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    • Jim Lawson contributes to the orchestra during the 2018 production of Heathers. Credit: Peter Mahakian

    • Lawson plays guitar alongside Bobby Smith during Into the Woods in 2019. Credit: Peter Mahakian

Honoring Retiring Hilltoppers: Jim Lawson

Anu Vashist '21, Lead News Editor
Jim Lawson, a member of the Hopkins Maintenance Department, will be retiring this June after 18 years on The Hill. 
 
Lawson specifically worked on grounds and buildings; his main responsibility was “taking care of the athletic fields” and “getting ready for games,” but he also oversaw the cleaning service to ensure they had the necessary supplies. Before Hopkins, Lawson was a freelance musician, landscaper, painter, and carpenter. He played with multiple musical artists including The Temptations, Four Tops, and Tony Bennett, and would even go on the road for tours across the East Coast. Lawson hopes that during his retirement, he can continue to pursue his musical interests along with some close friends: “I’m building a studio now at my house so that we can get together.” He emphasized the uniqueness of his Hopkins connection; when he first applied for a position, he “knew nothing about Hopkins” but soon realized that multiple neighbors were Hopkins alumni or students. He also noticed a connection between the Townshend auditorium and his application reference, Harry Townshend. “So, it’s all of a sudden, not knowing anything and having neighbors and you know, all these ties,” said Lawson. Although Lawson still hopes to help with music during the HDA productions, he will miss his friends. “[Retiring] is kind of like graduating. You have these people that you know for six years and then all of a sudden, it ends and you go on doing something else. And you’re gonna miss all those people that you’ve had relationships with.”
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Editor in Chief 
Anjali van Bladel

Managing Editor 
Mary Winter Szarabajka 

Content Editor
Olivia Yu

News
Rose Porosoff
Sonali Bedi 
Gitanjali Navaratnam-Tomayko
Lena Wang
August Farouki
Elyssa Power
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Aurelia Wen
Ashley Deng
Ari Mehta
Clarissa Castilho
Alia Mojibian
Jensen Rodriguez
 
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Saisha Ghai
Karolina Jasaitis
Isha Seth
Margot Beckerlegge
Jean Wen
Victoria Morris
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Rebecca Li
Bea Lundberg
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Lukas Roberts
Silvia Gozar-Zimbrean
John O'Connell
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Susie Becker 
Giuliana Wright
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Stephen May
Elizabeth Gleason
Isabelle Wendt
The Razor's Edge reflects the opinion of 4/5 of the editorial board and will not be signed. The Razor welcomes letters to the editor but reserves the right to decide which letters to publish, and to edit letters for space reasons. Unsigned letters will not be published, but names may be withheld on request. Letters are subject to the same libel laws as articles. The views expressed in letters are not necessarily those of the editorial board.
     
The Razor, an open forum publication, is published monthly during the school year by students of: 
Hopkins School
986 Forest Road
New Haven, CT 06515

Phone: 203.397.1001 x628
Email: smay@hopkins.edu
986 Forest Road
New Haven, Connecticut 06515
(203) 397-1001