Winter is here and it came with a vengeance. With temperatures plummeting towards the negatives, people are getting ready for the next frozen months. The two fireplaces at either end of the Upper School Atrium provide much needed relief for chilly PA students during passing time. However, recently the fireplaces had been experiencing troubles. Both have now been repaired and are once again drawing students near.
“Having a fireplace is great!” said Brenna Smith ’14, “It gives you warmth and helps keep away shivering from the coldness.”
The junior fireplace had been broken since last spring, but the issue wasn’t brought to the attention of any of the administrators or custodians.
“I did not know it was broken,” said Mr. Wagner the Head Custodian when told about the problem. “Well, now that I know that there is I will go and try and diagnose it. Whenever there is a problem, that is brought to my attention, I give it my full attention until it gets fixed.”
Mr. Harman, the Dean of Students agreed about the need to be notified about such issues. “I heard that it might be [broken], but no one has brought it to my attention. This is something that a junior rep would do and neither of them have approached me. ”
Some have complained to other students, but haven’t said anything to any faculty members.
“While I have complained countless times to my friends,” said Meghan Onserio ’15, the junior student vice president, “I have not yet vocalized my concern to the administration.”
Mr. Wagner diagnosed the problem last week and confirmed that it is not an electrical problem, ordered the needed part, and fixed it.
“The pilot assembly was bad on the east fireplace. The part finally arrived and it has been replaced,” said Mr. Wagner, “I checked the west side and the same part is starting to go bad so I will make sure and attend to that one as well.”
Both of the fireplaces are now fixed and in working order.