Tutoring a chance to care for all children

When Thursday Tutors at Houston Elementary School started meeting regularly with a break for lunch, we decided our most important offering was “showing up” consistently for our children.

After several years, we had to admit we were showing up as much for each other as for them. Yes, we were consulting each other on how to deal with curious challenges with out students, but we were also interested in someone’s operation or illness or travel abroad or across country.

During our recent morning at Houston, I looked at our half-dozen tutors sprawled or seated on the colorful rug in Ms. Renfer’s room and at tables with students we have come to know and care for since school began last fall and thought, this is what bliss looks like – caretaking in the midst of a plunderous political climate.

In the afternoon, I read to Mrs. Palkon’s Kindergarten at Henry School, a high point of my week. Sound pathetic? It isn’t. It’s a joy contributing to her brilliant skills as a teacher for decades, an expert in the 5-year-old mind, teaching kindness and discipline every minute, stimulating curiosity and holding the line.

I am a retired university professor of 38 years at 10 colleges and universities across the country. Towards the end, someone said to me, “Get to them before the lights go out.” I have. You could, too. They are ours, the neighborhood’s children.

Jeanne Allen

Mt. Airy

Tree-Cycle event a big success

On Sunday, Jan. 8, community members came to Norwood-Fontbonne Academy to recycle their Christmas trees. We collected over 100 trees that were chipped for mulch rather than ending up in a landfill.

We would like to thank the following people who helped make this event, organized by Green in Chestnut Hill (GRinCH) and the Weavers Way Environment Committee (WWEC), such a big success: Norwood-Fontbonne Academy for donating the use of their parking lot, Bartlett Tree Service, our volunteers who braved the really cold weather, and especially all of the community members who came to recycle their trees. Donations collected will help fund the WWEC and GRinCH grant programs for environmental projects in our area schools

Amy Edelman, President

Green in Chestnut Hill (GRinCH)

Sandra Folzer and Marsha Low,

Chairs, Weavers Way Environment Committee

Pruitt wrong choice for EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency serves to protect all Americans from the dangers of pollution. Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the agency, is the very antithesis of this agency’s mission.

As Oklahoma’s attorney general, Pruitt has sued the EPA repeatedly over public health safeguards, often times within days of soliciting or receiving campaign contributions from fossil fuel interests. Last April, Exxon contributed $50,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association, of which Pruitt holds a leadership position. Less than a month later, Pruitt wrote a column defending Exxon and publicly attacking the ongoing investigation into whether the company deliberately misled the public and quashed its internal research on climate change. And, last August, Murray Energy contributed $50,000 to Scott Pruitt’s super PAC. The following month Pruitt argued in federal court against the Clean Power Plan, a pollution protection measure Murray Energy opposes.

Climate change cannot be denied. In Philadelphia, our climate is becoming warmer and wetter and sea level rise threatens several of our neighborhoods, like Eastwick. To add insult to injury, we are given an EPA Administrator nominee who is a vehement climate change denier and has numerous conflicts of interest. We deserve better than this. I am urging Senator Casey and Senator Toomey to vote “no” during Scott Pruitt’s confirmation.

Zakia Elliott

Overbrook