Category: Fun Stuff

Mark your calendars, buy your tickets, Touchstone Theatre “Festival UnBound” in October

(Latest in a series of posts on the Arts)

“Festival UnBound is part of Touchstone’s mission of community-building.”

Faithful followers know that “community” is aphrodisiac for Gadfly.

Musikfest is in full FEST mode, but it is time to mark your calendars for another major, similarly 10-day-long festival, this time featuring a variety of local talent.

Festival UnBound

Look at the participants and locales on the above web site or in the article linked below: Touchstone Theatre and its ensemble members, the Greenway, Charter Arts students, the Bethlehem Area Public Library, Sisters’ House, Bethlehem highschoolers, Payrow Plaza, Mock Turtle Marionettes, SteelStacks, Nazareth High School choir, Zoellner Arts Center, Moravian College undergrads, the Cafe the Lodge, the Charles Brown Ice House, Godfrey Daniels, Sigal Museum, Miller Symphony Hall, etc., etc.

Amazing array!

Stunning!

Gadfly has, of course, been following Finding H.D.:  A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle and hopes to do more in highlighting local artistic talent and events.

Such as Touchstone’s Festival UnBound.

Gadfly hopes you will get on board and help provide community support for this wonderful project.

Not too early to get your Festival UnBound tickets here or here!

And please consider donating here as well.

Craig Larimer, “Touchstone Theatre announces 10-day Festival Unbound schedule and ticket sales.” Morning Call, August 6, 2019.

On Monday, Bethlehem’s Touchstone Theatre announced a schedule and ticket plan for Festival Unbound — a 10-day series of about 20 events that intends to use the arts community to help chart a course for the creative future.

The festival will feature free and ticketed events Oct. 4-13 throughout the Lehigh Valley, but with a concentration in Bethlehem. According to festival organizers, Festival UnBound will use art to spark conversations about how the city has changed since Bethlehem Steel closed, and to imagine a future together — after being “unbound” from the Steel.

The festival was organized in collaboration with the City of Bethlehem, local African American and Latino communities, educational institutions such as the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and Moravian College, and area steelworkers and other residents.

The program plan includes nine pieces of original theater by local, national and internationally known artists and musicians, and will include parades, youth activities, street performances, panel forums/discussions and more.

About half of the events require tickets, while many are free.

Touchstone Theatre is one of the country’s longest continuously producing ensemble theaters. Festival UnBound is part of Touchstone’s mission of community-building.

What the American Flag Stands For

Peter Crownfield is officially retired but spends most of his time working with students in his role as internship coordinator for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley.

Following on Martha’s post yesterday, this was written quite a few years ago by a 12-year-old in Maine:

What the American Flag Stands For

by Charlotte Aldebron

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.

School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.

Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag’s real meaning remains.

Charlotte Aldebron wrote this essay in 2002, when she was 12.

What social studies teachers do with their time

The Gadfly invites your “local color” photos and reflections of this sort

Martha A Larkin is a lifelong learner, linguist, caffeine connoisseur, and country road commuter. She has found her teaching home in a rural community in the northwest corner of the LV that we call Tiger Country. She attended and graduated from Bethlehem schools (K-M.Ed.). Bethlum is where she resides.
Larkin rule 1

 

Gadfly: While on my morning walk, I noticed the flag at half-mast. I took a moment; it always catches my eye, my thoughts, and sometimes my heart. I had to pause to catch my breath because I wanted to cry, no, scream, no . . . I don’t know. Here I am again at another flag, at a different high school, and in my hometown.

Larkin flag

I haven’t had a flag at my house since the last ceremonious disposal. So, I procured a new US flag. I was hanging it, and my neighbor asked me if it was some sort of protest. I responded, “No. A sign of distress. I don’t know the answers.” He recognized the distress signal from being in the Navy. He agrees, we’re in distress. He’s on his way to get a new flag too.

Larkin Hate

We then spoke with another neighbor.

For me, for this morning, maybe that was the answer, talking to my neighbors.

Martha

Forest Bathing with H.D. (21)

(21st in a series of posts on H.D.)

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

Bethlehem-born writer Hilda Doolittle — H. D. —  (1886-1961) is
the “Lehigh Valley’s most important literary figure.”

—–

It is time to register for our next Finding H.D. event:

Forest Bathing with H.D.

September 22, 2019. 2-5 pm
Rain date: September 21, 2-5 pm
Little Pond Arts Retreat
92 South Penn Dixie Road, Nazareth
A meditative Shinrin Yoku practice with readings of
H.D.’s work. Limited to 10 participants. Register by
emailing jega@lehigh.edu. First come first served. 

Given by Anisa George.

—

The white violet / is scented on its stalk, / the sea-violet / fragile as agate, /lies fronting all the wind / among the torn shells / on the sand-bank.

009

The greater blue violets

flutter on the hill,

but who would change
for
these

who would change for these

one root of the white sort?

Violet / your grasp is frail / on the edge of the sand-hill, / but you catch the light — /

                                               frost, a star edges with its fire.

 

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

photo by Jennie Gilrain
taken in her Southside neighborhood

It’s been a rough weekend . . .

The Gadfly invites your “local color” photos and reflections of this sort

El Paso . . . . Dayton

We need some reminders of the beauty in life.

We need some reminders of the possibility of miraculous transformation.

from almost invisible egg to the beautiful Monarch butterfly

and the unbelievably slow but magic process in between

captured on Friday by the patient eye and lens of Victoria R. Leister

at Pharo Garden Centre

from larva to chrysalis

Vicki butterfly 13

Let’s not lose heart

Let’s not give up

Gadfly’s walking report card at mid-term

Gadfly wants to live long enough to walk a pedestrian bridge connecting the north and south sides.

So Gadfly is enrolled in the “Tail on the Trail” challenge sponsored by St. Luke’s to be in shape for that great day. (It’s not too late to join!)

The idea is 165 miles between May 1 and November 1 — 6 months.

165 miles is the length of the Delaware and Lehigh canal, but you can do your walking and biking anywhere.

We’re half-way. 3 months down, 3 to go.

Gadfly set himself the goal of doubling the challenge = 330 miles.

He had a lousy May but is now ahead of his pace.

Tail 4

You can see in the fine print above that Gadfly has done 214 miles, above the 3-month goal of 180.

And lost 7 unnecessary pounds in the process!

Maybe he should try to triple the challenge!

Gadfly hopes some of your tails are on the trail or in some sort of exercise program.

We all need strength and stamina to fight the good fight against the forces of evil and ignorance.

Sunday morning on the Monocacy

The Gadfly invites your “local color” photos and reflections of this sort

On his morning walk through the historic Industrial Quarter this morning, Gadfly was reminded of Emerson: “I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching.”

(Nerdy ol’ Gadfly — expecting everybody to have read Ralph Waldo Emerson, arguably the creator of the American mythology of self-reliance.)

Some of you will shudder no doubt. But Gadfly is not a Musikfest-goer. That’s almost a sin in some circles in this town.

I mean, he’s glad we have Musikfest. He’s glad lots of people enjoy it. It’s just not his “bag” as we used to say.

Gadfly’s a shy, quiet man, not a fan of crowds, spectacle.

He likes his beer and his music in more intimate settings.

For instance, Jazz nites at the Cafe with Patti, Pete Smyser, and Larry McKenna. Or Thursdays at the Hotel Bethlehem. Or Jazz Upstairs at Miller Symphony Hall.

Get the idea.

But he had a different feeling about Musikfest walking into the Industrial Quarter this early morning.

004

Like he had stumbled into a village without people.

A ghost town.

Post-apocalypse in the Twilight Zone.

017

All the signs of life without life.

But the new feeling he had this Sunday morning was of life about to burst forth, of the egg about ready to crack.

Of gigantic transformation about ready to transform.

Of dynamic energy poised to unleash.

And that’s exciting.

And he felt a new feeling of pride that his City was muscular enough to support this 10-11 day enterprise.

A feeling that if it set its mind to do this kind of thing many other kinds of thing are possible.

So like Emerson relishing the silent time before the service, Gadfly found himself relishing the silent time before the Fest.

The only relish the Fest will give him.

Gadfly’s not sure if he should say this. About what he also saw on his morning constitutional. A dog pooping into a plastic bag provided by its owner. There, on the banks of the Monocacy. He saw it. He really did.

It’s that time of year . . .

The Gadfly invites “local color” photos of this sort

. . . when Mother Nature’s l’ill childrun head out on their own

004

 

sit too long in that chair

and you might have some trouble

getting up

 

 

020

 

 

 

peek-a-boo

someone’s feeling

left out

 

 

 

029

 

 

every house

needs a

greeter flower

 

 

 

Can you tell Gadfly’s not getting much work done on this hot day?

Bethlehem Moment: A trip to South Bethlehem, 1906

(Latest in a series of posts on Bethlehem Moments)

Bethlehem Moment 11
City Council
July 16, 2019

John Smith, 833 Carlton Ave

Read by Kate McVey, 1221 Lorain Ave.

Video of July 16 City Council meeting, start at min. 33:50.

Bethlehem Moment: Saturday, May 19, 1906

A trip through South Bethlehem’s foreign district last night was a revelation. More than three hours were spent in the residential district of 5000 or more of South Bethlehem’s foreign population. Every type of foreigner — men, women, and children — were observed. Their modes of living were noticed and their methods of recreation after a hard day’s work were specially observed. With the illumination of only the house coal oil lamp the trip grew in interest step by step.

The men were sitting in parties beside beer kegs. Although it was now 9 o’clock many of the women were still doing housework. Some were ironing, other were washing clothes, while others were baking or sewing.  The children were allowed to roam about the yard and entertain themselves as best they could.

An evening party here in a room no more than 6×10 feet, in the midst of all its furnishings including bed, tables, chairs, etc., dancing was indulged in by at least four couples. The music was furnished by members of the party alternatively playing the mouth organ. The making of a “strudl,” a favorite dish, was keenly watched. The housewife makes what appears to be a dough. She then spreads a cloth over a 3×4 table, on which she places the dough and rolls it to the thinness of a drumhead the full length and width of the table. The dough prepared and rolled, she proceeds to place in the dough various kinds of vegetables and rolls, dough and vegetables into the shape of a sausage. This is placed in an oven, baked and served.

It’s beer from morning to night and sometimes from night to morning.  While there are many who have their liquor at their homes, there are still many more who patronize the various saloons. The proprietor of one saloon said he had as high as 700 come into his place in one night, and he only keeps open until 10:30 o’clock.

What appeared singular was the fact that quiet reigned. There was no fuss, not even loud talking notwithstanding that at least a dozen or more nationalities elbowed past one another.

Another fact noticeable last night was the positive evidence that the low or objectionable class of foreigners, the class the public at large hears much about, is not in South Bethlehem to an alarming degree. There seems to be more of the better class that keep to themselves and hustle after the dollar day in and day out.
—————-

Edited from an article in the Bethlehem Globe-Times.

 

The mural’d Southside

(The latest in a series of posts on the Southside and Neighborhoods)

Gadfly has rolling in his head some adjectives Kim Carrell-Smith has used recently in these pages about the “feel” of the Southside, the “feel” that we have and the “feel” that we want: cool, eccentric, quirky.

Gadfly loves the “feel” of the murals.

How ’bout the recent one on the Cafe the Lodge?

mural cafe

O, my, just gorgeous, right?

Well, the 3rd item at the Historical Conservation Commission meeting last night was approval for murals from Missy Hartney of the Southside Arts District for murals at three locations: Molly’s, Lehigh Pizza, and Bonn Place Brewing.

Take a look!

mural 1

mural 2

mural 3

mural 4

mural 5

mural 6
will hang vertically

Great idea!

“Our house, now silent, embarrassed, a piece of plywood, like a bandage, / Covering its wound.”

The Gadfly invites your creative work in whatever medium

Tony Hanna is the Executive Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Bethlehem. Before assuming that role in 2010, he was the Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Bethlehem, a position he held for 11 years. Prior to that he was the Executive Director of Historic Bethlehem Partnership for 4 years, from 1995 to 1999. More importantly, almost 50 years ago as a young Engineering student at Lehigh University, he was fortunate enough to take two non-engineering elective courses in American Literature. His professor, a young member of the English Department, Ed Gallagher.

Robbed

Robbed, we are now statistics, a police report number, lucky

No one was hurt. We are told they’re only things, some money, not much

We don’t keep cash in the house, except for my Etruscan money pot. Filled

Bloated, actually, ready to be emptied for our upcoming vacation, smashed

Like our vacation plans. The quarters, dimes, and nickels used to buy drugs

Or maybe food or clothing, I would feel better, but I won’t count on it. Drugs.

Our jewelry, each piece with a story, each a piece of our lives, a connection to

A friend, a family member, an event, a trip, a memory, our memories, stolen

And our house, violated, the front door, that said welcome, be our guest

Smashed, penetrated, like rapists they entered and crawled through the hole

And stole pieces of our souls, pieces of our memories, and

Our innocence, our feeling that this can’t happen to us. But it does and

It hurts and it stings and Pat, sitting silently, trying to remember what we’re

Missing, and when she does, she cries and she says, “I can’t live here anymore.”

They have taken more than things, they have taken our home, the only home

We’ve ever owned. Year after year, no problems, no regrets, no incidents

Sure, there was the time that I didn’t lock my car door and my briefcase was

Stolen. Kids, the police said, and the briefcase was recovered in a field. Kids,

Looking for a wallet, some money, not interested in boring files or magazines

About planning or development in Philadelphia or New York. This kind of thing

Only happens there, right? Philadelphia or New York? Not in West Allentown.

Maybe downtown, but not here. Why here, why us, why our house?

Our house, now silent, embarrassed, a piece of plywood, like a bandage,

Covering its wound. No answers, no suspects, just memories and the loss

The loss of faith, of innocence, of our home.

Tony

In the garden with H. D. (19)

(19th in a series of posts on H.D.)

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

Bethlehem-born writer Hilda Doolittle — H. D. —  (1886-1961) is
the “Lehigh Valley’s most important literary figure.”

—–

014rhododendron,
Rhodocleia,
we are unworthy of your beauty,
you are near beauty the sun,
you are that Lord become woman

rhododendron,
O strong tree
sway and bend
and speak to me;
utter words
that I may
take
wax
and cut upon my tablets
words to make men pause
and cry

 

012

 

Rhododendron,
O wild-wood,
let no serpent
with drawn hood,
enter,
know the world we know

 

 

013

 

 

 

rhododendron,
swear to me,
by his mountain,
by his stream,
none shall mar
the Pythian dream

 

 

 

 

 

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

photos by Jennie Gilrain

Possible topics for Bethlehem Moments

(Latest in a series of posts on Bethlehem Moments)

In the last post in this series, Gadfly published a draft guide to resources on Bethlehem history for people committed to or considering doing a Bethlehem Moment.

Here now for the same purpose is — thanks to Scott Gordon! — a short list of possible topics.

This is only a sample to get you thinking. The topics for the Moments can be big or small, well known or unknown.

Note that several of the Moments so far are about day-to-day activities from the newspaper rather than what one follower called more “hard news” in the list below.  Gadfly can give you the link to Newspaper.com where you can browse the Bethlehem sections of the Morning Call. Lots of interesting “history” there!

Anyway, the idea is that it should be your choice.

The founding (1741-1762)

The War and Occupied Bethlehem (1775-1778)

The first bridge (1794)

The canal (1829)

The end of Moravian Bethlehem as an exclusive community (1845/1847)

The railroad (1850s)

Beginnings of industry on the south side (1850s)

The Lehigh River flood (1862)

The Bethlehem Steel Strike (1910)

The unification of the three boroughs (1917)

Prohibition and the rough south side (1920s)

WWII and the Steel (1940s)

Origins of Historic Preservation/Restoration (1950s)

The Lost Neighborhood (early 1960s)

New City Center (1967)

People wishing to do one or hear more about the Bethlehem Moments should contact the Gadfly — Ed Gallagher — through the “Contact” link here or at ejg1@lehigh.edu.

It’s an honor to do one of these Bethlehem Moments.

Draft guide to Bethlehem history

(Latest in a series of posts on Bethlehem Moments)

Gadfly needs a list of resources for people interested in doing Bethlehem Moments, but, in general, we simply need a handy guide to resources for studying Bethlehem history.

Here, with a tip o’ the hat to Scott Gordon and Seth Moglen, is Gadfly’s shot at a first draft of such a guide.

Gadfly knows that many followers are much more knowledgeable about Bethlehem history than he is, and thus this is an invitation to contribute suggestions for additions.

One can imagine an eventual version of this guide that is not only beefed up in entries but in annotated entries with full publication data divided into useful subcategories.

But what, for now at least, should be in a basic, preliminary guide?

Help fostering and furthering the knowledge of Bethlehem history greatly appreciated.

As Gadfly is fond of saying, “without a sense of a shared history, we are not really a community.”

——-

Ed Gallagher
ejg1@lehigh.edu
July 2019

Guide to Bethlehem History

Books:
Craig Atwood, Community of the Cross: Moravian Piety in Colonial Bethlehem (2012)

Bethlehem of Pennsylvania: The First One Hundred Years, 1741 to 1841 (1968)

Bethlehem of Pennsylvania: The Golden Years 1841-1920 (1976)

Kate Carte Engel, Religion and Profit: Moravians in Early America (2009)

Katie Faull, ed., Moravian Women’s Memoirs (1999)

Mark C. Iampietro, “Then & Now” Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Mark C. Iampietro and John Marquette, Tamar Bair’s Bethlehem: The Colonial Industrial Quarter

Joseph Levering, A History of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1741-1892 (1903)

Richmond Myers, Lehigh Valley: The Unsuspected (1972)

Richmond Myers, Sketches of Early Bethlehem (1981)

Jeffrey A. Parks, Stronger than Steel: Forging a Rust Belt Renaissance (2018)

Kenneth F. Raniere, Karen M. Samuels, and the South Bethlehem Historical Society, South Bethlehem (2010)

Karen M. Samuels, Legendary Locals of Bethlehem (2013)

Kathleen Stewart, ed. Bethlehem (1997)

John Strohmeyer, Crisis in Bethlehem: Big Steel’s Struggle to Survive (1994)

Chloe Taft, From Steel to Slots: Casino Capitalism in the Postindustrial City (2016)

Kenneth Warren, Bethlehem Steel: Builder and Arsenal of America (2009)

William C. Weiner, Jr. and Karen M. Samuels, Bethlehem (2011)

William C. Weiner, Jr. and Karen M. Samuels, Bethlehem Revisited (2014)


Online:
Bethlehem Digital History Project (Bethlehem Area Public Library and Moravian College)
http://bdhp.moravian.edu/home/home.html

Beyond Steel: An Archive of Lehigh Valley Industry and Culture (Lehigh University)
http://digital.lib.lehigh.edu/beyondsteel/

Local History Timeline (Bethlehem Area Public Library)
https://www.bapl.org/local-history/local-history-timeline/

Still Looking for You: A Bethlehem Place + Memory Project (Lehigh University)
https://memories.lehigh.edu/


Newspapers:
Globe-Times: Lehigh University

Morning Call: Newspapers.com (see Gallagher for log-in)


Libraries:
Bethlehem Area Public Library

Lehigh University

Moravian College


Archives:
Bethlehem Room (local history), Bethlehem Area Public Library

Moravian Archives, 41 West Locust, Bethlehem, PA 18018


Historical Societies and Organizations:
Historic Bethlehem
https://historicbethlehem.org/

Mount Airy Neighborhood Association
http://mana18018.org/

South Bethlehem Historical Society
http://southbethhistsoc.org/


Retail Book Store:
Moravian Book Shop, 428 Main St, Bethlehem, PA 18018


Unofficial historian:
Stephen Antalics:

A tip o’ the hat to Scott Gordon and Seth Moglen.

Bethlehem Moment 10: Gertrude Fox, Committed Environmentalist

(Latest in a series of posts on Bethlehem Moments)

Bethlehem Moment 10
City Council
July 2, 2019

Lynn Rothman, 870 Wafford Ln

Video of July 2 City Council meeting at min. 3:50.

Bethlehem Moment:  March 22, 1965

While walking along Jacksonville Road, Arthur Fox, aged 15, was struck and killed by a motorist. His mother, Gertrude “Gertie” Fox pressed for a walking path and traffic controls — both of which remain today. Yet this was just the beginning of her environmental and political activism. As Gertrude Fox stated in an interview, “I have two big projects: saving parkland and preserving our water resources.”

Graduating high school in 1934, where she excelled in mathematics, Gertrude was denied admittance to MIT because she was a woman. She received a degree from Simmons College in Boston where she studied science and engineering, holding four jobs to pay her way. There she realized that water “was where our next big shortage was going to be.  It won’t be oil, and it won’t be jobs. It’s going to be worse than that, losing our water resources.”

Two years later Gertrude and her husband moved to Bethlehem. She worked as a mathematics instructor in a number of Lehigh Valley schools and as an industrial biologist and metallurgical inspector for Bethlehem Steel, a male-dominated field, from 1945-1947.

In addition (perhaps more importantly!), she was an advocate for the protection of our precious waterways, particularly the Monocacy Creek.

Gertrude Fox had the knowledge and ability to convince developers and property owners to adopt construction practices that would minimize adverse impacts on water quality. She studied plans for proposed developments and then recommended changes to state and local governments, as well as to developers and landowners, to protect the environment.

Gertrude Fox was president of the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association, which is still active today.

In the mid-1980s, she led a group that petitioned to purchase the last remaining tract, 6.5 acres, of the original 500-acre Burnside Farm. Their goal was to save and preserve the heart of this 18th century Moravian farm in Bethlehem City, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1987 the Northampton County Council named a four-acre tract along the Monocacy Creek near the intersection of Routes 22 and 512 the “Gertrude Fox Conservation Area.” Three years later, President George H.W. Bush presented her with the first Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award.

On January 4, 1995, Gertrude Fox, an educator, ecologist, engineer and avid skier died. Her foresight as to the importance of preserving our natural resources has proven correct, and her legacy is still with us today.

“Struck by Auto, Boy Loses Life,” Morning Call, March 23, 1965, p. 5.

—————–

“Gertrude Fox ‘Mrs. Monocacy,’ Is Dead at 78 She was educator, politician, environmentalist, engineer,” Morning Call < https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1995-01-05-3027547-story.html > January 5, 1995. Accessed June 24, 2019.

Kranzley, Glenn. “Gertrude Fox was committed environmentalist in Bethlehem,” Morning Call <https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-yv-dolan-fox-center-kranzley-20141023-story.html > October 23, 2014. Accessed June 24, 2019.

Kranzley, Glenn. Still Changing, Still Home: Northampton County Since the 1950s. The Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society, Easton, PA, 2017.

Terkel, Studs. Coming of Age: The Story of Our Century by Those Who’ve Lived It. New York Press, 1996.

Sharing your reading: the walkable city (1)

(1st in a series of posts on sharing your reading)

from Jeff Speck, Walkable City (courtesy of Tony Hanna)

“Walkability is both an end and a means, as well as a measure. While the physical and social rewards of walking are many, walkability is perhaps most useful as it contributes to urban vitality and most meaningful as an indicator of that vitality. . . . Get walkability right and so much of the rest will follow.”

‘The pedestrian is an extremely fragile species, the canary in the coal mine of urban livability.”

“If they are to function properly, cities need to be planned by generalists.”

“What used to be white flight to the suburbs is turning into ‘bright flight’ to the cities.”

“The automobile is not only the single greatest contributor to our total carbon footprint but also a reliable predictor of that total.”

“We are a destructive species, and if you love nature, stay away from it. The best means of protecting the environment is to live in the heart of the city.”

“In most of our nation, the car is no longer an instrument of freedom, but rather a bulky, expensive, and dangerous prosthetic device, a prerequisite to viable citizenship.”

Gadfly invites you to share a few clips of your reading  — with or without comment — pertinent to the Gadfly project of conversation about Bethlehem.

Gadfly’s tail on the trail report

(Latest in a series of posts on Walkability and Bikeability)

Are you keeping fit?

After a poor start in May, Gadfly stepped it up in June, and is now on pace to double the Tail on the Trail 165-mile challenge. Just as he planned.

Been taking advantage of some beautiful weather. Mainly on the Delaware & Lehigh Trail. And mainly heading Allentown-way.

Hoping to live to see a junction bridge where he can cross the river.

Not too late to start if you aren’t in.

Tail on the Trail

Tail 1

 

Tail 3

H. D. workshop at William Allen (18)

(18th in a series of posts on H.D.)

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

Bethlehem-born writer Hilda Doolittle — H. D. —  (1886-1961) is
the “Lehigh Valley’s most important literary figure.”

Gadfly:

I wanted to let you know about one of the exciting developments or off-shoots of our Finding H.D. community exploration. Amanda Riggle, English teacher at William Allen High School contacted me to see if we could do a “Finding H.D.” workshop at her school. I asked two of our actor-devisers (who are working with Doug and me on the new H.D. play) if they would be interested in running an H.D. theater workshop at Allen High School. Attached below is Amanda’s description of the workshop that Will Reichard-Flynn and Aidan Gilrain-McKenna ran at Allen High School this month [May].

Jenni Gilrain

H.D. Workshop at William Allen High School

            Lehigh Valley residents Will Reichard-Flynn and Aidan Gilrain-McKenna, conducted a workshop on Thursday, May 2, 2019, at William Allen High School, using poetry by H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), a Bethlehem native whose innovative and experimental poetry and prose established her as a leading Idealist/Modernist. H.D. is widely recognized today as a queer, feminist visionary from the early twentieth century.  Approximately 40 students from grade 9-12 attended the hour and a half workshop, which was organized by English teacher, Mrs. Amanda Riggle, and science teacher, Ms. Rachel Zane.

Students sat in a circle and introduced themselves by name and by the pronouns they prefer to use when referencing themselves, such as he/him, she/her, and they/them.  HD 7This introduction allowed them to see that not all people use the pronouns assigned to them at birth. After reading of “Sheltered Garden” by H.D., the students discussed some of the stanzas that stood out to them, including images of breaking free and nature.

However, the real connection to the writing began when they began using the movement to express the spoken word. Although some were a bit timid at first, many students gotHD 5 into the theatre exercises of portraying meaning using movement and shape to add to their synthesis of the text.

The final activity placed students into random groups, using excerpts of previously unread H.D. poetry. The objective was to have each group member participate in creating movement and shape in connection with the meaning of the lines from the poem’s excerpt. All the groups created original interpretations and seemed to enjoy the experience.

Overall, the workshop was a success, even with the initial hesitation of the students. This opportunity to see different topics of feminism, identity, and gender gave all the students insight into their own identities; some surprisingly gained the self-confidence to discuss and participate, while others held back, their self-esteem lacking in front of their peers. This workshop truly separated the leaders and followers, which was wonderful to experience as educators; this was a time for students to express who they truly are when faced with adversity. Some blossomed, while others felt shy, but the experience will hopefully resonate with all of them; these types of conversations are beneficial as they continue to educate long after they are over. These experiences of facing our own understanding will help break down barriers of discrimination, prejudice, and ignorance in the future.

Amanda Riggle

Arrangements could not be made for the H. D. film on the “Finding H. D.” program, although the organizers are hoping for a showing later in the year. There will be some slight tinkering with dates for the showing of the original play in process, but otherwise the series continues as planned.

  Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

The birthday beat for Gadfly #1 goes on!

(The latest in a series of posts on Gadfly History)

OMG 90 years old!?!!! Stephen Antalics rocks! I have the utmost respect and admiration for him. When I grow up,  I want to be just like him: “a fierce fighter for justice for all!” Happy birthday, Stephen! — Olga

Wow, I had no idea this gadfly was 90 years old! Happy Birthday to Stephen! I’ve learned so much from your comments at city council meetings over the years. Thanks for all the wisdom. Your effort to make our city government the best it can be is inspiring. Keep it up!! In admiration and appreciation. — Breena

Happy Birthday, Steve, and many more! — Lynn R

Steve, Happy Birthday and many more! We need you! From Gadfly 002 to Gadfly 001 (with licenses to provoke.) — Bill

Happy 90th, Steve. I always await patiently for your eloquent commentary at City Council to wrap up issues of the day. Stay healthy & engaged!!– Bruce

Stephen Antalics is 90 years old today — June 21, 2019!

 

Birthday tribute to the King of the Gadflies!

(The latest in a series of posts on Gadfly History)

Kim Carrrell-Smith is a 31-year resident of Bethlehem’s historic Southside, where she taught public history at Lehigh University for almost two decades. She is also an aspiring gadfly, buzzing in on issues of historic preservation, public education, city government, and other social justice issues. She tips her wings to the master gadflies who have served our community for so long!

Stephen Antalics is 90. I find that hard to believe, but it makes me happy to have an occasion to wish him well and say thanks. He has been a fixture at City Council Meetings: the battling, dodging, darting, eloquent King of Gadflies who has brought so much to the attention of our elected and appointed city officials. He’s fought for justice, for enforcement of laws, for equity and respect for our citizens (even though the majority of our citizenry is unaware of his advocacy)! He is not paid to do this, nor is he seeking fame or glory. He simply wants what is best, and fair, and uplifting for our community. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you why I really love Stephen.

As a fellow Southsider who holds an abiding affection for this eclectic, diverse, vibrant part of town, I love Stephen because as a lifetime resident here he gets this place in a 094way that no one else under 90 really can. He’s part of this place, and he’s seen the good, the bad, the ups and downs, the old folks departing, and the younger folks coming in. He’s seen the range of ethnicities change and morph over time as our population has ebbed and flowed. And he loves the history of this place that is represented in its people, its buildings –from churches to businesses and homes, to industrial structures, to streetscapes—he knows that history is important. He knows that it is a selling point for this side of the river, just as it’s a selling point for that other side. And he’s not afraid to show up and do his part to help folks understand that.

Gadflies, as we know, are underappreciated and underestimated. They show up when you want to end a meeting, or when you want to rush something through; they don’t seem to fit our efficient, speedy “lifestyle” these days. The Usual Suspects are met with rolling eyes, and sometimes more overt derision and disrespect. But they persist. And Stephen is the guy who looks past all of that, and does what is necessary to raise consciousness, and consciences. He puts himself on the line. He brings attention to small things as well as big issues. He persists. And he makes us better people here in Bethlehem.

Stephen is 90? Hard to believe. But I’m wishing him light, and happiness, and well-being on this big birthday, with all of the thanks I can send him. The King of the Gadflies: long may he reign!

Kim

Stephen Antalics was born June 21, 1929!