Augusta Military Academy - Recall Yearbook (Fort Defiance, VA)

Page 17 text:

Sixth Grade BLOOD DROPS almost appear to mar Bob Missman’s gleaming brass and spotless uniform. Mrs. Virginia Missman struggles with unfamiliar gold pie plates. “DON’T SAY I’M OVER THE HILL!” Mrs. L. John Stewart refuses to let Ben get away with his cracks about aging mothers — and he relents. Monroe Adams George Bain Bob Buettner Paul Chapouris Jim Dollenmeyer Eddie French Michael Harmon Jay Harper

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CABARET STYLE. Jorge Mena, Mal Livick, Marietta Austin, and Julie Madeiros enjoy informality and all the refreshments during the opening formal. Subdued lighting helped. O 14—Parents Weekend FLAPPING GUIDONS prove that the day of commissioning is breezy. Officers march snappily along to salute the staff and then to receive the brass from sponsors. Joy Ride’ NIPPY TEMPERATURES and brisk winds whip hair- does out of place. Mrs. Evelyn Minunni and Mike and Mrs. G. A. Peifer and Tom wait for the end of the ceremonies and a break. Fish nets are not usual at AMA, but on Saturday afternoon of Parents’ Week- end, nets, strange containers, smells of baked cookies and cakes and Mrs. Betsy Trimble created an aura of perplexity among the parents and the cadets. Steve Hemphill puffed around, running up and down stairways. John Walker, Jorge Mena, Manuel Ayau and spectators from the lower school watched and worked to transform military classrooms into a night club! Greedom to move from the dance to the cabaret for coffee, cokes, and cakes or cookies meant joy to the cadets and their dates. Lighting (black lights, soft indirect lights, and candles) added to the effectiveness of the marine-themed cabaret. Sunday arrived, overcast, misty, chill- ing. Luck remained when three o'clock rolled around and the mist lifted. Spon- sors waited, then walked out on field to pin rank on the new officers for the year. Let-down blues failed to develop. Hal- loween was just around the corner. All-out surges for grades shocked new teachers. Grade period finishes always bring this on, but when parents arrive for the flash finish, both upper and low- er school men put out an extra effort. A higher percentage of men on the Honor Roll and Privilege List meant that more steaks were purchased and more spend- ing money went into cadets’ pockets ... all at the expense of smiling parents. Comments from parents of old cadets reflected what the corps had known all along — it was a happy opening — it was a relaxed atmosphere — it was a highly spirited corps. Early morning risers did not object to an assembly for parents and teachers. Col. John Dekle and Col. Charles Sav- edge informed the audience of the new courses and the changes in the adminis- trative structure. More favorable chatter resulted when Major George Evans opened his Mess Hall for an informal luncheon.

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Howls, creaking boards, yells, cat calls, barking dogs, thunder, lightning and more brought chills to the hearts of lower school men on Halloween night. ‘Haunted House’, a Walt Disney record amplified over and over created goose pimples for the 8-12 year olds. Prior to the Halloween festivities, a mummified Lt. Bruce Smith roamed through Big Barracks. Hardened upper school men were given a start when Lt. Smith crept into room after room. To the rescue came Mrs. Malcolm Liv- ick and Mrs. Besty Trimble and the workers from the ‘‘cabaret’’ scene of the week before. Pressed into service once more were the military classrooms, but this time dark passageways, ‘‘eels”’, ‘‘eye balls’, “worms”, ‘‘spider webs’’, and creatures of the night filled one room. HITS AND MISSES. Ron Hepler, Dave Clifford, Jeff Campbell and Eddie French fail to heed Capt. Ernest James’ pleas for mercy for the victims of their pitches. BLOOD CURDLING in the dark, hunchback Bob Van Lear leers at a group of quaking Davis Hall men. Effective lighting adds to the monster man action and look. A vampire in a coffin, the mummy, Notre Dame’s hunchback, and simple ghouls populated another room. Nervous youngsters were escorted through the chambers of terrors. The background music (?) compounded the atmosphere of Halloween. Giggles were cut off when the mummy stumbled for- ward. One lad, claiming it was only the heat, simply crumbled to the floor. Later Joe Gurtoski admitted that he’d had moments of real doubt! Punch, doughnuts, apples, and can- dies were soothing balms as served by Mrs. Malcolm and Mrs. A. C. Livick. Fun and games included bobbing for apples and pitching wet sponges at barri- caded cadet officers and faculty mem- bers. ‘‘It was a blast’’ — everyone's sentiments.