Friday, September 25, 2009

WSWCA E-post: 09/25/09

McCall School to celebrate 100 years
On October 26, 2009, McCall School, the neighborhood school for Wash West, celebrates 100 years of providing high quality education for the children of our neighborhood. The school will be commemorating its centennial throughout the year with a series of celebrations and historical activities for the current McCall students.

Over the years, McCall School has been recognized as an excellent primary school as well as stellar "continuation" school and, at times, even a vocational school. One of the most distinctive characteristics about the school, however, has always been its strong multicultural tradition. In addition to serving the neighborhoods of Wash West, Society Hill, Old City and parts of the Loft District, McCall is the neighborhood school for Philadelphia's Chinatown. As such, students of all backgrounds at McCall School are given daily instruction in Mandarin Chinese.

The multicultural nature of the McCall student body is nothing new. The school has always hosted a diverse immigrant population and a student body with a varied socioeconomic and ethnic multicultural makeup. In 1918, 95% of the students enrolled in McCall School were born outside of the United States. Beginning in the early 1950s, immigrant children were assigned to McCall School as part of the first program in the United States that taught English as a Second Language. By 1953, the McCall School had as many as 200 students from more than 20 countries who were studying English as a Second Language. The multicultural blend of students at that time included children from Ukraine, France, Japan, China, Greece, Puerto Rico, Germany, Brazil, Hungary, Cuba, Korea and several African nations. McCall School had quickly become a center for foreign-born children to assimilate, learn American customs, and to learn to read, write and socialize in the greater community. Welcome sig! ns at the entrance to the McCall School could be read in 14 different languages and the school was, at times, referenced as a miniature United Nations.

A Centennial Gala will culminate the yearlong celebration of McCall's centential. It will be an opportunity for current and past members of the McCall family, members of the local community, and local leaders to commemorate the school's historic past and contribute to its future success. The gala is to be held at the National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut Street on November 12, 2009 from 5:30-8:30 PM. All proceeds from the gala will go directly toward strengthening McCall's science education program. For tickets or more information about the gala, please email 100years@meeetingmccall.com or visit the website www.meetingmccall.com.




Seger Park Events
This fall FOSPP and the Seger Tennis Club are offering an affordable after-school tennis program for children ages 6-8 (give or take a year) every Monday and Wednesday, 4-5 pm, from Sept 28-Oct 28. Taught by Coach Bryan Hughes, the program costs $50 for 5 classes, and $90 for all 10. (The cost, payable to "Seger Park Advisory Council," covers the tennis instruction, insurance, and an end-of-session pizza party.) To register or ask questions please contact Coach Hughes at JediTennis@hotmail.com, or (215) 528-0196.

Also, be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday Oct 31, 3-5 pm, when they hold the big free SEGER HALLOWEEN PARTY! Made possible once again by a generous grant by the Department of Recreation, the Halloween party in the park will feature free pizza, free treats, free Halloween baubles and tons of costumed fun for the whole family. And it's never too early to sign up as a volunteer, so if you can spare an hour or two please contact Joyce Killian at joycekillian@hotmail.com.




Outfest 2009/Joe's Coffee
Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 11. From noon-6 pm, joecoffee will be at Giovanni's Room on OUTFEST SUNDAY. They'll be selling coffee upstairs at America's oldest glbt bookstore, to help raise awareness of not just fair trade, but help to contribute to the restoration of the front wall of Giovanni's: 40% of all sales go to the rebuilding.




Board Member Elections Coming in October
Please consider running for the Board of the Washington Square West Civic Association! Send a short biography and a statement as to why you want to become a member of the board of directors to judith.applebaum@gmail.com

Deadline is September 30.

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