Fork Union Military Academy - Skirmisher Yearbook (Fork Union, VA)

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Ag-F ,f TF 3-1-f ff,f 1 THE SKIRMISHER Q V, J ' 1 H. ROE BARTLE Nnmox, v1RG1N1,x lfditm'-ill-Cllivf Board of Editors The Skirrnisher, 1920 Mxss MARY IJORD NURTON, VIRGINIA Sponsor '31

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THE SKIRMISHER ' ? Y :ng V-75 -- a- I fi: I Rockefeller gave it a tremendous endowment when he died. Great girls' school 1 tell you. Prof. XYoodson gave up his position in the Academy long ago to take charge of the girls here. I was just about to ask him something more about the old teachers of the .Xcademy when a magnificent view spread out before us. XX e had at this moment crossed the top of the hill at the 'kJ1J1JCllllCl1l1C1'i. place. Qould l believe my eyes? A perfect maze ol streets and houses, as lar as the eye could carry, described the situation. ln the center ot the whole stood one object which at once appeared familiar and unchanged. 'l here it was encircled by imposing modern buildings-'the plain, modest old Academy lJlllltll1lgS, having been replaced by beautiful modern structures. boon we were speed- ing across a viaduct and through the heart of lfork L nion-but not the l'4l1'K Union I used to know. bkyscrapers loomed up where once were the lands marks of Pettit, Thomas and Weaver. While l was drinking in all this with my eyes, the auto came to a sudden stop before a magnilicent ten-story building, and the porter said: Hotel lfork Union, gentlemen. XValk right in. By gums! Could this be the place where Mrs. julia Snead used to keep hotel? So it must be. 'l here across the street was the old lfork Church and there was the campus in front of the Academy, though the old fence was replaced by a handsome stone wall. just then l recognized the familiar face and tottering form coming up the walk. Hello, l ejaculated, my heart in my throat, and grasped the hand of my old friend. Mit Bashaw, you don't remember me do you? XVe1l, no, your face looks familiar, but l don't just recall your name. Do you remember Oh, yes! You used to he at school here. XYalked a heap of guard duty. Didn't hurt you, did it? Good for the cold and other diseases, Dr. George says. XVell, do you know these here school teachers work only ten days in the month and get bigger pay than any of these other fellows who work six whole days in the week? They are the biggest set of makeshifts in the country. The dinner bell rang and I hurried in to eat a few bites and then take in the town. I entered a room filled with strangers, but heard a familiar voice across the room. Hello, Xl? 105

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3 , aa :I 3 7 - H We 21 is THE SKIRMISHER Q3 S :I-R' --iz 1 ?gN Y Hello, Dr. George Y I exclaimed, How are you? Married yet ? No, came the solitary answerg still playing single. just as I sat down I noticed my old professor of Mathematics sitting on the opposite side of the table from me, eating with mathematical accuracy and discussing with an old white-haired gentleman whether the parabola is a closed curve at infinity. I could not restrain myself from breaking into this interesting discussion and giving my old teacher a warm hand-shake. He proceeded immediately to explain to me the mathematical ratio which he had worked out, by which the old town had grown and the limits of this growth. Dinner over, I walked out on the campus. NVhat a change greeted my eyes! Street cars going here and there, bringing in crowds of people and going empty. Great buildings on every side and the almost incessant honk of the automobile filled me with surprise and wonder. XVhy all this crowd? said I to a bystander. Baseball, said he. Fork Union Us. Cornell. Big game. Becoming more familiar, I began asking my new acquaintance about my old friends. Capt. Wildman? Oh, yes: he went to Chicago University from here. where he took his Ph. D. and taught for several years. He has written several books, among which is a volume of poetry dedicated to Browning. He traveled abroad and is now professor of English at Harvard. He has written several discussions in the leading magazines on the Subjective Mind, and is now engaged in writing a logical discussion on 'Universality of Lovef Capt. Vernon? XN'hy, let's see. He went back to New Mexico and organized an Indian school. He never recovered fully from the shock he received at Fork Union because so many of the boys wanted to take Higher Math. before they finished Arithmetic. Lt. McDonough? NVell. he was called into service at the beginning of the war between America and japan and rapidly rose by dint of merit to a generalship in the American army. He succeeded in driving the enemy from the California coast and carried the war to a successful close in the country of the latter. XVe laughed as our conversation was interrupted by the approach of an elderly gentleman, venerable and hoary-headed. with an elastic step that betrayed the vigor of youth. Heavens I I exclaimed, grasping his hand. Col Perkins-l-- just then a rude jar, caused by the sudden stopping of the train, brought me to my senses. Lindsay. change cars for 'Virginia Air Line'l XVake up. boss. Don't you get off here? I turned over in my berth, wide awake. Yes, but I wish I didn't.