School’s In

It still doesn’t have a name, but the Penn-assisted public school opened in September. Here are some pictures, plus a talk with Principal—and Penn alumna—Sheila Sydnor.

Harold Stassen and the Ivy League

The former Minnesota governor and future perennial U.S. presidential candidate wanted a big-time football program at Penn, but his battles over a boycott by other Ivy Schools and televising of football games actually helped create the Ivy League.

The Stamp Seal Mystery

A Bronze Age mound in Central Asia yielded a tantalizing clue to a “new” ancient civilization. For archaeologist Fred Hiebert, it was one more reason why Raphael Pumpelly was right.

How Excellent?

Take nine strategic goals, six academic priorities, 12 schools, five years and close to a billion dollars and what do you get?

Man of Letters

Alfred Butts created the blockbuster word game known as Scrabble during the Depression. A new book examines the meticulous word-tinker, the evolution of the game, and the effect it had on America.

Dinosaurs Lost and Found

A Penn graduate student's quest to rediscover the "lost dinosaurs of Egypt" was a story made for television—a two-hour documentary will air this winter—and led to a spectacular new find as well.

Speech!

More than a half century after he nearly dropped out of Penn, Noam Chomsky towers over the field of linguistics and the politics of dissent. What would have happened if he hadn't met Zellig Harris?

Sprawl and the City

In a new book, Penn-affiliated experts provide a crash course on what went wrong with America's cities—and offer some ideas on how to fix them.

The Moral Classroom

Getting students to conform to a rigid list of virtues won’t transform them into thoughtful moral agents, say Dr. Joan Goodman and Dr Howard Lesnick, Penn professors who have co-written a new book i response to the growing “character-education” movement. They endorse a messier, but more meaningful approach to moral education.

Going Where Science Leads

Established in 1892 as a museum for anatomic specimens as well as a center for the "increase of original scientific knowledge," the Wistar Institute today is at the forefront of basic research on cancer, AIDS and other diseases.

“No Other Life”

The Mourning of Mario Lanza, Chubby Checker's twisting rise and fall, a race riot in North Philadelphia and the Phillies' 1964 "nervous breakdown." Memories of a boyhood in the city.

Raising Caine

Uri Caine's imaginative, genre-crossing musical projects—mixing influences from Bach to bebop and beyond—are sparking controversy and garnering international acclaim.

Advising Women

From paying off your credit card debt to helping your kids manage their allowance, these members of the Class of 1986 have the answers to all your financial questions.

This is Only a Test

Rather than wrangle over a hypothetical new curriculum, the College of Arts and Sciences has opted for an experimental approach—with help from some pioneering freshmen.