The Citadel - Sphinx Yearbook (Charleston, SC)

Page 19 text:

East half of the quadrangle about 1900. December 7, 1941, was the date on which America was drawn into the conflict which now holds the world in agony, and The Citadel ' s part in this war is to be her greatest contribution to America ' s demo- cratic way of life. There were Citadel men at Pearl Harbor when the enemy struck so violently and un- suspectingly. There were sons of The Citadel on Bataan and Corregidor. They fought and some of them died though the task was hopeless, and only then did the survivors submit in body as prisoners of war. They are now present in Africa, India, China, Australia, Persia, Iceland; in short, wherever the American flag is flying as a symbol of freedom and liberty, there are Citadel Men there to guard it. Only in the years of peace that will follow this supreme effort of the United Nations can all of the deeds of Citadel Men be recounted. In all parts of the world, in every climate, they have fought as they were taught. that right is might and that a free people with the love of God and mankind firmly embedded in their hearts could never be crushed or moved from the pedestal on which they stand as living symbols of truth and freedom. The stirring part that The Citadel is playing in the war is the climax to a century of progress. Down Through The Years from 1842 to 1942, one can see a tiny spark that has grown into a tremendous flame whose light is ever shedding its brilliance throughout the world. And in the shadows of the light one can see the parade of the men who have worn the grey and the men who have guided the institution through its many glorious years. A liv- ing, growing symbol of America ' s true spirit. The Citadel stands in name and edifice as an institution dedicated to freedom and democracy. 15]

Page 18 text:

tary colleges of the nation. This period has as its formal opening date, September 12, 1931 — the date on which General Charles P. Summerall assumed the presidency of The Citadel, and the importance of that date can be seen only in the light of present accomplishments. It is fitting that full recognition be given the work of General Summerall so outstand- ing has been his effort to preserve the tradition of The Citadel in more than a decade of progress, the motivation of which originated in the heart of a man who has gladly given his all for that which he deemed essential to our democratic America. It has been said that an institution is merely the lengthening shadow of a great man, and that those who follow the precepts of a great leader reflect that leader ' s personal charac- ter — and so it is in the decade in which General Sum- merall has guided The Citadel. The college itself reflects the efficiency and astute judgment of General Summerall, and the cadets who have served under him reflect the line qualities of character which mark him as an outstanding leader. This has been a glorious period in our history, and the complete recognition of General Summerall ' s work will be realized only in the years to come. By the association of his name with the institu- tion, General Summerall gave to the college immeasur- able prestige. Commanding the famous First Division and later the Fifth, Ninth, and Fourth Army Corps in France, General Summerall exhibited the qualities of a great soldier; and recognition of his ability was realized in 1926, when he was appointed Chief of Staff of the United States Army. In 1929 he was pro- moted to the rank of General, and thus became the first peace-time Chief of Staff to wear the four stars, and the only Southerner ever to have held that rank. With the advent of General Summerall, the college ceased to be recognized only in a localized sense, and has since come to be known throughout the world. In the realization of this success it is fitting to give proud recognition to the many friends of General Summerall who have so generously displayed a beneficent atti- tude that has meant much to the progress of The Citadel. The physical expansion of the college has been outstanding. The cornerstone of the Chapel was laid on September 7, 1936, the Chapel dedicated April 10, 1938; and on April 8, 1940. the Armory was dedicated. By the fall of 1942 two new barracks, 15-inch shell fired at Fori Sumter, given to The Citadel by General Beauregard . sent to West Point by General Hazen, and returned to The Citadel by Secretary of War Stimson. a new Engineering Building, quarters for the faculty officers, an administration building, and annexes to Bond Hall and the mess hall had been completed. To measure the progress of the institution in the academic and military fields is impossible, so unusual has been the rapidity of expansion. The military cus- toms and traditions which so marked the Citadel of Marion Square days have been preserved and added to. The Corps of Cadets, as Senior Reserve Officers ' Training Corps units, has consistently been rated Excellent by the War Department, and Citadel men in the armed forces of the United States are recog- nized for their ability as leaders. Today The Citadel is on the approved list of the Association of American Universities, this being the highest academic recog- nition that a college can be given. Famous personages have had occasion to visit The Citadel in an official capacity in recent years. On June 3, 1932. Colonel Robert R. McCormick delivered the Commencement address. Since then the later Brigadier General Hugh S. Johnson and Alfred Noyes have delivered addresses on similar occasions. The Chief Executive of the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, paid a visit to The Citadel in 1935, and some four years later, April 27, 1940, General Sum- merall and the present Chief of Staff ' . General George C. Marshall, reviewed the Corps of Cadets. [14:

Page 20 text:

TRIBUTE With uncovered heads we think gratefully and tenderly of those who have given the last full measure of devotion, counting not their own lives dear to themselves, that they might strike a blow for freedom and against tyranny. Out of the broken bodies, the torn battlefields, and the golden stars which glow in the blue of our banner, comes forth the spirit of those fallen Citadel Men, giving poise and courage to the right, ever urging us onward — and there sounds a trumpet that shall never know retreat.