Why ‘Tom Sawyer’ still matters 150 years later

This year, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our great nation, it is worth pausing from time to time to recognize other important anniversaries that have made a lasting impact on our culture. One such milestone is the publication of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” which turned 150 years old this month. Historically speaking, Tom Sawyer helped popularize the coming- of-age st…