NEWS BRIEFS: Monday, September 9, 1996

Writers House opens today The Writers House, located at 38th Street and Locust Walk, provides the opportunity for student, staff and faculty interaction, according to Writers House Faculty Coordinator and English Professor Al Filreis. "There's nothing like it at Penn –– a non-curricular program, run collaboratively by students, staff and faculty, located on the residential side of campus, with academic [and] intellectual projects, events and programs," Filreis said. The Writers House is based in the former chaplain's home, which was built in 1851 as part of a Victorian suburban development project and is among the oldest remaining residences in West Philadelphia. "[It is] a wonderful old house that we find perfect for creating a lively intellectual atmosphere around the broadest possible sense of writers and writing," Filreis said. This fall, the Writers House will host a visiting writers series, beginning with a Lorenzo Thomas reading on September 18. Discussions with English Professor and poet Bob Perelman and writer Ben Friedlander will take place on September 21 and 26, respectively. There will also be a weekly "open-mike" reading for writers from the University, community partnership programs with high-school writers, a "preceptorial" on poetry sponsored by the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education and nightly writing advising sessions. An Arts Cafe on the first floor is open for students from 11 a.m. to midnight. A full events calendar can be found on the Writers House homepage "http://www.english.upenn.edu/~wh". The Writers House is supported by the University, which provides a program budget and a small allowance to buy furniture, Filreis said. The house is accepting donations of additional furniture and books so it can create a writers' library. –– Marisa Katz Memorial service for Baltzell Sept. 21 Former Sociology Professor E. Digby Baltzell, who died August 17, will be remembered during a memorial service on September 21 at Christ Church, located at 2nd and Market streets. The service will begin at 11 a.m. The University is now accepting donations in Baltzell's memory for the newly-established E. Digby Baltzell Sociology Fund. -- Randi Feigenbaum