Tower The Masters School
VOLUME 70, NUMBER 3
49 Clinton Avenue Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 10522
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013
tower.mastersny.org
Masters mourns Mandela Sofia Linden News Editor
To commemorate the recent death of South African President and political activist Nelson Mandela, students and faculty articulated their feelings about him. Academic Dean Chris Goulian worked in Swaziland with the Peace Corps, during the time of Mandela’s imprisonment. He said, “He really saw himself not as someone who wanted power, but someone who wanted to facilitate change. What struck me me was the immense power he constructed, even though he was in prison.” continued on page 7
Union strikers protest MAAC construction on Clinton Avenue Abigail Costigan Opinion Editor ADAM E. MOREIRA/WIKI COMMONS
AFTER GOING 80 MPH on a turn that should have been approached at 30 mph, the Croton Harmon train veered off course at the Spuyten Duyvil stop. Although derailments have occurred in the past, for the first time in Metro-North history lives were lost. In addition, 64 were injured in the accident.
Metro-North Train Derailment: Students reflect on the tragedy
Ariel Censor Copy Editor/Managing Editor
M
any students rely on the Metro-North Croton Harmon train line to commute to school everyday. For this reason, the recent derailment of the Metro-North train at Spuyton Duyvil stop on Dec. 1 hit close to home. “At first, I wasn’t really that distraught about it. I thought, ‘Will I be able to catch my train to school still?” said freshman Willa Dow, a commuter from Garrison. “Once I found out that people died in the accident that lived near me, I was really surprised and realized how serious it was.” Junior Serena Wessley, who also commutes from Garrison, had a similar reaction. “I checked to see if anyone I knew had been
on the train,” she said. “I found nity. Butler lived across from the out that Jim Lovell, who I met on Lovells for seven years and Patthe train, was a victim of the acci- terson went to middle school with dent. I was deeply saddened, but his children. mostly just really shocked.” “When I heard about the acciJim Lovell, 58, was one of four dent, I never thought someone I killed when the Metro-North train knew would be on the train,” Patturned a corner at a dangerous terson said. “When I found out speed and went that I did, I off the tracks. was shocked Lovell lived in and really Cold Spring, a sad.” town many stuLovell’s dents commute When I heard about the accident, n e i g h b o r , Toby Shimin, from on a daily I never thought someone I knew set up a dobasis. He is surwould be on the train. nation page vived by his wife, to support three sons ages - Sophia Patterson the family on 11, 15 and 17 the website and daughter. Go Fund Me. Junior MagSo far, nearly gie Butler and $100,000 has been raised, inspirsophomore Sophia Patterson ing Butler to organize a bake sale knew Lovell personally. Both to add to the efforts. Butler and Patterson grew up “I know the family struggles in the same town as Lovell, who financially and that Masters is was very active in their commu-
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so involved in community service with MISH, so I saw the perfect opportunity to help,” said Butler, who raised $720 for the family through the bake sale. Butler said that the family is deserving of all of the support they’re getting. “You read interviews talking about Jim being ‘the sweetest man’ in the papers and hear it on TV, but he really was selfless,” she said. Despite the train accident, students don’t feel like their safety is in danger when they ride the train. “I think it’s still safer than taking a car,” said junior Emily O’Rourke. “You hear of so many more car accidents than train ones. Things like this rarely happen.” Dow agreed that the train she takes to school is safe. “This really never happens, so I’m completely fine with getting to school this way,” Dow said.
Protesters representing the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters and the Local 46, the rebar lathers, have taken to sporadic chanting, picketing and whistle-blowing on the sidewalk of Clinton Avenue. These union workers are protesting the use of nonunion labor used in the construction of the MAAC (Masters Arts and Athletic Center). As Director of Business and Finance, Bob Rooney is in charge of coordination between the school and Shawmut, the company in charge of constructing the MAAC and has been paying close attention to the protests. “We’ve asked security officers not to let protesters park on campus and watch out for students and teachers on the sidewalk. I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Rooney said. A labor union as an organization of workers formed to protect the rights and interests of its members in respect to wages, benefits and working conditions. Member of the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters Ed Coook said, “Workers at Masters are bused all the way from South Jersey, while the union workers that live in Westchester are out of work.” Rooney said, “I understand what the union workers are up against and can feel for their concerns, but at the same time we have a free market economy and I think it’s important to have both union and non-union workers represented.”
INSIDE THE ISSUE LETTER TO THE EDITOR Head of the Upper School Matt Ives responds to Tower’s editorial; defends Executive Committee. PAGE 3
SENIOR TRADITION As the college process rolls around, many seniors change their Facebook names to hide their identities while others do it for the sake of tradition. PAGE 5
FENCING FIGHTS ON Although fencing has graduated some key players this past June, they still expect winning results in the upcoming season. PAGE 8