building today, scars from the battle. (If you can find where Nassau Hall was struck, send your pictures to our Editor!).

The Princeton area is also home to many other markers and monuments to the Revolutionary War, including as the site of the first of 13 markers to the battle march that Russell previously mentioned from Princeton to higher ground in Morristown. In front of Aaron Burr Hall at Nassau Street and Washington Road you can find the first, from which the troops continued north into Kingston, marked at the Kingston Presbyterian Church Cemetery at Main and Church Streets. Nearby, there is a third marker in Griggstown at Canal Road near Copper Mine Road. And as the march continued through Somerville, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Basking Ridge, Harding Township and onto Morris Township, the other markers make note.

The decision not to march to New Brunswick but instead to march to Morristown was actually made in Kingston, as the troops were moving north from Princeton. Historians think of this moment as the end of the Battle of Princeton, and it is commemorated with a marker there.

“On the northern bank of the Millstone River, Washington and his commanders had a council-of-war on horseback,” shares Williams. “These guys were getting out of town as fast as they could before the British could catch up with them, and they made the decision there.”

Mercer County is actually ranked as 11th of the top 15 counties in America with the most historic markers. If you want to find out where they all are, you can look online at sites like Revolutionary War New Jersey or The Historical Marker Database. If you are nearby the Princeton Battlefield, you can cross Mercer Street and make your way towards the historic columns at the back of the field. Walk just past them and to the right, you will see on the ground another marker, this one a memorial to 36 soldiers that died at the Battle of Princeton.

If you leave that area and continue towards what is today the former Princeton Boro municipal building, it’s hard to miss the large Princeton Battle Monument depicting Washington leading his troops that was put there in 1922. Several yards away are also several smaller markers commemorating the revolution, and people like Colonel John Haslet, a commander from Delaware that was killed at the Battle of Princeton.

The Revolutionary War lasted until 1783, and Princeton would continue to be a thoroughfare for passage, as a major hospital area and with many supplies manufactured nearby in Trenton. In fact, Washington’s travels back south in 1781 are commemorated with a marker placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1981 as part of the Washington-Rochambeau Trail.

“In 1781, when the French and Americans marched to Yorktown, they converged at Princeton,” recollects Williams. “The French marched south on Rt. 206 from Somerville and the Americans marched south on Rt. 27 and they actually met in late August at Princeton. They encamped on what is today grounds of Trinity Church and Morven. You had 7,000 troops who just camped there for 2 nights before they headed further south.”

Two years later, Washington would return one final time to Kingston, to a home that is now located at Rockingham State Historic Site. In August 1783, he was called back to Princeton and leased this home nearby for 2 ½ months. It was there he wrote his farewell orders, officially retiring from military service at the end of October, just before the Treaty of Paris was signed and ended the Revolutionary War.

In 2026, the 250th Semiquincentennial will be celebrated honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It’s planning comes at a time when much is being questioned about civil rights and the founding of our country. But the history of grit and resilience teaches us where we came from, and the buildings and markers help to ensure that we know what took place, to interpret how we wish.

“Through the lens of the 18th century citizen and soldier, the conditions of life and warfare were very different from what we deal with today. The obelisks and monuments help us consider the commitments and beliefs of our ancestors, all from a present-day perspective,” explains Russell.

If you are interested in learning more about the history and the markers in our area, you can learn more about car and bus tours here or to get a tour at Princeton Battlefield click here.

Does Technology Share or Shape History?

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In Princeton, we are lucky to be able to stand in front of the home where Albert Einstein spent his final years, touch the gravestone of Aaron Burr or walk along the battlefield where soldiers fought during the Revolutionary War. Now imagine if Albert Einstein had Tweeted out his Theory of Relativity, if Aaron Burr shared the infamous duel on Facebook Live or if George Washington posted his troops on SnapChat preparing to attack the British? My, how history may have been affected.

While there is so much here for us to touch and see, when it comes to learning, teaching and sharing it, technology is a tool that opens up opportunities in terms of who you can reach, how you can reach them and what you can share. This can be both an amazing tool for studying history, or a cautionary means to reshape it.

We shared with you in our January article Expanding Your Potential about the growing selection of online courses being offered. Princeton University Professor Jeremy Adelman not only took his world and global history class online but took the opportunities technology offers to take it one step further. His class has been taught online via EdX for several years now and he recently partnered with the University of Geneva and UNHCR, so his “classroom” takes place in Princeton, Geneva and at refugee camps in Kenya and Jordan all at the same time.

“They are fully integrated. They want to learn. They also have a LOT to teach us about globalization and its complexities,” Professor Adelman offers, with regards to his students in Kenya.

Adelman is often amazed by how many people he can reach thanks to technology, and the worldwide interest in the historic lessons he teaches. It invites such varied people to the table.

Courtesy Princeton University

“Part of what we learn together is how to talk across our differences. But that is a challenge compared to the relatively homogeneous world of the walled classroom. When you introduce the world’s fractures into a course, they are more evident – and you have to explain them,” Adelman contends.

While it certainly is more challenging to teach to a variety of groups at once, taking that trip back in time together and sharing the different perspectives about it can certainly enhance any lesson.

Local historic organizations, such as Historical Society of Princeton (HSP), had relied on in-person gatherings to share most of its information, though digital and virtual opportunities were evolving. Physical photographs, diaries and collections of historic items have allowed them to inform us about important people and moments from the past. Imagine if those photographs had been taken with digital cameras or if the diaries had been kept online? The knowledge would’ve spread sooner and it’d all be so much easier to share. In 2021, digitizing and online usage has become more commonplace (in fact, more than 500 images of manuscript collections have been added to the HSP digital database this past year) and thanks to more recent technology like Zoom, HSP is now host to worldwide gatherings for learning as well.

“COVID really provided us the push we needed to dive in,” shares Izzy Kasdin, Executive Director of HSP, whose organization this year compiled its virtual history-related information and activities into what it called ‘History @ Home’. “What we’ve seen is that we’ve been able to reach more people in more places than ever before. We’ve been able to welcome scholars from across the country as speakers. People who grew up in Princeton or once lived in Princeton and moved away have reached out to us to say that our virtual programs have provided them with a way to stay connected to their former home.”

Like HSP, Morven Museum & Garden, the historic home to Declaration of Independence signer Richard Stockton, worked by bringing people on-site to share its stories of Stockton, former governors who called it home and more. Learning to use technology this past year to get through the pandemic will now allow Morven to invite the world to join as it plans to celebrate the historic signing.

“As we look forward to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, we know the eyes of the country will be looking for rich and interesting content and as a home of a signer, the only one open to the public in New Jersey, we will be ready to serve,” explains Jill Barry, Morven Museum & Garden Executive Director.

Beyond learning through a course or museum, many people gather global facts and historical information on their own, through the media and the internet. But be advised to ensure your source is a reliable one.

“The internet is a fantastic place for doing research and keeping apprised of the latest developments in world news. However, it’s also easier than ever to get duped by illegitimate news sources, and spread panic by sharing an article that might not even be true,” StandWithUs advises, in its Guide to Fact Checking. They also suggest checking that at least two other reputable sources are reporting similar information.

This advice also applies to Social Media. YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and more can be used as a positive means to educate people about history and share an historical-moment in-the-making. These technological advances are the way many of today’s younger generation get their information. On platforms where people tend to only read posts from the people they follow, one might only see content reaffirmed by other similar-minded followers. Here, too, it is important to not share or repost before fact-checking. Take the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for example. The history of this situation is very complex and often difficult for a teenager to grasp simply via social media.

“It doesn’t lend itself to a meme or a 5 second video, or however many characters you’re allowed on Twitter,” explains Susan Heller Pinto, Senior Director International Affairs & Director Middle Eastern Affairs of ADL (Anti-Defamation League). “You really need to delve in deep. So, when you get a picture and that’s supposed to capture the entire complexity going back 80 or more years, you’re going to be found wanting and will have a very shallow impression or understanding of this very deep-rooted conflict.”

This doesn’t mean one shouldn’t get any information this way. Social Media and other platforms like Clubhouse offer first-hand perspectives, something previously not available. You just have to ensure you get the full story.

“I have teenagers, I know they get a lot of their news from TikTok and Instragram, so it’s a real challenge to give insight through these important mediums but then encourage them to delve deeper,” notes Heller Pinto. “Our historical records are based on longer documentation, and we can’t throw that away. But what appears on social media is also a representation of morays and attitudes, and that needs to be incorporated. Are you going to write the history of the Trump presidency without the Tweets? No. But you can’t go by just those.”

Today’s technology also provides a chance to respond and try to shed more light on a topic. To prevent the perpetuation of antisemitism and false information about the history of Israel, Hayden Masia, a recent graduate from Princeton Day School, found herself having to clarify mistruths being posted by schoolmates on Instagram.

“I spend more time than I’d care to admit staring at my phone screen, and more and more I see terrifying things staring back at me, people promoting false conspiracies,” Masia admits. “I find myself trying to stand up to millions of people through a tiny screen. I dip into my Notes apps, using pre-written defense mechanisms to try to make my peers understand why what they are saying is so damaging.”

It’s a big task for teenagers to try and guide such misinformation. Experts also find it their duty when those with bigger platforms, like celebrities and famous journalists post historical information that requires corrections.

“Historians have a special expertise, a special knowledge about our past and there are a lot of mistruths being spun about that both on the popular media and in social media, and we have a duty to step in and correct things,” said Princeton University History Professor Kevin Kruse in a 2019 interview on CPSAN. But, he added, there are ways to use the same technology to ensure trustworthy information is also put out there. “When I see the President, another politician or a cable host or cable guest make a misstatement about the American past, which I know well, I can offer a correction on Twitter, one which is read not just by the people that follow me but hopefully can be spread by some of the journalists who follow me and serve as a corrective to that.”

Social media can also be used to determine what becomes historically important and how it will be interpreted. It used to be that an event would happen, it was encapsulated in time and lived on with those memories and interpretations. As Christian Zilles shared in the 2020 SocialMedia HQ article How Social Media Impacts the Way We Interpret Historical Events, social media does influence what we know, recall and share.

“The reality is that, even if an event is really a ‘non-event,’ it can generate tremendous visibility and influence within society if it is talked about, promoted, and debated on social media,” wrote Zilles.

A perfect example of this is Bernie Sanders in his mittens at the Biden inauguration in January. It became a viral meme and will forever be remembered as part of that event. Is there a detail like that you can recall from any past inauguration, and would it have become such a moment had it not been recorded and shared on social media?

Zilles went on to explain how the historical lens events would one day be viewed from are instead immediately shaped from these platforms, adding “The filter of social media forces us to look at historical events and interpret them in real-time.”

Case in point are the posts you’ve seen this week of history-in-the-making from Cuba where social media was used to organize unprecedented protests against the regime. And as a communist country, it also had never been possible to witness public dissent in real time like we can now.

With such technology being relatively new (in terms of history) we are learning each day what benefits and consequences it brings. Rather than piecing together remnants of an old paper map, will the digitization of today help preserve information for the future? Perhaps history will be more precise when visual recordings on YouTube rather than memories document the moments. Or will that live event go viral and alter the course of history? Time will tell, but no one can deny the amazing reach and ability technological advances have provided to the learning, sharing and passing along of the stories and moments from those that came before us to those still yet to come.