diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f5f18328c..5be6d9915 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ Maintainers will respect confidentiality with regard to reports.
 
 ## Acknowledgements ##
 
-The early development of `music21` was been supported by
+The early development of `music21` was supported by
 the generosity of the Seaver Institute and the
 National Endowment for the Humanities, along with MIT's Music and Theater Arts Section
 and the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
diff --git a/documentation/source/usersGuide/usersGuide_14_timeSignatures.ipynb b/documentation/source/usersGuide/usersGuide_14_timeSignatures.ipynb
index 24b7d6fc4..b36a5d166 100644
--- a/documentation/source/usersGuide/usersGuide_14_timeSignatures.ipynb
+++ b/documentation/source/usersGuide/usersGuide_14_timeSignatures.ipynb
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@
    ],
    "source": [
     "for n in alto.recurse().notes:\n",
-    "    n.stemDirection = None\n",
+    "    n.stemDirection = 'unspecified'\n",
     "\n",
     "alto.show()"
    ]
diff --git a/music21/tinyNotation.py b/music21/tinyNotation.py
index 3eff7b0fe..e4c15633a 100644
--- a/music21/tinyNotation.py
+++ b/music21/tinyNotation.py
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@ def affectTokenBeforeParse(self, tokenStr: str) -> str:
 
     def affectTokenAfterParseBeforeModifiers(
         self,
-        m21Obj: base.Music21Object
-    ) -> base.Music21Object:
+        m21Obj: Music21Object
+    ) -> Music21Object:
         '''
         called after the object has been acquired but before modifiers have been applied.
         '''
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ def affectTokenAfterParseBeforeModifiers(
 
     def affectTokenAfterParse(
         self,
-        m21Obj: base.Music21Object
-    ) -> base.Music21Object:
+        m21Obj: Music21Object
+    ) -> Music21Object:
         '''
         called to modify the tokenObj after parsing
 
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ def affectTokenAfterParse(
                 self.end()
                 # this is a hack that should be done away with...
                 p = self.parent
+                if p is None:
+                    return m21Obj
 
                 # I thought this was potentially O(n^2) but it's actually
                 # just O(n) on activeStates and on pop() operation.
diff --git a/music21/tree/verticality.py b/music21/tree/verticality.py
index 0f5fd9f41..fba1046cd 100644
--- a/music21/tree/verticality.py
+++ b/music21/tree/verticality.py
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ def newNote(ts: spans.PitchedTimespan, n: note.Note) -> note.Note:
                 nNew.pitch = n.pitch
 
             if nNew.stemDirection != 'noStem':
-                nNew.stemDirection = None
+                nNew.stemDirection = 'unspecified'
             if not addTies:
                 return nNew