Coming soon to 113th Street: McVickar hall, another space for alumni to network...but this time with undergrads!

Just five short years until the 6th and 7th graders at Columbia's Secondary School can get a taste of the big kid Core

The headline "Stale Castlevania Goes Eclectic in Order of Ecclesia" exists, heralds in a new video game

Columbia wins a football game

Alas, some grinches remind us that there's still no money, and, worse still, no paper

Feeling melancholy this Sunday? Be daring and venture out of the confines of Butler into Morningside Park, the area's oft-dismissed sanctuary of tall trees and fresh breezes.

At the bottom of the 436,232 stone steps, Bwog had to flatten itself against a wall as hordes of screaming children raced around in circles, delighted at having finally finished their midterms. They informed us that, roughly translated from the language of Childbabble, the new playground had finally opened. This required an investigation.

The new playground has a pleasing blue-and-green color scheme that blends in nicely with the surrounding park. It's a more free-form style than some of the old themed playgrounds Bwog remembers. There's also a definite separation from the super-little equipment for toddlers and the more challenging slides and such for the older kids. The playground was completely overwhelmed with moms on cellphones not paying attention to their kids, busy running into poles and climbing everything within reach.

Photos and more after the jump.

Remember when hundreds of Upper West Side five-year-olds and their parents stormed Morningside Heights last year in a grand showing of support for reading, cheesy bands and Target?

Well, friends, it's happening again on October 5th and once again you will be able to hear bands, including They Might Be Giants and their child-appropriate repertoire (think "Why the Sun Shines," not "Your Racist Friend"), and stories read by television and theater stars. Bwog is especially excited for Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players, known for their uke skills and cute faces!

Today, Jake Shapiro—son of J-School professor Michael Shapiro and New York Times foreign editor Susan Chira—became a man. Bwog found Jake playing air hockey on the fifth floor of Lerner. Jake, a student at School at Columbia, had arrived minutes earlier from his Torah reading, for which he explained he was "troubled by disturbing suspense."

Easily defeating his opponent from a second game of air hockey, Jake stepped away from the table and reported that he was having a lot of fun. Though he "didn't have a favorite present" and says he hasn't opened them all yet, he spoke excitedly about the Mac (with Leopard!) his parents had given him for his 13th birthday.

It was four years ago that Jake's sister, Eliza, a 17-year-old who hopes to go to Columbia (welcome to CC '12, Eliza!), also held her Bat Mitzvah reception in Lerner. Jake isn't sure whether or not he plans on applying here, but hopes to become a scientist. "Well, a scientists who teaches," he clarified.

Jake's ten-year-old cousin, Luke—son of Columbia Shakespeare professor James Shapiro—was also in attendance. Luke looked positively dapper in a red power-tie and crisp white oxford. Though Luke played basketball for the entirety of the interview, he categorized the foosball table as his "favorite game here."

Luke, ever a gentleman and a scholar, diplomatically explained that he didn't have a favorite Shakespeare play, but he's "seen a lot of plays and likes them all."

Suddenly, a man came bounding down the Lerner ramps. "Hi, Jake?" he asked, joining the conversation with a furrowed brow. "Hi, Dad!" Jake replied, cheerily.

Journalism professor Michael Shapiro introduced himself to a sheepish Bwog. He eyed Bwog's reporter's notebook and digital camera. Jake scurried to greet guests, Luke returned to his electronic indoor basketball.

- JNW

It's stroller gridlock on South Lawn.

Kids and parents from Park Slope to the Upper West Side have gathered in front of Butler for the New York Times' "Sunday of free fun for book-loving families." It's a day of book signings, giveaways, readings, and performances and toddlers have gathered en masse in inappropriately autumnal apparel.

Throughout the day, "notable New Yorkers" will be reading from beloved children's book, including Stacy London (host of What Not to Wear) reading Clementine, NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly reading Green Eggs and Ham, and Blues Clues host Steve Burns reading Bud, Not Buddy. Bwog was kind of hoping for a Giuliani reading of The Lorax, but alas.

Last week a vigilant commenter tipped us off to a possible They Might Be Giants concert happening on October 14th on campus. Well, first, said commenter was lucky that a Bwog editor caught that tidbit (send in things to the alias, come on now!). Second, we emailed TMBG's bookers High Road Touring and they confirmed the date- and added that it's going to be a "kids show." So you can geek out and regress into early childhood to your heart's content.

Face-to-face with his former self, Bwog staffer and summer denizen Armin Rosen reflects on the pre-college phenomenon. More after the jump.

Of all the traumatic events that marred what would have otherwise been a happy and productive middle school career, my brush with president Dwight David Eisenhower was one of the worst. Going to an unfamiliar, far-off corner of the globe with People to People--Eisenhower's Cold War-era "student ambassador" program--sure did seem like a good idea at the time. But since that time was the summer before seventh grade and that part of the world consisted mostly of dusty, open wasteland (nothing personal, Australia--I'm just not a fan), the ten days had a certain Hell-on-earth quality to it that took me a while to shake.

So when a small army of innocent-looking high schoolers in identical People-to-People polo shirts descended on Van Am quad this afternoon, I vanquished any lingering Proustian associations and endeavored to figure out why they were here.

The almost fascist uniformity of dress--maroon polos paired with heavy, sweat-stained khaki pants--must have been a red flag for at least of few of these kids. And as a pre-college program brat myself (Summer at Brown, '04), I know that freedom is crucial in staving off insanity whilst surrounded by hundreds of overeager resume-padders like yourself. So did these kids realize what they had gotten themselves in to?

Our correspondent wades through the morass of Reunion 2007, last weekend's get-together for 60 years of Columbia and Barnard grads.

The annual tri-college reunion brings with it myriad opportunities for the enterprising summer student. For the social climber, it is a chance to establish some gainful contacts with potentially loaded and influential alumni. For the scavenger--and particularly for the scavenger who treats the Cottage's "free wine with every entrée" arrangement with the deathly seriousness it deserves--it is an opportunity to drink on the university's dime (Alma Mater might suck at reigning in her financial aid officials, but she can throw a hell of a wine and cheese). For the sarcastic and overly-analytical set (bloggers, for instance) the reunion was a chance to interact with a rapidly fossilizing generation of Columbians for whom race quotas were a reality and co-ed floors an absurd hypothetical; to gape in horror at what you may very well be like one day, and to shudder at the prospect of something as presently abstract as a 50-year (or even 5-year) college reunion.

Curious about the students who will swarm our hallowed halls come September? You know, the most recent "smartest class ever"? Never fear-- staffer Lucy Tang wades into the muck so you don't have to. Her report:

If you thought the class of 2010 was annoying with their Myspace groups, discussion threads that provided too much information about various (non)existent sex lives, endless facebook groups that multiplied overnight, and random friend requests-- which all resulted in the retaliatory group "Class of 2010 PLEASE calm down... you're not even here yet!"-- then you're going to love the class of 2011.

Their main facebook group already boasts 1,138 members, 357 photos, 353 discussion posts, and an overabundance of eagerness and naivete. We all remember the feeling of excitement and fear before coming to school, but what did people do before facebook existed? Maybe they kept their thoughts inside and made friends face to face orientation week and in classes? Hm?

Brace yourself for a quick overview of the groups that have sprouted up:

If you heard the happy shouts of children outside Philosophy this afternoon, here's why.

We're not perverts, we promise--just innocence-deprived.

- LBD