Virginia Episcopal School - Vestige Yearbook (Lynchburg, VA)

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Ellie Mrtwr VOLUME XXVIV NOVEMBER 27, 1944 NUMBER 2 Issued by the students of the Virginia Episcopal School, Lynchburg, Va., monthly during the school year of 1944-45 except holidays. Subscriptions, 25gz per copy; $2.00 per year EDITORIAL BOARD JOHN HENRY PARROTT, II Editor-in-Chicf FRANCIS GWYNN TOWNES ..................... RALPH HOUSTON ALEXANDER .............. ROBERT ISAAC LEE ................................. MR. JOHN D. FOLLETT ......................... ..................... '................Managing Editor ....................................... 4 ssociate Editor ........................................... Sports Editor ....................................... Faculty Adviser Reporters CLAY THOMSON DAVIS RIANHARD WILLIAM LONG HENRY TREVATHAN JAMES BALLOU PERRIN GOWER ROBERT ARTHUR CHILES LARSON THOMAS MADDUX Photographer DR. GEORGE L. BARTON, JR. BUSINESS BOARD FRANCIS GWYNN TOWNEs ...................................................... Business Manager JACK WELLFORD ...................................................... Assistant Busimss Manager JOHN C. WILLIAMs................................; ............... Assistant Business Manager L. RAY RICHARDSON .............................................................. Circulation M cmagcr Entered as second class matter September 28, 1928, at the Postoflice at Lynchburg, Virginia, under the Act of March 3, 1879. cusses the case with the master whose work it was, and tries to find out something about the boy and his work. They then talk to the boy who reported it and 'find out all he knows about the case. The defendant is called in, and questioned. He has every chance to explain himself. The committee dis- cusses further, and votes a verdict. The decision must be unanimous, or no action is taken against the boy in - question. The decision is taken to the executive committee of the fac- ulty, who have final say in such matters. The Honor Committee also ad- vises the faculty on any other mat- ters which arise concerning the bet- terment of the school. 0 V-Club Has Face Lifted Last week saw several days in which the members of the VeClub were forced to lower themselves, and confine their smoking and bull shootini t0' the recreation 4 room. This condition was brought about by the fact that the V-Club room was having a beauty treat- ment. Several large patches of plaster. which had fallen off the walls in the Hood in the early part of the term. were replaced, and the Hoor and lower part of the walls were painted. The room looks much better, and the members have adopted a rigid set of rules to keep it clean. 11Rock ' has even agreed to quit chopping cigarette butts 011 the floor, in a noble effort to please his fellow members. 0: Bright Boys The following are the honor grades for the month of October: 1. Townes .............................. 96.2 2. Carpenter .......................... 94.8 3. Lloyd .................................. 93.8 4. Huges ................................ 90.6 5. Perry, P. ............................ 90.2 6. Arthur ................................ 90.1 7. Scott .................................. 89.4 8. Harris, B. .......................... 88.4 9. Smith ................................ 88.2 10. Aldred ................................ 88 11. Gaul .................................... 87.8 12. Armistead ........................ 87.6 13. Koch .................................. 87.5 14. Parrott .............................. 87.2 15. Page .................................. 86.8 16. Barge ................................ 86.6 17. Alexander .......................... 86.4 18. Moore ................................ 85.8 19. Home ................................ 85.6 20. Gibson ................................ 85 21. Gormly .............................. 84.8 21. Gower, J. .......................... 84.8 21. Trevathan ........................ 84.8 24. Betty .................................. 84.4 24. Thomas, W. ...................... 84.4 26. Richardson ........................ 84.2 27. Stieglitz ............................ 84 28. Bradsher ............................ 83.8 29. Hedrick ............................ 83.4 30. Wellford ............................ 83.2 31. Moses ................................ 82.6 31. Van Noppen ...................... 82.6 33. Gundry .............................. 82.4 33. Johnson ............................ 82.4 35. Kemper .............................. 82.2 35. Sprague ............................ 82.2 37. White, W. ........................ 82 37. Withers .............................. 82 39. Mathews .......................... 81.4 39. Thompson ........................ 81.4 41. Hardy ................................ 81.2 42. Lee ...................................... 81.1 43. Dunbar .............................. 81 44. Hynes ................................ 80.8 45. Griffith .............................. 80.6 45. Rianhard .......................... 80.6 47. Thomas, M. ...................... 80.4 48. Murray, A. ........................ 80.2 48. Seneff ................................ 80.2 50. Harris. S. .......................... 80 50. Owens ................................ 80 -.-o$ The Chair Last month the choir suffered some alteration with the loss of the noted singers, William Field and Beverley Barge. Those who are carrying 011 are the following: Aldred Maddux, T. Alexander Maddux, W. Banks Mathews Carpenter Owens Field, R. SenefT Griffith Stieglitz Hardy Sublett Haywood Thomas, W. Lee Townes Lloyd Weaver Long Wellford As in former years, this group meets at the home of its maestro, Mr. Banks, every Friday night for practice. It is not an amateur organ- ization, for it receives payment for THE METEOR

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Volume XXVIV eW-smeteme A MONTH AT VIRGINIA EPISCOPAL SCHOOL No. 2 l 944 The road no longer winds and the trees have grown up THE SCHOOL CAMPUS The Tale of a Bridge Bridge Number One Back in the years before even our fathers came to V. E. S. patrons of the school had to cross a tiny culvert only 12 ft. long across Pigeon Creek to reach the school. The structure first had a dirt floor and later a gravel one. The road circled around, winding up the hills on each side, making several sharp turns which later proved dangerous. Mr. HOWa ard owned all the property on which the school is situated and built the first road to the site. Bridge Number Two Soon the school began to grow. Bishop Jett, the founder and builder of V. E. 5., and Mr. Mitchel pers suaded the Roanoke Bridge Co. to construct the second bridge at a very low cost in 1919. The bridge was much larger than the first one and spanned a considerable gap. It was a one way bridge on the sides of which were light iron rails with heavy wire. Originally the floor was oak planking, but it began to rattle so terribly that when a car crossed it at night, it would disturb study hall. To remedy this, thick runners were put across the bridge. These THE METEOR runners were the cause of three tragedies. On March 13, 1930, Bishop Jett, Dr. W. E. Pendleton, and Dr. Ran- dolph petitioned the city for a new bridgeik on the grounds that heavy trucks and more traffic were using the bridge than formerly, and the bridge was the cause of timidity on the' part of patrons. The city coun- cil appointed Mr. Hart, city inan- ager, to draw up specilications and the first design was made by Mr. DeMott. Bridge Number Three The new and present bridge was constructed at the left of the old one. The holes for the foundations were twenty feet deep, and it has three arches completing the span. It is 18 ft. wide and has a four foot side walk with substantial railings. Five pairs of electric lights adorn the bridge. Costing $30,000, it was financed by the city and paid for from funds raised for renovation of the old fed- eral building into a city hall for Lynchburg. Since the city hall was not needed for two years, V. E. S. fortunately received the appropriaw tion. The bridge is still standing and is said to be one of the most beautiful in Lynchburg. tThe city limits were extended be- yond V. E. S. in 1925. , , 4 STUDENTS Honor Committee The Honor Committee is the stu- dent group that carries out the Hon- or System of the school and tries to deal justly with all cases that may come up. Instead of cases being first brought to the faculty of adults, they are brought to fellow studentsethe Honor Committee. They are boys nominated by the student body at the end of each year and finally selected by the faculty. Some of them take the subject in question if it is a matter of cheating on a test, and they know more of the facts in- volved. This year the Honor Committee has been changed somewhat, and for the better it is hoped. It now has five members instead of the old three in the belief that five heads see more sides than three. Consequently each defendant will have all the chances possible to show his innocence. The Committee wishes each boy to have careful consideration, but if he is guilty, he must be dealt with accord- ingly, as Honor offenses are the most serious charges in a school, and are dealt with by dismissal. How does the Honor Committee work? Say a boy cheats on a quiz, and is reported to the Head Coun- selor or to the Headmaster. The Honor Committee meets and dis- 3

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its services at the rate of two merit points each week. For the second year the proces- sion is led by VVellford as crucifer. He also serves at the altar when he is needed. One new feature this year is a soprano quintet consisting of Banks, Carpenter, Field, R., Griflith, and Maddux, W. OPINIONS We Need Some Changes Made For the past two years. the V. E. S. library has been steadily going into oblivion. Hardly any attention is given the library by the students. This can be attributed to several factors. First it is open only'during a few periods of the day, and at the time it is open, a boy can go there only by showing written permission from some member of the faculty. It is true that this condition was brought about by the fact that boys were roughhousing in the library and violating the necessary library rules. But it cannot be overlooked that the boys have not been given a chance since early last fall to prove that they can conduct themselves properly. We now have a recreation room to use for play, instead of the library. The library is here for two pur- poses-vas a place for obtaining in- formation and as a place to enjoy . spare time quietly. By enjoying spare time we don't mean a rOugh house, but we do mean reading the magazines, newspapers, and books which are available. A boy cannot freely enjoy himself if he is too strictly supervised. Boys should be allowed to go to the library at any time without per- mission from a master. If this con- dition were brought about, the libra- ry would become more of a real in- stitution. The faculty and student body of Virginia. Episcopal School wish to express their deepest sympathy to Ted Gib- son on the death. of his brother, Sgt. W'altcr O. Gib- son, '43. The faculty and student body of Virginia Efiscopal School zc'ish to e.t'prms their decfzest sympathy to LEdgar Betty 0n the death of his brother, Pfc. Lee Betty. THE METEOR THE WAR NEW GUINEAa: By SGT. GUS DYER, V. E. S. 25 Green hills-and then thatched huts and naked natives paddling 10g canoes about in the bayethis was our First sight of New Guinea. As we drew nearer the shore, we could see coconuts hanging in clusters. And we could see banana trees, which we were later to learn to our dismay had been picked bare by hungry nativeseancl by the familiar type of soldier who gets a great kick out of foregoing army chow and living off the land. Before we landed, the salty aroma of the sea gave way to the dank jungle smell, an oolzy smell of frogs, lizards. and snakes, of hot mildew on decayed vegeta- tion. of old coconuts and breath fruit rotting in sluggish streams of blackwater fever and malaria -and pungent. fetid jungle smell. reminiscent of Maseheldis nPort of Holy Peter. We piled off the landing barges and tramped up the beach. With barracks bags, riHes. packs. and other equipment, the steep incline felt rough and slippery under foot. Our rifles kept sliding off our Shoulders. Hopping down and hitting up back of the knees. The beach was strewn with rocky coral. The soldiers picked some up to examine it and found, to their consternation. that it was filled with snake-like little crea- tures that poked their tails out, waggetl them, and drew them back again. After tramping through consider- able mud. and dragging our equip- ment with us. we arrived at our teln- porary camp site, in a grove of coco- nut trees back from the beach. No sooner had we set our burdens clown than we were greeted by the wild life of New Guinea. From the dense foliage of the coconut trees, invisible parrots and other strange birds screamed harshly and abruptly at us. They seemed to resent our invasion of their jungle sanctuary. But not the innumerable lizards. They were much more appreciative wkFrom an article in HThe Tennessee Alumnusl' of the University of Tennes- sec. of our presence, losing no time in hurrying out of their holes to greet us. Some of them are as green as grass, cute little fellows. Others. of a darker hue, are fully eighteen inches long. None of 'them seemed the least bit bashful. As for the antseaffectionate little creaturesl-some are small and black, like those in the States; but others, of a less conservative stock. are large and are dressed in gaudier colors, arrayed in brilliant red jack- ets or in green and yellow striped suits. The hot, damp atmosphere is oppressive. One awakens in the morning feeling as though he had been trying to sleep in a hot kitchen on wash day. While the tropical weather does not seem to make one lazy. it nevertheless has the e'Ffecte especially when combined with ata- brine. C-rations, and loss of sleep- of making one feel a bit lldopey. as though his blood vessels were crowded too full and his ears under water. Then, there is the rain. the mud, damp clothes and wet feete all a part of New Guinea. Y et, even our weather has its re- deeming features. Certainly we have lots of rain; but it's the rain that makes the hills so beautifully green. And itls the rain that pro- vides us with fresh. Clear streams of cool water from the mist-capped mountains beyond the lagoon. Cool water that feels so good to bathe in. As Lew Lehr would say. the na- tives are the 'cwasiest people;U The men folk go in for beautification in a big way. But not the gals. Only the men dye their hair. usually a deep auburn. And only the men dee- orate their hair-dds with flowers. large red and yellow blossoms. held in place with white wooden ecombs. which bear no small resemblance to long-prouged kitchen forks. Being very sensible, these gentle- men of the jungle do not go in for a lot of useless clothes. Their dress, when they bother with it at allt is wonderfully adapted to the climate. Some attire their bodies in banana leaves: others are satisfied with a shell. The most extravagant wear short skirts of gay-colored clothea bit on the coquettish side. Taking all things into considera- tion. New Guineals not such a bad place in which to live. VVelre grad- ually getting things under control. 5