Tarmac October 2007.pdf - Chaminade High School

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SHORE by Michael Calceglia ‘08 THING T.R.’S HOUSE “Revisiting Sagamore Hill gave me a better understanding of our ‘Rough Rider’ President, as well as the inspiration to visit other historical sites on Long Island.” 10 FEATURE Exploring the Home of “Long Island’s” President As I sat in Mr. Bruce Bombara’s American history class, learning about Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, I could not help recalling the memories of summers past. Sagamore Hill, home to Long Island’s only President, Theodore Roosevelt, has provided me with frequent opportunities to discover the house behind the “Rough Rider.” After getting the facts from history class, I decided to return to the “Hill” and learn more about Roosevelt from outside the binding of a textbook. After walking up the dirt path, I joined the other guests sitting on wooden rocking chairs, waiting for our tour guide, Mr. Andrew Buttermilch, to arrive. He began with a background lecture on Roosevelt’s life. “Theodore Roosevelt bought 155 acres of farmland on a small peninsula called Cove Neck, located in Oyster Bay, New York. In 1884, Roosevelt hired a New York architect from the firm of Lamb & Rich to design a shingle-style Queen Anne home to be built on this property, where Roosevelt and his family would reside for the rest of their lives,” said Mr. Buttermilch. After this background lecture, we were ushered through the oversized front door and into the front hall. As I walked through the hall, my eye was drawn towards the large elephant tusks in front of the fireplace. It would be nearly impossible not to notice this gift from the emperor of Abyssinia. “These tusks are the most frequently questioned and most often remembered artifact in the house,” said Buttermilch. Just off the front hall is the library. I learned that this space was where Roosevelt sat down and wrote his 30plus books and biographies. I later discovered that this room was also the site for family games and discussions among the President and his children. During the famed “Summer White House” years, 1902–1908, the library was transformed into a meeting place for the President’s staff. While Roosevelt had the library to showcase his books, the crown jewel of the home is undoubtedly the North Room, where he displayed his big-game trophies. This 20’ x 40’ room was added to the house during Roosevelt’s Presidency to host his prominent guests. Standing in the roped-off visitors’ section, I inquired about the large, round table which stood out among the various animal heads in the room. “The reason why this table was round was to ensure that no one was able to sit at the head of the table when Roosevelt met with foreign dignitaries,” said Buttermilch. I spotted a sword and hat hanging on a moose head, which was mounted on the far wall. These items were used during the famed charge up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War, a topic of particular interest to me from American history class. A samurai sword and dagger, gifts from the Japanese Emperor in honor of the Portsmouth Treaty, also caught my attention. Other interesting artifacts included an elephant-foot waste-paper basket and a mosaic of the Vatican Gardens, given to Roosevelt by Pope Leo XIII. Our tour continued into the dining room and kitchen. During dinner with distinguished Presidential guests, Roosevelt’s children were expected to take part in conversation, which was unusual at the time. In the kitchen, a phone and safe, both uncommon in the early 1900s, were added. Roosevelt stored many valuables in the safe, including his Nobel Peace Prize. While I was already familiar with T.R.’s military and Presidential careers, I was still curious about his personal life. This cu- riosity was satisfied when my tour moved to the gun room, located on the second floor. Roosevelt stored all of his guns and hunting equipment in this room, which he used on his rather frequent family hunting expeditions. As the tour concluded on the porch, Mr. Buttermilch was quick to point out that there were many other attractions that could be found on the grounds of Sagamore Hill. Among these are the carriage house; pet cemetery; ice house; windmill; and Ted Jr.’s house, which was transformed into a museum displaying many more of Roosevelt’s artifacts, including his Nobel Peace Prize. On my trip home, I realized that there was much more to history than what is written in textbooks. Revisiting Sagamore Hill gave me a better understanding of our “Rough Rider” President, as well as the inspiration to visit other historical sites on Long Island. Tours of Sagamore Hill run Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the gift shop before the tour; however, it is recommended that the tickets be reserved ahead of time during the spring and summer months. For more information, call 516-922-4788, or check out Sagamore Hill’s website at www.nps.gov/sahi. Photo courtesy of Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Exploring Sagamore Hill: Trophies and artifacts from President Theodore Roosevelt’s life line the main hall at his home in Oyster Bay. Tarmac • October 2007
Teaching Halfway Around the World Project MAST Returns to the Solomon Islands by Conor Mercadante ‘10 The majority of the natives live in huts made of grass, leaves, and bamboo. Most farm and fish to sustain their lives. Few villages have electricity, and in those that do, the power lasts for only a few hours each day. Running water is just as rare. It was in these living conditions that two members of the Chaminade faculty, Bro. Timothy Driscoll and Bro. Ryszard Decowski, spent eight weeks of their summer. The two Marianists were missionaries to the Solomon Islands, located near the equator in the West Pacific Ocean. There, they conducted six Marianist Apostolic Spiritual Training (MAST) workshops, each lasting four or five days. Bros. Timothy and Ryszard departed for the Solomons on June 7 and returned to New York on August 1. While they were there, they visited six different villages, along with Honiara, the capital, some 8,529.7 miles away from downtown Mineola. The Brothers’ goal was to aid Catholic teachers and youth leaders in deepening their faith and developing a greater understanding of their vocation as Catholics and educators. Workshops in six different parishes in the Dioceses of Auki and Gizo centered around the theme for World Youth Day 2008 proposed by Pope Benedict XVI: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) Bros. Timothy and Ryszard challenged the participants – about 250 in total – to identify ways in which the Spirit works through the Scriptures and the tradition of the Church to make them witnesses to the Kingdom of God. They also focused on the importance of a Catholic education to the local faith community. While his goal was to teach others about the Catholic faith, Bro. Ryszard, a first-time visitor to the Solomon Islands, also developed a deeper appreciation for his own faith during his stay in the country. “It was a very spiritual experience for me to celebrate Mass with the Solomon Islanders because, while we were people coming from totally different backgrounds and cultures, we were bound together by the Eucharist,” said Bro. Ryszard. Bro. Timothy Driscoll poses for a picture with one of Project MAST’s younger students. Tarmac • October 2007 Bro. Timothy and Bro. Ryszard were both impressed by the happiness and generosity of the Solomon Islanders, despite the many material deprivations they must endure. “It amazed me that people can have so little of what we consider material comforts,” said Bro. Ryszard, “but that they can still be extremely happy and friendly.” “Many of the people are what we would consider poor,” said Bro. Timothy. “The differ- Left: Travel in the Solomon Islands is often by boat. Here, Bro. Ryszard Decowski sits back and enjoys the ride. Below: Students of Bro. Ryszard and Bro. Timothy show off their certificates after completing one of the Spiritual Training workshops. ence, though, is that, although these people may not have a lot of money, they are not hungry, and they are still content with their lives.” The trip to the Diocese of Gizo was especially poignant for Bro. Timothy, who is a five-year veteran of Project MAST. On April 2, 2007, the area was ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami. Bro. Timothy returned to find 30 to 40 villages, all of which had been thriving only a year before, severely damaged or even decimated. “The effect of the earthquake and tsunami on the people of the region is very much like the experience of September 11, 2001 for us,” said Bro. Timothy. “For many years to come, everything will be measured as before or after the morning of April 2.” The experience reminded both Bro. Timothy and Bro. Ryszard that, although cultures and lifestyles may be different, all people have much in common. “For me, it’s been a positive experience to visit another culture and to get to know the people as more than just a tourist,” said Bro. Timothy. “I return each year, and I continue to find that I have more in common with these people of such a different lifestyle than I would ever have imagined five years ago.” NEWS 11
Page 1 and 2: TARMAC Newspaper of the Chaminade F
Page 3 and 4: It All Begins with a Handshake A Re
Page 5 and 6: Don’t Drink the Water . . . But D
Page 7 and 8: Flyer Rower Competes in Beijing Ant
Page 9: COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME Flyers
Page 13 and 14: BUILDERS BECOME A “BAND OF BROTHE
Page 15 and 16: TARMAC Newspaper of the Chaminade F
Page 17 and 18: “Things have really changed in th
Page 19 and 20: As always, the event began with Mas
Page 21 and 22: Outward Bound by Brendan O’Shea
Page 23 and 24: Show Me the Money! Ad Drive Hopes t
Page 25 and 26: Bad As Their Bark After this blast
Page 27 and 28: PARA Chutestrings Nothing Like a Ga

Tarmac October 2007.pdf - Chaminade High School

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