University of Virginia - Corks and Curls Yearbook (Charlottesville, VA)

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wilder calathumpian serenades, the students gathered before the pavilion in which Professor Davis, chairman of the faculty, lived. After several minutes had gone by, Mr. Davis came out and asked the crowd to leave. He was met with derisive laughter and even more noise. He approached the nearest student and at- tempted to pull off his mask, whereupon the student drew his pistol and shot the professor. He died the next day? uIs that right? Fletcher burst out. Gotts, interested in the subject of riots, asked if anyone knew anything about the Jefferson Theatre riots. H. T., pleased that he finally had something to contribute, said, The riot took place when the Jefferson Theatre suddenly raised admission fees from live to ten cents. ttOn a warm Sunday afternoon, U.Va. students tmost of whom turned out to be coerced first yearmen and iun-shaped up, pledgesl opened fire on paying customers at the Jefferson with rotten tomatoes. Gentlemen to the manner born, indeed, held their Hre whenever a woman dared step into the area under assault. The so- lution seemed simple enough to the manager, who immediately called Dean Page. Angered at having been rudely awakened from his afternoon nap, he said that he would be happy to quell, the riot if the manager would be so kind as to send the students out to his home. The following Monday morning admissions were back to five cents. Phelps, glancing at his watch, realized it was late. Fletcher asked how late it was. TIES quarter after one? In his usual manner, Fletcher replied, iiIs that rightly, Vanderslice pointedly asked, ttIsrft this a little past your bedtime? ttLeth call it a night? said Lambert. I have a quiz tomorrow. I dont know how I get sucked into these bull sessions? That isn,t like you, Phelpsfl said H.T. iiAre you afraid that Georgia will have a hard time meeting its quota for the draft? ill just carft see spending the next winter in Viet Nam. illfs very interesting? said Cleghorne, how radically students, attitudes differ from those of students here at the University prior to the War of Northern Aggression? Vanderslice interjected bitterly, ttCivil War, Cleghornefi itAll right, Civil War? Cleghorne said as he began to recount some facts which he had picked up in his studies. iiThe University actually marched to war. As sectional controversies peaked in 1861, war seemed inevitable. Students here petitioned the faculty for permission to organize two fighting companies. The request was granted and the ranks were soon filled. Colorful drills drew spectators to the Lawn each afternoon to see the Sons of Liberty as the first company was called, come prancing by in their vel- vet embroidered Ishirts of dazzling red and black doeskiu trousers while at the other end the Southern Guard; distinguished by blue shirts and light-blue caps, ambled over the site of Homefs statue in perfect quick-time. These patriotic young volunteers were armed with antiquated Hintlock muskets minus the Hints, cartridge boxes minus the cartridges, and bayonet scabbards. Each company num- bered sixty-five to seventy strong. ttOn April 16th rumor broke out that the die was cast, and the regiment quickly assembled on the Lawn, eagerly awaiting the call to action. Soon our heroic as- semblage marched into Charlottesville and joined the iMonticello Guards at the

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cut horses loose from the wagons, mounted them, and rode helter-skelter over ev- erything and everyone connected with the Circus, ripping and burning tents, breaking up wagons, and trampling the showmen. One circus man was killed, and a great number wounded before the students had avenged their colleagues death. Needless to say, it was a long time before another carnival ventured near Char- lottesvillef, At the end of Cleghornels monologue, Grant Sayers quickly interjected his own iiriot story? iiIt seems that back in 1827 a school of military instruction was es- tablished at the University, and it attracted a great number of students, since a knowledge of and proficiency with arms and fighting was requisite to the making of a true gentleman. Drill was conducted on the Lawn, at first with wooden sticks as rifles, but soon with muskets, on the demand of the indignant students. The administration was terribly strict about issuing arms; hence the only time a student could be in possession of a rifle was during a drill period. The French drill instructor was often away on business, so the students petitioned the faculty to form a company of their own to replace the military company. Thus, when the military instructor was in residence in the University, there would be two com- peting companies. Before each drill the captains of each company were required to turn into the faculty the names of all who would be issued arms for that day. Well, at the very first drill of the fall term of 1836, the civilian company forgot to turn in such a list and did not obtain permission to draw arms at all. When the faculty demanded an explanation the students became riled and refused to turn in their rifles as ordered. They made a resolution That we have our arms and intend to keep themf and shortly after presenting this resolution to the faculty, the proctor informed them of the expulsion from the University of every member. From that Saturday night until Monday morning, a scene of unparalleled disorder and violence continued. The company marched on the Rotunda and captured it, taking its occupants prisoners and tying them up. They put their flag in the sky- light and shot it to shreds from within the dome, several being hit by reflected bullets. The Rotunda bell was rung continuously for six days, leaving the towns volunteer fire department in a state of utter confusion as it sped around town looking for a fire. Faculty dwellings were attacked, forcing residents to retreat to the upper Hoors to avoid injury. The rioters inserted megaphones in the windows and shouted insults at the faculty members and their wives, while tearing draper- ies and breaking down doors. iiThe faculty appealed to the legislature for help on the fourth day, and a special committee of representatives were sent immediately from Richmond to investi- gate the matter. After they had gotten into their hotel in Charlottesville, they were given a reception by the students that night. The students showered the ho- tel with rocks, chanted throughout the night, and scared the delegates half to death. One of the frightened committee members got a message out to Richmond that night to send troops to the University. It was believed in Richmond that the rioting students had burned the entire University down. The following morning, two hundred state militia marched to the University and assumed guard over the buildings. Only after the most offensive rules had been removed did the students return to normalf, Vanderslice declared that he had a iicharmingT riot story of his own. Students used to blow off steam, by means of calathumps, which were wild riots consisting of horn-blowing, tin pan-beating, and pistol-firing on the Lawn. Students would go from pavilion to pavilion shouting, heckling professors, and generally making merry. Everyone wore masks, and it resembled a miniature Mardi Gras, except that it was slightly more hazardous. On November 14th, 1840, during one of the

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depot. All were loaded into two boxcars without any semblance of rations, over- coats, blankets, canteens, etc. Yet the war was on! The next morning the cars were unloaded at Strasburg, where gracious citizens shared their breads and meats with the half-starved but nonetheless enthusiastic troops. Orders to proceed to Winchester immediately if not sooner quickly circulated. Upon arrival, our weary men in arms were greeted by strains of Yankee Doodle and cries of iHur- rah for the Union? Little did the people of Winchester realize that that very day, April 17th, the ordinance for secession had been passed at Richmond. At mid- night, everyone was armed with rifles and reloaded into the boxcars. By daybreak the destination was reached: Harperis F erry. iiHere they fell upon the Federal garrison burning the arsenal and thousands of arms. The objective was to capture these arms for the Confederacy. The Federals quickly withdrew, and many rifles were salvaged or secured from citizens who had secretly concealed them. After a bloodless ten-day campaign in which no one had the opportunity to fire even one blank cartridge, the companies were ordered back to the University and dissolved. The governorls comment was ithat there was too much talent to be risked in one bodyf Truer words are rarely spoken, for in a few years most of the men were to become officers. Phelps let out a great consuming, Neanderthal yawn. Expression of the weariness of the world. iiTime, gentlemen, time. Time for all good men to return to their own racks. This great albatross has a test tomorrow at ten? he said. Stretching of legs. Contagion of yawning. Arms through sleeves, buttons being buttoned, hands gloved, tired but sincere good-nights. Last breaths of the fire-warmed air. They left Phelps like the returning Confederate soldiers leaving the grave of a friend for their homes. Phelps alone. He undressed, washed, and brushed his teeth. He emptied the ashtrays, checked the fire and set his alarm clock. Ecstatic falling into the rack. Pulling the blankets tight around his body. The mattress is hard. It is a mans bed. The sound of time ticking through space. If only one could remember all the sto- ries, all the laughs, all the faces. Phelps knew that twenty years from now there would only be vague remembrances, vague impressions left on the memory like fingerprints on glass. He would always be able to remember the buildings, the statues, the gardens, but they weren,t the important thing. What was important to remember was the state of consciousness whose breeding ground and context was the University, the active collective spiritual force which conditioned both the way he looked at the world and at himself. You could call it the Universityis personality, its soul. You couldift hold it in your hand and say to someone who wanted to know what it was you were trying to say, iiHere, this is what it is? If he hasnlt been a part of it, nothing you could say would mean much. Itls like trying to describe a taste. It would be nights like this that Phelps realized he would miss most of all. It was impossible to distinguish that nightis bull session from all the others that had preceded it. It seemed strange that nights like this,