Many recall Swarthmore as an ideal, generous, and inclusive community, and as far as their own experience went, it may have been. But it is easy to forget that until relatively recent times, the College was rather more homogenous than diverse.

No, their repertoire does not include Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss. Not yet, anyway.
And yes, they know what year this is.
For 14 years, a Swarthmore-based professional ensemble has been leading concert audiences on an odyssey of discovery to the farthest reaches of new music. Along the way, this starship of musical enterprise has made its name, Orchestra 2001, a trusted brand among musicians, critics, and music fans. They’re not about to change it.
Founded in 1988 by James Freeman—conductor, pianist, double bass player, and Daniel Underhill Professor of Music at the College—-Orchestra 2001 consists of a core group of 15 musicians from the Philadelphia area, a number that can double when necessary.

Two diverse worlds enrich the lives of Swarthmore students: a lush suburban retreat and a metropolitan cultural feast. In early April, one clan of seniors—Justin Kane, Erika Kottenmeier, Olga Rostapshova, Kevin Setter, and Judy Chen—set out on a spring jaunt into Philadelphia before graduation.

The best of my football career all happened in the side yard. Maybe it should have stayed right there. In the yard, we five children played endless games from tag and red-light to kick-the-can and football. Because Mother liked her summer flowers, Father relished his vegetables, and we all liked picnic suppers on the lawn, our ground rules were intricate to say the least.

A long-range land-use plan that addresses growth, change, and flexibility for the College over the next half-century has sparked a spirited conversation about where and how the College might find new room for expansion—and whether such change is desirable.