February 22, 2006 Issue                                               

©2005 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local Life

Hiller made civil rights history
Educator now 88: white president of black school
by PAULA M. RILEY

Dr. Marvin Wachman (center) while president of Lincoln University, hosted U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren and the first U.S. black mayor, Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes, during Commencement ceremonies in 1969.

“Thurgood Marshall convinced me that my race wouldn’t matter, So I said ‘OK, I’ll give it a try.’” Chestnut Hill resident Marvin Wachman explains how it is that he became a white president of America’s oldest historically black college, a job he accepted at the height of the Civil Rights’ Movement.

Dr. Wachman, who left a comfortable job as a history professor at Colgate University to become president of Lincoln University in 1961, explains, “Faculty and friends thought I was nuts! I saw possibilities, but I had great reservations; however, they convinced me.”

Afghan native finds grounds for success on Hill
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Owner Sultan Malikyar (right) stands with his “main man” John Hornall in the Chestnut Hill Coffee Company, 8620 Germantown Ave. Malikyar, born in Afghanistan, has had an interesting journey on the way to his home in Chestnut Hill. (Photo by Kristin Pazulski)

A blend of past experience in the restaurant business and his former residence in Seattle – famous for its coffee obsession – is the fuel behind Sultan Malikyar’s passion for coffee and customer service.

As owner of the Chestnut Hill Coffee Company, 8620 Germantown Ave., each morning he greets his customers with the aroma of coffee. He introduces his customers to a coffee that is often lost in today’s latte-and-whipped-cream experience – a carefully and purposefully blended recipe.

Local Grammy winner has loads of Sax appeal
by Kristin Pazulski

Area native Scot Sax wrote the lyrics for Faith Hill (seen here) and Tim McGraw’s Grammy award-winning song, “Like We Never Loved at All.” Sax is playing at the Chestnut Hill Coffee Company this Friday evening. (Photo courtesy of Scot Sax)

We can all relate to a song that speaks to us. Depending on the circumstances in our lives, song lyrics and melodies can bring out our best and worst emotions that float below the surface of our demeanor. Songs that remind us of people, events or moments create the soundtrack of our lives.

Scot Sax, who is playing at the Chestnut Hill Coffee Company Friday, Feb. 24 (the show starts at 7 p.m.), has been writing song lyrics that he describes as simple and to-the-point since he was 13 years old and living in Plymouth Meeting.

Nan Ides reaps what she sews — a terrific book
by PAULA M. RILEY

I was nine years old when I stapled my sewing badge to the sash of my Girl Scout uniform. I don’t remember whether or not I completed all the assignments for the badge, I just remember trying hard to hide the metal staple on my green cloth sash.

Candles burning brightly on Hill for Cathy McGuckin
by PAT STOKES

Emily Bowlan (left) and Cathy McGuckin at the Candle Shop, 8432 Germantown Ave. (Photo by Pat Stokes)

Just couldn’t resist the quote from Edna Saint Vincent Millay, “My candle burns at both ends: it will not last the night.” If ever “burning the candle at both ends” were a designation for hard work, persistence, know-how and dedication to the job, then let’s hear it for Cathy McGuckin, a prime example of a good old American success story built on all of the above.