Western Military Academy - Recall Yearbook (Alton, IL)

Page 19 text:

ACADEMIC YEAR Though military work was stepped up in im- portance this year, The Academic Department was, as always, the very foundation of school life. Of course, there were sports, trips, and activities, which were fun and hard work too, but no cadet was al- lowed to forget that the idea of getting a sound edu- cation stood foremost. Col. Persing. Headmaster, had around him the finest faculty Western has known in recent years. In addition, the student body was of a very high order. Over thirty cadets came from without the borders of the United States. The intelligence of cadets a nd interest in classes were very noticeable, especially among lower-classmen. Many a brilliant mind was discovered among younger cadets which gave bright promise of achievements in the future. For the eleventh year the Western Chapter of the National Honor Society functioned actively. The members held many lively discussions and made great plans for the future. The candle-light initiation ceremony was held in mid-March. Ten members were inducted, three junior members from last year and seven new ones. Western’s own academic honor society, the Club 400, was greatly enlarged, as more students qualified by superior scholastic work. Col. Persing and Capt. Howell carried on the Junior-Senior speech program with marked success. Each member of the two upper classes had to pre- pare and deliver a speech in assembly. The idea gave some stage fright, but each speaker admitted when he had faced the public that it was a helpful, and even an enjoyable experience. Something behind the scenes which had a great deal to do with maintaining high academic stan- dards was the faculty meetings with Col. Persing presiding. These meetings shaped the policy of each class and instructor. The discussions of vital topics proved helpful to the entire department. What about our classes and our teachers? Yes, they caused us plenty of hard work and sweat, but we can never forget our instructors. We 11 just skip at random around the campus and drop in on some of the classes. THE THREE R’S” --- AND THEN SOME Top row: Maj. Gould talks solid geometry to ‘’solid’’ students: Col. Persing congratulates spelling champ. Harders; Capt. Naxera labors with Blankenship and Redman. Bottom row: Capt. Lange warns Saul and Costello not to blow up lab: Off to another class; Capt. Lamp- ing makes it clear to Gintz.

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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY W. M. A. CHAPTER Seated: Holloway, Baker, Boe. Standing: Boonshaft, Allen. R.. Saul. Walker. Not Pictured: Costello. Mathis, Cinnater. Of all distinctive honors in the Senior Class, membership in the National Honor So- ciety is considered one of the greatest. The requirements are perhaps the most difficult of all, for they are not based on any one attribute, and membership can be merited only by effort over a long period of time. The selection of members for the Society are made on four cardinal points - - Scholar- ship, Service. Leadership, and Character. Cadets chosen must be in the upper quarter of the class in scholarship. The chapter at Western was established eleven years ago and is sponsored by Col. Persing. It is a positive and stimulating force. It tries to help in shaping proper attitudes and opinions in the cadet corps. It seeks to influence others by upholding the highest standards in student life. It aspires to further those actions which are conducive to loftier ideals and greater achievement. The Candle Ceremony” of initiation, again conducted by graduate. Bill Foster, was one of the most impressive of the year. The new members, lighting candles from a central taper on a table, repeated this pledge in unison: As one flame lighteth another, nor grows less, so may we by our honorable purpose kindle in the hearts of our fellow cadets enthus- iasm for high scholastic achievement, unselfish service, sound leadership, and clean charac- ter.”

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ACADEMIC YEAR, CONTINUED Costello gives senior speech; Baker, Hosto wait nervously. Even before we invisibly enter his classroom, we hear Maj. Buck clearly enunciating the dictat” for the day and stopping to impress forcefully the idea of system and order. The oldest instructor on the faculty in length of service, he declares in that same vigorous tone: We are here to learn German. Ger- man. and more German.’’ Yes, we find ourselves admitting that Maj. Buck is a legend at Western and that there will always be a place for him in the hearts of his students. We find that Col. Persing ' s College Board Eng ' ish Class is one that taxes a cadet to the best of his ability. One learns much from his lectures while considering such intangibles as happiness, fear, and the like. Next we hop to the chemistry and physics classrooms, where kindly and efficient Capt. Lange presides. The lab is now in session, and from the thundering shouts we know that Bill Burns is present. We see in the comer Gerry Saul and Keith Burgard laughing slyly, as they think that they have dis- covered a new element, or at least a new pungent odor. These young chemists hold a record for in- vigorating the class with a new smell each day. In the physics room, we are just in time to see Capt. Lange give John Ratliff a soft pat on the back and tell him that he will find out the sure answer to his problem in the next chapter. We proceed on cur way to hear Capt. Howell and Maj. Hinton, that Southern-accented English instructor, working with those frolicsome Lower School boys. They get amazing results, too, in teaching manners, poetry, grammar, and literature. Maj. Hinton hclds forth in Freshman classes and creates a new interest in writing. His clear expres- sion of ideas, plus a truly likable character, makes his subjects popular. Time is growing short. We float down the hall to Capt. Browns Junior English classes. His amazing fund cf knowledge and his forceful, yet friendly manner, rate him as tops with the cadets. Next to the rooms of Capt. Spiva. Capt. Naxera. Capt. Robertson, and Capt. Jauron, all new instruc- :ors who quickly got into the swing of things, we find the usual workmanlike and absorbing classes in progress. In Maj. C. B. Jackson s U. S. History Cass, we note that the party system has taken over. The cadets are learning the procedures of democratic government. The Major ' s face, wreathed in a per- petual smile, is a true symbol of good will. Now we hear the mumbo-jumbo of foreign languages. We know that we are in Capt. McKinney s Spanish classes, and we feel the graceful atmosphere of Latin-America, which he knows and loves from ac- tual experience. Athletic and friendly Maj. Gculd sees that things run like clock-work in his advanced algebra and solid geometry classes. We see Capt. Green making geometry seem as easy as arithmetic. Across the hall, we observe apparently inert forms draped limply over drawing boards, but they are merely absorbed in mechanical drawing under Capt. Lamp- ing. who also shows remarkable patience with the younger students in his algebra classes. As our tour ends, we dash across the campus to Capt. Bresson ' s general science and biology labs. What an interesting place his room is, full of fasci- nating specimens and exhibits, and full, too, of some of the best instruction on the campus. We feel that he is a builder of character. And so we close our farewell tour of the class- rooms. We know that these instructors whom we have met are friends as well as teachers and that they deserve the greatest credit for making the academic year a success. Maj. Buck ' s advanced German class.