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The Howard Shore Club, since its inception at the beginning of this school year, has taken Masterman by storm. Interested students have flocked to Room 101, Thursdays at lunch, in unprecedented numbers to listen and analyze the work of that luminary virtuoso, Howard Shore. There were whispers in the halls when this club started, with many doubts about its seriousness. They, of course, have not stood the test of time. The Howard Shore Club, if it can be given credit for nothing else, has created a real academic space for lovers of film and music to talk freely about the qualities that make them all special. From what I’ve noticed during my time, the room has always been full of life. Its members are enthusiastic to learn, and really connect themselves with Mr. Shore’s work. Recently, this culture has found itself under threat. And indeed, it is no minor threat.
Photo courtesy of Lucas Jackson (12-2)
American journalist Sydney J. Harris once wrote very astutely, “History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done.” I fear he may be right. The COVID-19 pandemic, considering solely its influence on our school, ended the 2019/20 school year early in March, and transformed the 2020/21 school year into a virtual environment. For many, it was uncomfortable to speak in a class through a screen, and it was frustrating being isolated from close friends for so long. It would not be too far a reach to say damage was done, in some form. And if I could be forgiven for bleeding quotes I might mention that George Santayana once famously said that “those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” which makes me wonder if this pandemic has been too soon forgotten. Because right here in our building, in Room 101, Thursdays at lunch, an epidemic has been brewing. Minds in the back of the classroom have been captured, led astray from the given lesson plans. Heads burrow into their phones, tapping away at a now highly popular mobile game, Clash Royale. From what I gather from Wikipedia, Clash Royale is a tower rush video game which pits players in games featuring two or four players (1v1 or 2v2) in which the objective is to destroy the most opposing towers, with the destruction of the "King's Tower" being an instantaneous win. Still, how addictive can a game be to distract someone from the great, Canadian composer Howard Shore?! My worry is that we’re falling back into a deeply disastrous situation and history is so tragically repeating itself. Focus and passion have lately been plummeting right down to the bottom. Damage has already been done.
This is a critical problem, there is no doubt, and there are reasons why it is difficult to handle. Sebastian Goldstein (12-1) had this to say about the issue: “The Clash Royale epidemic that has plagued the Howard Shore Club since its founding has been getting progressively out of hand this week. Unfortunately, the problem has become systemic and is unlikely to be solved quickly, and may require radical action to alleviate the burden on the club. The users of the mobile game have a blatant disregard for the titular composer and are often encouraged to leave, however the amount of club members that routinely play the game, and routinely decided to do it in the club, has become so large that it is unrealistic to remove such a large quantity of people. Club leadership is currently determining the best course of action, and any determination on strategies to quell the Clash insurgency will be presented in short time.” As co-president of the club, I realize the importance of allowing freedom to our members, even if it means they may use their phones. The solution, I sense, more likely comes in showing why Howard Shore, the absolutely dazzling maestro, responsible for such musical gems as “Concerning Hobbits,” “The Riders of Rohan,” and “The Bridge of Khazad Dum,” is better worth the attention than Clash Royale, the mobile game. It amazes me that the truth of this comparison is not self-evident. But even if it’s not, I know it is soon to be realized.
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