Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

Page 15 text:

Tha Virginia Military Institute. Virginia ' s sons Will ever, through all time, thy name revere, Because Virginia ' s heroes held it dear, The noble ones Who gave themselves, All that they could give ; Or struggled on, until Their country bade them live. All those who knew How willingly thou gavest, at thy country ' s call, Not those she asked, but those she needed ; — all. The brave and true Must honor thee. If they would those Who loved their country. Whether they were friends or foes. Thy name is well Beloved by all, where ' er thy name is known. Not because thy sons were true, — not this alone. But one did dwell Within thy walls, Who loved thee less than none Save his God and country — Heroic Stonewall Jackson ! J. c. M.

Page 14 text:

EDITORIAL. fERHAPS the most fitting introduction to this work would be an apology. The preparation of the Bomb, the pioneer of college annuals in the South, has been attended with many difficulties. We present the result of our labors to the public with little cause for con- gratulation, but with the consciousness of knowing that what little we have performed is the result of individual effort. To the Faculty we are indebted for — well, much moral advice and many good wishes ; further than this, they have shown no interest what- ever in the success of our publication. And right here we would like to offer a suggestion. It is a well-known fact among educational institu- tions that great good can be accomplished by the cooperation of the professors, outside as well as inside the recitation rooms. But, with two exceptions, none of our Faculty have ever condescended to attend the literary exercises of our societies. Why is this? By a generous appropriation from the Board of Visitors of the Insti- tute, we have been able to publish an annual, typographically, at least, a success ; and now the Bomb is here, with fuse lit and shell charged, prepared to assail the walls of the vulnerable, one and all, without dis- tinction. And if, after the manner of bombs, we are destined to ter- minate in a bust, we console ourselves with the reflection that we have had for our targets those who have laid themselves liable to assault, be they whom they may ; and for our aim, the welfare and prosperity of our noble Alma Mater. To those who have assisted us in our work by subscriptions and adver- tisements, we are deeply grateful ; to those whose foibles have afforded us amusement we are also greatly indebted, but to those who are inclined to resent the exposure of their weaknesses, we most respectfully refer Our Fighting Editor.

Page 16 text:

The Yirginia Military Institute. fRIOR to the year 1839 - Legislature of Virginia had made an annual appropriation of 6,000 for the support of the guard of sol- diers stationed at the Lexington Arsenal. Some citizens of Lexington, in 1836, brought to the notice of the Legislature the fact that the Lexington Arsenal could preserve its character as a military establish- ment, and at the same time a ' Literary Institution ' for youth. A law was passed, March 29th, 1839, establishing a school at the Lexington Arsenal, to be called the Virginia Military Institute. The school went into operation November nth, 1839, with F. H. Smith, as Prin- cipal and Professor of Mathematics, and Major I. T. L. Preston, Pro- fessor of Languages. The institution was supported by the State of Virginia, and its character was intended to be distinctively scientific and military. Its rapid growth led to the gradual increase of its Faculty and the establishment of the several Departments of Natural and experi- mental Philosophy, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Geology, c. In i860 Gen. Philip St. G. Cocke, of Virginia, Dr. Mercer, of Lou- isiana, and Mrs. E. L. Clayton, of Virginia, made liberal donations to endow the Chairs of Agriculture, Animal and Vegetable Physiology and Agriculture, and to erect a Hall of Natural History, respectively. Thus had the Institute grown in numbers and resources until it com- pared favorably with the best colleges of the country, and the practical scientific education which it gave was being illustrated by the lives of its graduates, when the Civil War commenced. Nothing can more fully prove the efficiency of its military education than the fact that One- tenth of the Confederate armies was commanded by eleves of this school, embracing three Major-Generals, thirty Brigadier-Generals, sixt}- Col- onels, fifty Lieutenant-Colonels, thirty Majors, one hundred and twent}-- five Captains and between two and three hundred Lieutenants ; and of these, two hundred were killed and three hundred and fift)- were wounded.