Forum on the Hill

The Forum on the Hill provides opportunities for the community to engage with speakers once a month, (September- June) who discuss current topics. Join the Conversations! Presented both in person at 12:30pm in Widener Hall and then recorded and posted online here the next day. *Bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy, and we serve light snacks, water, and coffee starting at Noon.

CLICK HERE to Watch the March 13th presentation

A $5 donation is requested for the series to help support this program when you attend in person. If you are watching online, please consider making this small contribution through the secure Donate button below, or mail a check made out to PCCH to: Center on the Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia PA 19118 if you watch online. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Registration Required to attend in person, please CLICK HERE to Register Online, or call 215-247-4654 or email msaavedra@chestnuthillpres.org 

March 13 
Margaret Montet    
The Famous Bayeux Tapestry

The famous Bayeux Tapestry is not a tapestry at all, but an embroidery from the Middle Ages! Measuring 230 feet by twenty inches, it tells the story of William the Conqueror’s victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1060 which resulted in him claiming the English throne. As an historical document, it also gives the modern viewer clues to medieval warfare, life, and humor. This presentation will describe the history which inspired the tapestry/embroidery, the embroidery’s history, and the medieval city of Bayeux where the tapestry is displayed today. Presenter Margaret Montet visited the tapestry/embroidery in December 2023.

Margaret Montet’s narratives of place feature music, memoir, culture and occasionally genealogy. Also a college librarian, Margaret holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction, teaches public speaking, and presents multimedia music-centered lectures at lifelong learning venues. Her creative nonfiction has been published in many journals, anthologies, and two books: Nerd Traveler (2021),and Brooklyn Family Album (2024).

Recent PAST Forums:

Beth Kephart         
My Life in Paper  Watch HERE

Barbara VornDick
Eliza’s True Story  Watch HERE

Michael Schaffer and Ben Lerner
The Defender: The Battle to Protect the Rights of the Accused in Philadelphia  Watch HERE

Angelo Cataldi
Turning up the Volume in the Most Passionate Sports City in America  Watch HERE

Amy Jane Cohen
Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape  Watch HERE

Rebecca Yamin
Digging In the City of Brotherly Love. Stories from Philadelphia Archaeology  Watch HERE

David Young
The Battles of Germantown  Watch HERE

Thomas Keels
Franklins Forgotten Philadelphia  Watch HERE

Dan Biddle and Murray Dubin
Tasting Freedom: the life of civil rights activist Octavius Catto. Watch HERE

Eric Gershenow
The Science Behind Creating a New Medication  Watch HERE