In a recent note to the NYU community , President Andrew Hamilton welcomed new and returning students, recapped the most significant events of the summer–from Obama making the Stonewall Inn a national monument to a former SPS student becoming a first-round draft pick in the MLB, and even provided some fun facts about our eating habits on campus.
One thing we were particularly excited to see, though, was his praise of CALA faculty member Emily Folpe’s book, It Happened on Washington Square, which explores the social and cultural history of a space so dear to NYU’s collective heart.
Read Mr. Hamilton’s take on the book below.
It Happened on Washington Square by Emily Kies Folp
At a reception Jennie and I hosted for members of the Greenwich Village community, I was delighted to meet Emily Kies Folpe, the author of this captivating history of Washington Square Park, which introduced me to the colorful characters and tumultuous debates that have made the Park – originally a potter’s field – the lively scene it has been since the late 19th century. Washington Square came to epitomize the “downtown scene” and bohemian spirit of the Village, and its history reveals a role in pivotal moments of this city. It has also served as an incubator of ideas, from the artistic to the political, which we still see today. As a new resident of the neighborhood, I now walk through the park with newfound insights and appreciation for this glorious 10 acres (9.75 to be exact) in our midst.
This fall, Emily will be teaching A College Refresher: A Sampling of the Humanities at CALA, and Impressionism and Postimpressionism: Monet to Van Gogh. Sign up today!
I am so happy to see a tribute to Emily Folpe. Having taken several of her courses, I can testify to her wealth of knowledge and magnificent ability to impart so much to her students. I would encourage all to register for Emily’s ongoing series at NYU..