Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

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Honor Court Chester A. Bamforth, Jr. President of the Honor Court Since 1889, when the Institute was founded, the Honor Code has set forth the high ideals governing the Corps of Cadets in its acadetaic, miHtary, and personal life. Consisting of only a few written rules, the Honor Code is mainly a guide, for it reUes on each cadet ' s concept of right and wrong. One of the most effective and respected of such systems in the United States, the Honor Code is indeed the most im- portant cornerstone on which VMI stands. The real strength of the Honor Code, however, lies within each member of the Corps, without whose strong support and unswerving allegiance the Honor Code would not exist. The Honor Code is upheld by the entire Corps of Cadets with its judicial powers resting in the Honor Court. Originally, the Honor Court was composed of the entire Cadet Corps, but in 1870 the size of the Corps made it necessary to delegate this power to a smaller group. The Honor Court consisted of the officers of the upper three classes until 1952, when it was decided that the Corps would elect permanent members to the Honor Court for the sole purpose of interpreting the Honor Code, deciding Honor Court policy, and trying breaches of the Honor Code. The Honor Court is presently composed of fourteen members, ten elected from the first class and four from the second class. Seated, Left to Itiyht: R. .M. Haiiinor, J. II. B. IVay, W. K. Mizell, C. .V. Bmiilortli, E. X. Lazarotf, C. A. Lloyd, T. W. Murphrt- Standing: J. J. White, C. II. Watson, R. T. Mitchell, R. R. Evans, G. D. Barnes, P. E. Brunei, J. II. Storm

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i ,. First Class President., John D. Anthony, accepts the sabre symbolic of victory following the Keydets win over VPI in the annual Turkey Day game A courageous, well-dressed First Classman braves the flames to place a libation on the funeral pjTe of straight pants did not come up to the class of mythological Old Corps step-ofFs, it will no doubt provide subject matter for con- versations at future class reunions, and with time may even be expanded to Old Corps proportions. It was after spring furlough that the major event of out last semester as Seconds occm ' red. The Class took on itself the tedious business of accepting a pledge. Two hundred and thirty-seven of us, the whole Class, agreed not to drink any alcoholic beverages anywhere until the completion of finals. The pledge was kejit; and, conse- cjuently, two of our Brother Rats where able lo enjoy the privilege of living on the first stoop the next year. Finals was unusually cjuiet for the Second Class in June of 1961, but most members of the Class felt that the sacrifice had been worthwhile. Certainly the two Brother Rats for whom the pledge was taken have a deep apitreciation of the meaning of Class spirit. The spring hike in 1961 canie early, and tlie weather was actually cold. A new responsibility was placed on the Second Class as Cadre for the hike while the Firsts were away on their trip. The Second Class provided cadre officers for the companies at the general military science camp, and Second Classmen formed the instructional com- mittees. The Class was congratulated by members of the [Military Science Department and the Commandant for a splentlid job. This on-the-job training provided valuable experience for suuuner camp, where the Class again dis- tinguished itself by establishing the finest record of any Sll class that had attended ROTC summer camp in many years. The fall of 1961 will be remembered chiefly for that wet Thanksgiving Day when our Brother Rats led the Big Red in a thorough defeat of the ' Hoakies. The two Thanksgiving victories over Tech won during our cadetships were impressive ones indeed. The festivities for that weekend had started with a revival of the Mono- gram Minstrel here at MI, which you know and I know was a smash hit. It is 196 ' -2. There will be time in future years for reevaluations of cadetship and the merits and demerits of foiu- years lived in the barracks. Xow. perhaps, only two things may and shoidd be said. The Class of 196 ' 2 was an outstanding class during its cadetship. The Class of 196-2 was a class of Brother Rats.

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The General and Executive Committees The Corps of Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute is unique ill many respects. One of the most distinctive of these is the class system and its privileges, which are guarded by the General Com- mittee and the Executive Committee, both cadet organizations. Not even the fabled academy at West Point has I his class system, upon which the VSll esprit de corps is built. Officers of the upper three classes make up the committees, with two committee representatives from the first class and the Chairman of the Rat Disciplinary Committee. The President of the First Class, who is the presiding officer, votes to break ties or dis- putes only. The Historian of the Third Class is sergeant-at-arms, and votes only on E xecutive Committee cases. It is the duty of the General and Executive Committees to hold a rein on the Corps and to represent the Corps as a whole in dealing with the Administration. Both these committees are powerful in- fluences in maintaining the general high standards of conduct found in the Corps. ; ' .John I). Axthoxt President af the General and Execuiire Committees Seated, Left to Right: R. A. Shocnuikt-, R. K. Campbell, J. D. Anthony, .T. W. MoW;uie. F. P. Merry Standin : B. R. Gardner, G. A. Tucker, J. R. Amos, J. H. Macrae, G. X. Savage