Egg Hunts in Germantown
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming: Spring is here! Enjoy the season by attending one of the egg hunts in Historic Germantown this April.
On Saturday April 7th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Awbury Arboretum will also host an Easter Egg Hunt on its beautiful, spacious grounds. Neighbors and friends will gather to welcome spring with an egg hunt, games, and light refreshments. For more information call 215.849.2855.
Also on April 7th, bring the kids to Stenton for their annual Easter Egg Hunt! Hunts will begin at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. and children can fill their baskets with chocolate goodies. Also, learn about natural dyes made from flowers, vegetables, and animal products and try them out on eggs that are provided. For information or reservations, please call 215.329.7312. The event is free, but donations are appreciated.
We hope to see you there!
Deborah Norris Logan: Historian, Transcriber, Memoirist
Although primarily self-educated, Deborah Norris Logan became a very influential and important historian and writer. Her publications helped preserve documents that would have otherwise been lost. Her efforts continue to be an asset as we look back on the nation’s growth and development.
Deborah was the daughter of Charles Norris, a Quaker merchant, and Mary Parker. Her childhood home was two doors away from the state house, some claim that Deborah stood on the garden fence to listen to the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Perhaps it was this proximity to the establishment of the new nation that sparked Deborah’s interest in preserving its history.
On September 6, 1781, Deborah married George Logan, a Quaker physician, and two years later they moved to Stenton. It was here in 1814 that Deborah found a series of old letters between William Penn and James Logan, her husband’s grandfather. Deborah transcribed each of the letters, and they were later published by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. After her husband’s death in 1821, Deborah began a memoir of his life, containing letters and anecdotes, later published as Memoir of Dr. George Logan of Stenton.
Because of her contributions, Deborah became the first female member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1827, and in 1830 John F. Watson’s Annals of Philadelphia included her memoirs and some of the manuscripts she rescued. Deborah Logan died on February 2, 1839. The Historical Society of Philadelphia issued a tribute to her as a Pennsylvania historian.
The documents rescued by Deborah Norris Logan, as well as her own diaries regarding the social habits of prominent Philadelphia families in addition to political, religious, and cultural developments within the city, have helped historians study and understand our nation from its birth.
4th Annual Grumblethorpe Jazz Event
What better way to enjoy your weekend than with an evening of jazz music! On Saturday, March 31st, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., Grumblethorpe will host its 4th Annual Jazz Event at the Germantown Mennonite Church, 21 W. Washington Lane. The evening will feature Bruce Barth on piano, Larry McKenna on sax, Mike Booke on bass and vocals by Suzanne Brose.
The cost of this event is $35 per person and includes wine and light fare. For questions or to order tickets, please call Jorja Fullerton at 215.925.2251. Proceeds from the evening benefit Grumblethorpe education programs.
Colonial Egg Dyeing at Historic RittenhouseTown
Looking to spice up your egg dyeing this Easter? Join Historic RittenhouseTown for a class on Colonial egg dyeing. The class will be led by Deb Peterson of Pastmasters. Participants will learn how to dye eggs using organic, natural dyes such as onion skins, grape juice, red cabbage, beets, spices, flowers and candle-wax. Eggs are limited to six per person.
This class is appropriate for adults and children five and up. Advanced registration and payment required. Visit www.rittenhousetown.org to register. Due to popular demand, this class will be offered twice during the day at 11 AM and 1 PM. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children.
La Salle University Art Museum will host the 14th Annual Archdiocese of Philadelphia Student Art Exhibition. More than 150 student from 18 Catholic high schools will have their work judged by a panel from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.
Teachers from each participating school selected the art work they thought was best to exhibit. Students will be judged in the categories of drawing, painting, design, printmaking, computer-aided art, photography mixed media/collage/mosaic, three-dimensional and ceramics. First and second place in each category will be awarded.
The opening reception and awards ceremony for the contest will be held on Saturday, March 24th from 1-3 PM in the Community Art Gallery in the lower level of Olney Hall. The exhibit will remain open until April 12th.
The exhibit and opening reception are free. For more information, visit www.lasalle.edu/museum or call 215-951-1221.
Old Rose Workshop Series at Wyck
Do you want to cultivate your own rose garden? Are you unsure of the proper seasonal maintenance? Wyck’s 2012 Old Rose Workshop Series will guide you step-by-step on how to cultivate a beautiful and bountiful rose garden.
The first in the series is Spring Pruning for Blooms on Saturday, March 17th from 9 AM – 12 PM. This workshop will give hands-on experience in tip pruning and revitalizing your roses after the winter without losing your upcoming flowers. Students should bring pruning shears and gloves. Additional topics include Rose Petals in All Their Glory, Propagation of Roses, Summer Pruning Form, and Rose Hips and What You Make of Them.
The cost for the whole 5-part series for Wyck Members is $200, $250 for non-Members. Individual Classes for Wyck Members are $50 and $75 for non-Members. To register visit http://www.wyck.org/home.For more information, please contact Elizabeth Belk at 215-848-1690 or ebelk@wyck.org.
Victorian Nature Study at the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion
In the Victorian era, photography was a new invention and not widespread. Therefore, to record their findings, botanists reached for a pen or paintbrush to produce very detailed and often beautiful illustrations of plants and animals. Today, these nature studies are admired for their color and lavishness. At the time, they served to educate and to record new discoveries.
On Sunday, March 18th from 1:30 – 4:30 pm, the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion will host a workshop to learn about and create your own nature watercolor, led by instructor Jency Latta. All materials will be provided. Cookies and tea will be served.
Call 215-438-1861 to make a reservation. The workshop is $45 for non-members and $40 for members.
Jennett Rowland Johnson
Being slight, weighing less than 100 pounds, no one expected much of Jennett Rowland Johnson. Despite this, she raised a large family, cared greatly for her community, and provided a safe haven at the Johnson House for Freedom Seekers on their journey to the north.
Jennett was born in 1784 to John and Sarah Rowland. Jennett’s parents had joined the Quaker faith and had freed their three 
slaves. Her Quaker up-bringing is the likely root of Jenett’s strong values regarding human dignity, a belief that she instilled in her own children.
In 1805 Jennett married Samuel Johnson, and the couple moved into the house on the corner of Washington Lane and Germantown Avenue. She had 12 children and served as the head of the Johnson household for the next 71 years. Stories convey that the busy household was known amongst neighbors for its warmth and hospitality. It is believed that this hospitality was extended to the travel-weary Freedom Seekers along the Underground Railroad. Additionally, tradition holds that the home saw visits from other famous abolitionists such as William Still.
Jennett Rowland Johnson died in June of 1876 at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy of anti-slavery leaders in her own children.
David Richardson: Defender of Social Justice
David Richardson (right) was remarkably devoted to his constituents, as noted by colleagues.
David Richardson grew up with a strong awareness of the social issues in his Germantown community and across the nation. This awareness motivated Richardson at age 18 to be a leader in a city-wide protest, calling for more black teachers and administrators, the right to wear African clothing, and the teaching of African history in the Philadelphia public high schools.
On November 17, 1967, Richardson, his fellow African American high school students, and their supporters marched on the Philadelphia School Board. Those who remember the day recall students marching down Broad Street from North Philadelphia and up from South Philadelphia.
Five years after the protest, at age 23, Richardson took the 201st legislative district seat in a landslide victory. In his 22 years in the state capital, Richardson chaired dozens of committees and supported hundreds of bills. He was renowned for his commitment to social justice and his loyalty to his constituents.
David Richardson tragically died at age 47 of a heart attack when he collapsed in his home on Chew Avenue. Richardson is considered to be one of the greatest leaders of Germantown, and his commitment to social justice continues to inspire young leaders today.
‘The Good Raised Up,’ a Musical Storytelling Experience at Johnson House
This Saturday March 3rd, from 1-4 PM, Johnson house will host The Good Raised Up, an inspiring musical storytelling experience.
This original work of ‘sung story’ is a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Girlchoir, the Keystone State Boychoir, Find Your Instrument!, and the Johnson House Historic Site. This dramatic composition also features the talents of two Philadelphia artists: storyteller Charlotte Blake-Alston and jazz violinist John Blake, Jr. The program recounts a fateful night when a community came together at the Johnson House to conceal escaped slaves from a search party seeking to return the ‘fugitives’ to slavery.
There will be performances beginning at 1:00, 1:45, 2:30, and 3:15 p.m. The event is free, but you must reserve a ticket to see the performance at the Johnson House. A simulcast will be aired in the neighboring Germantown Mennonite Church. You do not need a ticket for the simulcast. Additionally the afternoon will feature craft demonstrations, historic actors and more!
We hope to see you there!
