ThE QUADRANGLE - Fishburne Military School

Winter 2011
The alumni Magazine of Fishburne Military School
The Quadrangle
Winter 2011
Letter from the Chairman, Board of Trustees
I
n October 2010, when my fellow trustees were generous enough to elect me chairman of the board of the Fishburne-Hudgins Educational Foundation, I accepted with
confidence and clarity of purpose that came directly from the knowledge that the present
collective leadership of Fishburne Military School, quite apart from myself, seems stronger, more cohesive, and better poised for greatness than ever before.
In making this statement I intend to pay my colleagues on the 2011 board a well-deserved
and extremely high compliment, especially when I think back on the forty-three years
during which I have successively held every Foundation office but secretary and treasurer.
During those years I have worked with a most remarkable group of former trustees, many
of whom were beacons and inspirations to me in the pathway of my life.
1
Letter from the Chairman - Board of
Trustees
3
SMART Moves
by Mrs. Susan Johnson
4-9
Around the Barracks
18-27
Class Connections &
Departed Comrades
32
New Board of Trustee Members
33
Letter from the President - Board of
Trustees
10
Flashback to Fishburne
Billy Sharpe ’56 brings us back
12 “Aha” Moments - Asking the Teachers
Perspectives from new teachers
14 Swimming In It - The FMS Pool is Open Again
Coach Katherine Gray writes about the swim team and pool
16 FMS Improves Its IT Infrastructure
Ryan Catherwood provides the details
28
Interview with a Rock Star
30
Report on Fishburne’s Historical Archives
Josh Maisel ’88 talks with John Campbell
J.B. Yount III, Esquire ’56 discusses
31 Key Club Update
Debbie Todd discusses the Key Club and giving back
The Quadrangle is published twice yearly by Fishburne Military School.
Volume 29, Issue 1
COL Roy F. Zinser, USA (Ret).
Mrs. Debra A. Todd
Mr. Ryan Catherwood
Superintendent/President
Director of Alumni Affairs Communications Director
Fishburne Military School
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
540-946-7716
540-946-7709
540-946-7742
FAX: (540) 946-7741 • Web site: www.fishburne.org • Blog: www.timesconnect.fishburne.org
Images by: Kevin Blackburn Photography and
FMS Communications
Back Cover Illustration by Matt Brown
(Matt Brown Illustrations)
At my first trustee meeting in the summer of 1967, the board still included such luminaries in Fishburne history as Colonel Hudgins, Colonel Childs, Colonel Brooks, and
Colonel Young, the latter of whom, next to me, was the youngest trustee and had taught
J. B. Yount III, Esquire
me Senior English only eleven years before. That 1967 board included no less than eight
of the trustees who had rallied in 1950-51 to organize the foundation and save the school from closing.
Certain events stand out in my memories of my early years on the board. I remember Colonel Hudgins’ 90th birthday review,
held in the gymnasium on December 5, 1968, at which as vice mayor I was allowed to present the Waynesboro City Council’s resolution in honor of the man who decades before had been a progressive mayor and
municipal judge, all the while running our military school.
Colonel Hudgins had retired as superintendent the May before I entered Fishburne as a cadet, but he and
his wonderful wife had been close friends of my parents and grandmother for decades, and as a boy I knew
them both well. In 1971, when I prepared, presented, and saw published a brief biography of Professor
James A. Fishburne, Colonel Hudgins, then past ninety-two, sent me a handwritten note telling me that he
hoped all Fishburne alumni would get to read my article and that he and Mrs. Hudgins were very proud
of me. Next to my diploma itself, that letter is
my most valued personal Fishburne keepsake.
Three men have preceded me as chairman of
the board, and I stand in awe of each of them
as I dare to join their ranks.
Col. Morgan Hudgins
Felix E. Edmunds, the charter trustee and local House of Delegates
member who incorporated the Foundation, first held the newly-created chairman’s post from 1979 to 1990 after ten years as its president. He was my friend, mentor, senior law partner, and for twentythree years he allowed me to work as his understudy during some of
March 11, 1951 - Mr. Edmunds stands second from right
the most difficult days that the school
ever faced. He was not an alumnus and had
dedicated his efforts to saving the school more as a gift to the community
of Waynesboro as a whole, but he urged me to involve myself appropriately
but intensively in the day-to-day progress of the school and get to know the
successive generations of cadets. That advice led me to many rewarding and
happy times.
John T, Hardy ’27, a retired national Texaco executive remembered by
legions of the Fishburne family, was the second chairman, succeeding Mr.
T. Nelson Saunders, Jr Edmunds and holding the office until he voluntarily accepted emeritus status
Mr. John T. Hardy, Jr.
at the age of 93. No one ever loved Fishburne more or proved an inspiration here to everyone from respectful junior colleagues
on the board to the most ebullient cadet he encountered on his legendary barracks tours. His wisdom was legendary and those of
us who knew him do well to follow his example and keep his counsel.
1
SMART Moves
-continued
My immediate predecessor, Mr. T. Nelson Saunders, Jr., ’49, assumed the chairmanship in 1997 and has
never failed to keep a keen business eye and diligent guiding hand on the “ship of school.” At Colonel Young’s
suggestion, former superintendent Robert C. Miller and I went to Richmond in 1987 and implored Nelson
to join the Fishburne board. I don’t think there was a busier business executive in Virginia at the time, and
he admitted he was constantly besieged by offers to work with non-profit organizations. Lucky for us all, his
appreciation of Fishburne and his love for Colonel Young led him to accept our invitation, and he remains a
vital force for Fishburne’s future to whom I shall always to look for inspiration.
by Mrs. Susan Johnson
FMS Asst. Superintendent
I am honored to serve as chairman of the Foundation board, but perhaps now, when you realize the giants
whom I follow in this position, you will appreciate the fact that I do so with trepidation and wonderment.
Yours for Fishburne,
J. B. Yount III, Esquire ’56
The use of the SMART Boards has been integrated into the Fishburne curriculum. I was unfamiliar with
this new teaching device and I attended the in-service provided by the school to learn about the many uses
of the board. However the true implementation and instruction in my class came from my students.
In my American literature survey course I determined the appropriate use for the Board. With the help of
my students, we are now using the board for vocabulary study, grammar and writing. Visual learners are
fascinated with the moving parts on the large screen in front of the room.
Pictured at a New
Year’s Eve gathering
in Ohio (from right
to left): Samuel J.
Cropp ’08, SPC
Joshua D. Cropp
’06, William Ulrich
’12, and Daniel H.
McKinney, Esquire
’47.
2
Students’ work can be shown on the board and rearranged or repaired to make a more organized paragraph
or a part of speech can be added by command. A random topic can be introduced and expanded to create
an opening paragraph. A simple sentence can become compound or complex with the proper suggestions.
The explanation of parallel construction is easy to see. A student or the teacher types in the suggested
addition and the value and weight of adjectives and adverbs becomes real.
Students are fully engaged in this teaching tool and especially enjoy the end of the session where they have
the opportunity to show off their smart board skills to the teacher and the class. SMART Boards are smart
moves!
3
Around the Barracks
“Fishburne Military
School is the product of its traditions
and its customs. It
is the sum of all the
personalities that
have passed through
its halls. Year after
year it has sent forth
noble, manly young
men, high in tone,
in ideals, in accomplishments ---men
who look back to
their Fishburne
training as the
foundation of their
success in life.”
- Col. Morgan H.
Hudgins, 1935.
PG Cadet K.C.
Whitaker drives to
the hoop
Athletics
successful year thus far,
MSGT Anson Reports
Recruitment for Summer
School 2010 was fast and
furious. On opening day,
the program had 112 cadets
report to the barracks. We
are pleased to report that this
is an increase of 25 cadets
over last year’s session. We
are optimistic that Summer
School 2011 will yield the
same increase. Obviously, there
is a substantial market out
there, and the opportunity to
take JROTC - LET 1 or 2 was
one that many cadets and their
parents embraced.
The 2010 fall sports campaign
reflected a mixture of startling
successes and tough losses.
Outstanding individual and
team performances, hardfought victories, untimely
injuries, some bad breaks,
and occasional heartbreaking
defeats marked this season.
The Fishburne rifle team
started out the 2010 season
with two losses and a team
average of 868 points per
match. They could have easily
packed it in. With a new
goal of beating Hargrave and
Fork Union to revenge their
earlier losses, they rose to the
challenge. This was the most
inexperienced team Coach Jim
Hensley has had over the past
fifteen years, with only four
second year shooters and four
new shooters. Cadet Jason
Montgomery, team captain,
made the All-League team
for the season, and Cadet
Nathaniel Holt, a brand new
shooter, was selected as the
most improved shooter in the
league and also made the AllTournament
team.
Cadet Gregory Geis aims carefully during a Rifle Team practice
a playoff berth. For the
first time in three seasons
the Caissons did not
participate in post season
play. Injuries and “bad
bounces,” in addition to
player absences for various
reasons plagued the 2010
season. The Caissons have
several returning players next
season and are confident
they have the will and the
desire to return and compete
once again for the CAFC
championship.
The Caissons soccer team
finished the season with a
3-10 record which looks like
The Caisson a disappointing record to
football
those outside the team, but
season began the Caisson soccer coaches
with a goal
felt good about the season
to repeat
and are looking forward to
as CAFC
the future. No one likes to
(Capital Area lose but if you look at the
Football
scores from the first five
Conference) games compared to those
champions
of our last five, you can see
and ended
how much more competitive
without
we were at the end of the
4
season than we were at its
beginning.
This year’s version of the
Caissons cross country
team was led by senior
captain Alex Burkard, an
outstanding team captain,
who was a medalist in both
the Covenant and Fishburne
Invitationals, and earned
All-Conference Honorable
Mention. Colin Turnnidge
received all-state honors with
a spectacular 4th place finish
in 18:01, and was also a
medalist at the Covenant and
STAB Invitationals.
Win or lose, I am proud of
the work ethic of our athletes
and their dedication to their
teams and Fishburne.
Admissions
Strong Enrollment for
Summer and Fall 2010
The FMS Admissions Office
has had a tremendously
The Fall Semester has been a
resounding success. We have
more cadets in the barracks
(170) than we’ve had in
the last five years and have
renovated some of our storage
spaces to make more room for
cadets who enrolled in January.
It is our hope that we can
continue to reach out to
you, our alumni, to be our
Admissions representatives in
your region. We are routinely
asked to connect prospective
students and their parents
with current parents, alumni,
or parents of alumni who can
offer key insights into what the
FMS experience is all about.
If you are willing to help us
by speaking to parents over
the telephone or even to meet
them at Starbucks for coffee,
please be sure to contact the
Admissions Office either by
phone (800) 946-7773 or
email (admissions@fishburne.
org). We need volunteers
from around the country!
In addition, the Admissions
Office regularly participates
in Admissions Fairs around
Virginia and in Maryland.
Please check the school’s
Web site often to find out if
a Fishburne Recruiting Fair
will be in your area in the
near future. We encourage
all alumni to come to these
events and support the
school.
Communications
Coach Huckaby on the
Radio
Every Wednesday at 3:40pm,
Head PG Basketball Coach
Ed Huckaby has a tenminute radio segment with
Mac McDonald, host of
InBounds. The segment
can be heard in several
Virginia markets including
Richmond, Harrisonburg,
Charlottesville and Roanoke.
The team has experienced
a strong increase in local
spectators during away games
as well. We encourage all
alumni to take the time to
watch the PG Caissons play
if they are in your area.
FMS has also received lots of
local coverage with respect to
our Military Junior College
concept. Our local NBC
and ABC television affiliates
ran reports (watch the NBC
report on the Alumni page
of fishburne.org) on the
evening news. Both the News
Virginian and News Leader
ran stories on the topic.
Although the project itself
is in its earliest exploratory
phase, there is a lot of
local excitement. During
Class of ’49 Memories
(Student ’45 - ’47)
The dominant scenes that come to mind when reminiscing about FMS are the Quadrangle with its guardhouse and the militarily picturesque view of the main
building from the far side of the parade field. When
near Waynesboro I often drive by the campus and
admire the condition of the building and grounds. All
staff, alumni and friends who have shared the responsibility are due kudos for a job well done with limited
resources.
As a matriculating freshman I had no idea what to expect and in my two years at FMS I did not stand out as
a leader or an outstanding cadet. However, the lessons
learned lasted a lifetime and have served me well. All
youth would benefit from the lessons of independence,
responsibility, accountability, discipline and good study
habits, all of which were ingrained in me as a cadet and
lasted through life.
During the Korean War I served in the Army for
twenty-two months (twelve months in Korea) and rose
to the rank of Sergeant-first-class, an unusual attainment for a short period of service. During college and
throughout my career I held leadership positions. I
attribute much of the credit for success in my career to
the foundation laid at Fishburne.
- Jim Hall
5
Around the Barracks
“It is my purpose
to have here an
institution which
shall rank as first
class in everything
that constitutes true
worth, and from
which shall go forth
loyal, earnest, industrious young men,
well-equipped for
the duties and responsibilities of life,
and above all else,
to maintain a high
standard of honor
and integrity in the
Corps of Cadets.”
-James Abbott
Fishburne, 1885
Generating excitement about
FMS is very important
both locally and around
the country! Fishburne’s
Communications Office
would like to invite those
alumni who enjoy writing to
author regular editorials for
all of our publications and the
school’s blog, The Fishburne
Times-Connect. All topics are
welcome. If you are interested
in writing for Fishburne please
contact Ryan Catherwood,
Communications Director
([email protected]).
Cadets Alex Burkard and
Colin Turnnidge race for
the Caissons
6
which will be held on the
29th. Please be sure to book
your reservations soon. A block
of guest rooms has been set
aside at several hotels for the
weekend.
the recent Christmas Home
Tour, over 130 Waynesboro
residents toured the school and
many expressed the sentiment
that our appearance on the
tour itself was the reason
they purchased a ticket. As
always, we are very pleased to
participate in local events that
might attract future day school
students.
JROTC
LTC Hunt Reports
Col. Jim Tubbs, USAF (RET) leads Mario Woodard and Msgt. Mike Anson during a training ride in the farm country near Harrisonburg. The cows look on...
Development
Michael’s Ride &
Alumni Weekend
On Columbus Day, at
sunrise, the third annual
Michael’s Ride ceremony
began on the front parapet.
Michael Woodard ’07 died
in a car accident in 2008
while driving to FMS and
the ride was created by his
father, Mario, as an annual
memorial. This year, Mario
and Thomas Woodard
(father and brother to
Michael) were joined
in their grueling bicycle
journey from Waynesboro
to Richmond by Col. Jim
Tubbs, FMS Business
Manager, and Msgt.
Mike Anson, Director of
Athletics. The 90+ miles
ride takes about seven
hours, and finishes at Joe’s
Inn, in Richmond’s Fan
District.
One concept the school
is exploring for Michael’s
Ride IV is to organize a
shorter ride that stays local to
Waynesboro. It is our hope
that we can grow the event
itself by attracting a larger
volume of participants. The
ride as it stands now is far
more difficult than the vast
majority of athletes are willing
to undertake. Please be sure
to mark Michael’s Ride IV on
your calendar for Columbus
Day 2011. If you have any
suggestions please contact
Debbie Todd, (dtodd@
fishburne.org).
As spring approaches us,
our thoughts once again
turn to Alumni Weekend
2011. The weekend begins
with the Colonel Young
Brigade Dinner which
will once again be held at
Farmington Country Club in
Charlottesville on April 28th.
New this year is the location
for the Casino Night event.
Staunton’s famous Stonewall
Jackson Hotel & Resort will
be our host for the evening,
The school year began with
the cadet leaders arriving
on August 22nd to attend
Fishburne’s Cadet Leadership
Training Program (CLTP). The
cadet leaders’ training included
leadership, team building, drill
and ceremonies and regulation
book standards. They were a
highly motivated group eager
to take charge of both the new
and returning cadets and train
them properly and to the strict
standards expected of cadets
who attend the finest small
military school in America.
This was the largest leadership
group (over 60 cadets) to
attend a preschool leadership
training program in the past
25 years, and it provided depth
for leadership selection from
officers to guidon bearers.
We were also fortunate
to transition many of the
Summer School leaders into
key leadership positions for
the regular school year. Their
summer school training and
experience allowed us to train
at a higher level than in the
past.
During leader selection it
was clear early in the training
process that Brian Watkins
was ready to lead and take
command of the Caissons
battalion. This former First
Sergeant came with a vision
on how this would be the
best corps in school history.
His right hand man is Cadet
Alex Burkard who was
selected to be the second
in charge and battalion
Executive Officer. He is a day
student and a five year cadet
with tremendous experience
and knowledge. His left
hand man is William Ulrich,
the Corps’ Sergeant Major,
who was selected based
on his performance as an
exceptional squad leader.
The JROTC teams are as
strong as ever due to having
an all senior led regulation
drill team, as well as nine
returning spinners on the
Hudgins Rifles exhibition
drill team which has excelled
by earning first place at the
Fort Lee Drill Meet. Our
Color Guard is comprised
of our best four sophomores
and was hand picked by
First Sergeant Jim Hensley.
Our Raider Team has several
returning cadets and is a
close-knit, hard-charging
team with incredible desire
and motivation. They were
second on the 12-mile road
march conducted on the New
River at the Powhatan Boy
Scout Raider competition.
The Academic and
Leadership Bowl teams were
one of thirteen teams out
of fifty-eight that advanced
to the second level of
competition this year.
We have had several
successful corps events. The
Comments from The Superintendent
In addition to setting up stronger Web site and Web
content filters, thereby enabling an improved focus
on academics for our cadets, FMS has tripled the
incoming and outgoing bandwidth of our wireless
network. The purpose of this increase is to continue
to promote technology and its associated best
practices. Our intention is to enrich this aspect of
each cadet’s education at Fishburne.
We understand that a strong comprehension of
technology, particularly how to access information
on the Web, is absolutely imperative during his
college years and beyond. Our increased bandwidth
will improve both the classroom experience as well as
his access to the World Wide Web for homework and
group collaboration.
As technology continues to advance, it is our
intention to stay well ahead of the curve and
provide all Fishburne cadets with the knowledge of
technology they will need to be successful. For more
information please read the feature on page 16.
Sincerely,
Col Roy F. Zinser, USA (RET)
FMS Superintendent
7
Save The Date
Around the Barracks
“At Fishburne I
found what I was
looking for. Here, if
you try, you can excel. You can improve
yourself and grow in
every area of your
personality. Here
people care about
you as an individual. Here people give
you the chance to
become a better athlete, a leader, a selfdisciplined person.
That is what makes
Fishburne great. It
gives you the chance
to prove yourself to
yourself, which is the
hardest test of all.”
-Harry Lee Temple,
Jr., 1987
1st 9/11 Remembrance
Parade was a tremendous
success. All of Waynesboro’s
first responders were honored
and many were in attendance
along with the Mayor.
During Parents Military
Weekend, the JROTC Team
demonstrations and Corps
Review were big hits with all
the parents.
The Veterans’ Day ceremony
may have been one of
the best ever as noted by
regular attendees. The corps
received several noteworthy
comments from the attendees
about how sharp the corps
looked and how well the
Band played during Veterans
Day ceremonies and at the
Christmas parade.
Facilities
Multiple Projects are
Completed
Our hard-working FMS
facilities crew has had their
hands full over the last six
months. Some of the projects
that have been completed
Cadet Lt. Col.
Brian Watkins
with Officer of
the Quarter,
Bravo Company
Commander,
Cadet Captain
Walter Curt
8
Alumni Weekend 2011
April 29-May 1
Geometry and Pre Calculus.
CDR Gest was involved in
the planning and conducting
of the Parents’ Weekend
Banquet and Dance.
Captain Bryan Greene teaches
World Geography, History
10, and U.S. History. He
taught for several years in the
North Carolina public school
system. CPT Greene was
the head coach of the soccer
team.
The FMS Swimming Pool renovation was completed in October 2010
since the last edition of The
Quadrangle include the
addition of a science lab,
new heating systems for the
Administrative Building,
Mess Hall and Chapel, and
new floor tile for 55 cadet
rooms. Mrs. Johnson’s
classroom was completely
renovated, refurnished and
equipped with a SMART
board.
Without question, however,
the most significant
improvement to the school’s
buildings and grounds has
been the renovation of the
FMS swimming pool below
the Mess Hall. Over a year
in planning, construction
and finishing touches went
into restoring the pool to a
functioning condition. In
addition to the pool itself,
the adjacent stairwell and
foyer located just outside
the pool have been re-tiled
and another room has been
converted into a dressing
room for the Swim Team,
which is now practicing in
the pool daily. Fishburne will
host two swim meets against
Massanutten in January and
February. We are extremely
grateful to all the donors who
made the projects possible.
Thank you for your support.
We couldn’t do it without
you! (See feature article on
the FMS Swim Team and
Pool Renovation on pg. 14)
Staff
Several New Teachers
Hired Over the Summer
Fishburne added six new
faculty members this year.
They bring to the school a
variety of experience and
expertise. Our new hires have
done an outstanding job,
teaching the Corps of Cadets
both academic and social
fundamentals. (For more
from our new teachers, see
article on page 12).
Commander Robert Gest
is a retired naval officer
and has worked for the
last several years in the
financial industry. He teaches
It is not too early to start planning your trip back to Waynesboro for Alumni
Weekend 2011! The event will be held one week later than usual due to Easter
falling on the last full weekend of April. Also, there is a new venue that we hope you
will enjoy.
Friday, April 29, we will again offer a special tour and golf during the day. However
- NEW this year, Friday evening will kick-off with registration and the Alumni Gala
and Casino Night at the historic Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton.
Saturday will begin with registration for late arrivals and the Alumni Breakfast and
Rally in the FMS gym, followed by class pictures, drill team exhibitions, Memorial/
Honor Guard ceremony and the Corps Review. The evening is set aside for Class
Dinners and the 4th annual Legacy Corps Dinner for alumni who have already
celebrated their 50th reunion.
Captain James Honaker
teaches English 7, English
9, and English 10. He
holds a masters degree in
English from James Madison
University. CPT Honaker
assisted with the football team
in the fall and is helping with
the swim team this winter.
The classes of ’41, ’46, ’51, ’56, ’61, ’66, ’71, ’76, ’81, ’86, ’91, ’96, ’01 and ’06
will be celebrating their reunion years. Who will win the Colonel Young Cup this
year? Come and support your class for the victory cup. We guarantee you will have
a memorable weekend!
Captain Seamus Moody
teaches Life Science, Biology,
and Neurobiology. He is a
recent graduate of Salisbury
University. CPT Moody is
assisting with wrestling this
winter.
Friday
0900 Tour (location to be announced)
1200 Wease Scholarship Golf Tournament – Waynesboro Country Club
1800 Alumni Gala & Casino Night – Stonewall Jackson Hotel, Staunton
Captain Justo Vasquez teaches
Spanish I and II. He taught
previously in the Waynesboro
public system. CPT Vasquez
is originally from Venezuela
where he taught for several
years before coming to the
United States.
The Registration Brochure will be in your mailbox soon! Registration and payment
will be offered online again this year.
Schedule
Saturday
0830 Registration – FMS Foyer
0900 Alumni Breakfast – FMS Gym
0900 Cadet led Campus Tours – Archway
1000 Alumni Rally – FMS Gym
1030 Class Pictures
1100 Exhibitions and Memorial/Honor Guard Ceremony – Anderson Field
1230 Corps Review
TBD Class Reunion (see your class agent for details)
1600 The Legacy Corps Dinner – Waynesboro Country Club
Alumni Weekend 2011 – Lodging
Stonewall Jackson Hotel, Staunton (540) 885-4848
* Residence Inn Marriott, Waynesboro (540) 943-7426
Best Western Hotel, Waynesboro (540) 942-1100
Holiday Inn Express, Waynesboro (540) 932-7170
Quality Inn, Waynesboro (540) 942-1171
Days Inn, Waynesboro (540) 943-1101
Note:
(*) 2-night minimum stay required at Residence Inn Marriott
Group (room) blocks release starting: 26 March 2011
9
“These memories get
me back on my feet to
try again.”
Flashback to
Fishburne
I
n 1955, I had the pleasure of being a member of the State Championship
baseball team. It proved to be wonderful. Well, it still gives me a glow. Now
in 2010, I look at my left hand and see the glove with the dust filled creases
in the leather. I see a scuffed ball in my right. Sometimes, when I notice my
shoes, I see the ball diamond dust, and a smile flickers on my lips. I see the late
Coach Hogg and Bobby Eanes. I see two of my ’56 classmates Herb Leaird
and Jerry Watson along with all the rest, while a picture of the team rests on
my chest of drawers. Right now, I have to pause before going on.
Unrelenting, we won. I thought. Put me in, coach. We kept winning. I
thought. Do not put me in, coach. Yeah, I saw a state championship on the
horizon. I knew Coach Hogg to be a person of compassion, and it horrified me
to think of what I might do to the team. At any rate, a non-conference game
came, and we had such an obscene lead, a group of Campfire girls could have
finished and won, but first, let me look at this from another angle.
Gosh, in the movies and stories of fiction, several players are out with an
intestinal virus. Coach Hogg would stare at me and say, “Billy, you can do it”.
With two strikes in the bottom of the ninth, I smacked the horsehide with the
Louisville Slugger, and the blow gave the sphere the wings of Pegasus. Deep
into center field and thirty feet over the centerfielder’s head, the smash would
sail. That stroke would win the deciding game, and I would strut home while
the crowd went ape do-do. Upon hearing the news, Mom and Dad’s eyes
would fill.
Sad to say, in the aforementioned lopsided game, I flied out to right field.
Yup, I hit it though. Hmm, A hit in that one trip to the plate, and my average
would have been 1.000 instead of 0.000 That’s life, huh.
Remember. In the opener, some pitcher hurled a no hitter against us. Remember. We slept together, ate together, lived together. We were one. Since those
days, there have been hard knocks, dirty deals, disappointments, and all kinds
of bad breaks that took the very heart from me.
10
Personal
Anyway, let there be no doubt, by far, I was the worst player on the team. Who
knows? Maybe my skills lie somewhere in the ether, and have found last place
in the history of FMS baseball. Ironically, if I had a trophy to that effect, I
would kiss it. Betcha’ last dollar on it.
Let’s have a flashback. In the first game, we lost. We did not get a hit. The next
day at practice Coach Hogg and the players showed a strange confidence. Let
me put it another way. Their jaws had a certain look or set. During the season,
I sat on the bench and watched in awe while our guys rolled over powerful opponents with fine players such as AMA and SMA.
Billy Sharpe ’56
Upclose&
Always, I remember those days, those games. I recall how the players emerged
from the diamond in defeat to become state champions. I look in my cedar
chest and see my Fishburne sweater with the varsity letter. I touch it. Then, I
hear the infield chatter. I keep those things in my heart, too. These memories
get me back on my feet to try again. I will always thank Fishburne for what it
did for me. Fishburne, it meant a lot to me, and so do you.
Ryan Catherwood
Director of Marketing
& Communications
What is your favorite aspect of
working at Fishburne?
Definitely the cadets. I love seeing their grumpy faces marching
to Mess in the morning, and really enjoy my opportunities to help
share what I’ve learned since I was
their age.
What is your favorite sports
team?
The Philadelphia Phillies. Nothing
makes me smile more than a bottom of the ninth blast from Ryan
Howard.
How many siblings do you have?
I have one sister. She is getting her
Ph.D. in Education at Virginia Tech.
What famous person, living or
dead, would you most like to
meet?
As a proud Virginian, I pick Thomas Jefferson. He’d have some good
stuff to say.
11
Upclose&
Asking the Teachers
Fishburne cadets are very unique, what makes the
challenge of teaching them a rewarding one?
BG: My first priority as a teacher here at FMS is to
teach responsibility. Yes, the curriculum is equally
as important, but the most rewarding thing for me
is to see a student do the right thing academically.
They realize that being responsible for their work
makes learning the material much easier.
JH: I think that our main goal is to guide these
students into being productive members of society.
With that in mind, what makes the job rewarding
is when I see kids understand why they need to
turn the work in, or why a particular homework
assignment is important for their future.
Give an example of when you noticed an “aha”
moment during one of your classes, either with
respect to your own thinking or a cadet.
ization I discussed subjects like sewage, trash
collection, police departments, and racial and
ethnic discrimination. Many of the students were
very surprised at how relatively new the concepts
of sanitation, crime control, and equal rights are
here in the United States.
Aside from the curriculum, what lessons do you
hope each cadet takes away from your class?
BG: Again, responsibility and accountability are
what I hope my students gain from being in my
class. Students are too often allowed to simply
“blow off” their responsibilities and just suffer
the consequences, such as a failing grade or even
a zero. In my class, as well as the others here at
FMS, the student is held accountable for their
work for as long as it takes to get it done.
SM: Never give up on anything!
SM: I was working with a cadet during Help
Class, and we were going over the study guide for
an exam for which we made flashcards. When we
got to a basic question that I knew he knew, what
he did was circle the right answer on the study
guide and covered it with his hand while he told
me the wrong answer. He then uncovered the correct answer that he had known the entire time.
JH: I think that taking responsibility for their actions is such an important lesson. Too often I hear
cadets blame others for why things went wrong
in their life, and I constantly point out to them the
things that they did or did not do that would have
changed the outcome. I really want them to take
control of their lives and believe that they have
some agency in what happens with their future.
JH: We were going over Edgar Allen Poe’s “The
Cask of Amontillado.” I’m used to the ninth
graders interrupting discussion with questions or
comments that have nothing to do with the text.
A cadet had his hand up, and, as he was one of our
more gifted students, I expected a question that
was at least relevant. I asked him what his question was, and he replied, “I just wanted to say that
Fortunato’s name means fortune and that is an
example of irony because he dies at the end of the
story.” I was shocked and pleasantly surprised that
he was able to apply this terminology correctly to
the short story.
Please give an example of when a cadet surprised
you in a positive way.
BG: Cadets, as most of us do, seem to take everyday things for granted. During a lesson on urban-
12
JH: What surprised me the most so far this year
actually happened outside of the classroom. The
football team had an important game against
Roanoke Catholic and many of the players had
to miss practice, so there wasn’t a lot of time
for many of the starters to prepare. Despite their
amount of practice, every player gave their best
effort during the game and almost pulled out a
victory. There were plenty of times during the
game when they could have given up, but they
fought hard and the game came down to the final
seconds.
Personal
New Fishburne
Teachers Discuss
Cadets, Classrooms,
and “Ah-Ha” Moments
Tina Blakwell
Assistant to the Headmaster
What is your favorite time of year
at Fishburne?
An Interview with 1st
Year FMS Faculty: James
Honaker, Bryan Greene,
and Seamus Moody
My favorite time of year at Fishburne is when a new year begins.
There’s a lot of hustle and bustle
and excitement in the air for students as well as faculty and staff.
If you had one wish, what would
it be? You can’t say more wishes...
If I had one wish it would be that
we would all look out for one
another in this world. The world
would be a much better place to
live in if we would all move outside
of ourselves and help each other
and feel safe and secure in doing so.
Do you have a favorite musical
group?
I don’t really have a favorite music
group but I like new age and Celtic
music. I also really enjoy sad violin
music because it soothes the soul.
What advice would you give an
incoming cadet?
Take advantage of the education
being offered here at Fish13
burne.
recognize the letter earners, each time someone earns a letter, they get a maroon and gold “S” posted on our locker room
wall with their name, the event they lettered in and their time. The guys seem to really enjoy this and after each meet go and
search the wall for their letter. At the end of year they will be encouraged to take their letters home with them to mark each
of their achievements.
FMS Reopens Its Pool!
Swim Team and School
Community to Benefit
Comments from
Coach Katherine Gray
I
am thrilled to have our own pool to practice
in. When we were using the YMCA’s pool we
could only have practice four days a week, and
after traveling and changing we had less than an
hour for practice. Now that we have our own
pool I am holding two-hour practices everyday.
I am very excited about this, although the guys
may be a bit less so as now they are working
much harder at practice. However they are really
seeing the results from longer practices. Between
our first two meets everyone dropped a lot of
time.
Though we have the largest team I have coached in my four years here at Fishburne, most of our swimmers are beginners.
My goals this season for these beginners is to teach them the competitive strokes and improve their technique. The goals are
similar for my more advanced swimmers: improve technique and drop time. I want each swimmer to set a personal best time
each time they compete. So far nearly all swimmers have met this goal. As long as my guys are consistently dropping time
and giving it their all, I am very pleased. Unfortunately we have been beset by illness and injury this season. Jason Montgomery, who has been on the team for four years and is our second best swimmer, has missed nearly a month of practice and our
first two meets. Will Johnstone (our top swimmer) was out of commission for over two weeks and missed the first meet. Nolan O’Connor, our most promising beginning swimmer, was knocked out for the entire season just before our second meet
with a broken hand. Despite missing and loosing these key swimmers the team never gives up, and the best of second tier
swimmers like Andrew Simons, Alex Burkard and Julian Mathews-Wall are really stepping up, taking one for the team and
swimming the hard events when I need them to. I have really high hopes for Will Johnstone in the 50 free, Tim Moriconi in
the 200 and 500 free, and Jason Montgomery in the 100 breast.
We are really looking forward to hosting our first meet against our rivals Massanutten. We are usually very well matched
against them and these meets are always some of the most exciting. It will be great to have members of the Corps there to
cheer on the team as they swim. I am looking to Tim Moriconi, Will Johnstone, and Jason Montgomery to lead our team to
victory in our three meets against MMA.
Col Tubbs, Col Zinser, Mike Anson and I are working on formulating the school’s aquatic policy. Soon we will be opening
the pool up to the FMS community for open swims, drown proofing courses, and perhaps an intramural water polo competition. In the future we hope to be able to train Cadets as lifeguards.
Having our own space has really improved the
team morale. The guys take pride in our pool
and are happy to have their own locker room. I
am working to personalize the space. We have a
board with the all-time team records and the results from every meet and time trials are posted
on the locker room walls.
I believe that a varsity letter should mean both
a commitment to the team and a high level of
athletic achievement. As such, to earn a varsity
swimming letter my guys have to get a fourth
place or better individual finish in a meet. To
Upclose&
14
14
Personal
What is your favorite quote?
Brock Selkow
Director of Admissions
“Success is the inner satisfaction and peace of mind that
comes from knowing I did the
best I was capable of doing for
the team”- Coach Jim Tressel
Ohio State Football.”
What is your favorite movie
and why?
The Great Escape 1963, True
story about POW’s in a German concentration camp who
plan the largest mass escape in
history during WWII. Great
film in which Steve McQueen
jumps a motorcycle to escape doing, where you came from
capture which to me, makes makes the best Fishburne
Cadet.
him the coolest actor ever.
What makes a great Fishburne cadet?
What is the favorite place
you ever visited?
Napa Valley, California, This is
Pride...I think being proud
of who you are, what you are a place that takes great pride in
doing something very well.
The food is great, the view is
breath-taking, and the wine
is the best in world.
15
March of 2010 the entire student body and faculty
was sharing 1.5MB of Internet bandwidth. In
September of 2010 we stepped that up to 7.5MB
and in January 2011 the official capacity is 24MB
though we’re seeing an actual bandwidth of
36MB. This increase has significantly impacted
the speed and functioning of using the Internet on
Fishburne’s grounds.
LBP Enterprises has also helped us improve the
school’s anti-virus and anti-spyware protection.
In addition to adding this important software
that keeps our information systems safe, LBP has
assisted the school in putting in place the best
content filters available which helps prevent the
unnecessary distractions that may come with
our increased Internet connectivity. Our goal is
to provide the same quick access to Web-based
information reliably found on today’s college
campuses.
Fishburne Improves
Information Technology
Infrastructure
Fishburne would like to thank all of those alumni
who have contributed to the school and made
these efforts possible. We could not make these
fundamental improvements to the Fishburne
experience without your help. A special thanks goes
out to Mr. Russell Hitt, Mr. Rob Grey and Mr.
Derrick Weaver for their generous gifts of time and
resources.
by Ryan Catherwood
O
ver the last eight months, Fishburne has
partnered with Waynesboro-based LPB
Enterprises, Inc., to improve our IT infrastructure
and functionality. Our primary vision has been,
and continues to be, to make the information
technology improvements necessary in order
to enhance significantly the cadets’ educational
experience. In addition, the technology
16 modifications we’ve made will greatly improve the
entire school’s capacity to work online with great
speed and without interruption.
Already, the school has benefited from several
generous donations that have allowed the school
to put SMART boards in the classrooms, provide
iPads to our teachers, and upgrade many of the
computers around campus. In order to make our
classroom experience the high caliber, collaborative
Photo taken by Ethan Bunce ‘10 prior to Mr. Hobby’s Memorial Service
environment we envision, LBP enterprises
is working with FMS to make fundamental
improvements to our mail servers, firewalls, and the
WLAN and LAN (wireless and networked internet
connections) along with the rest of the school’s
backbone IT infrastructure.
Another upgrade recently implemented is the
addition of 16MB of Internet bandwidth. In
“Our primary
vision has been, and
continues to be, to
make the significant
information technology
improvements
necessary to enhance
the cadets’ educational
experience.”
17
Class Connections
Class of 1946
Dabney Chapman
noted that he “retired
from the U.S. Foreign
Service in 1985 to
the other end of the
Shenandoah Valley –
Shepherdstown, W.V.
He taught languages
at Shepherd University
for some years but is
now unemployed and
prepared to receive
FMS visitors. Two sons
live nearby and four
grandchildren live in
Alexandria, Virginia,
where annually they
proudly see the Corps
pass in review by their
home on Royal Street.
A daughter, married to a
Foreign Service Officer,
lives in Istanbul. Dabney
spent the Christmas
holidays with her family
in Turkey. Any visitors
will be welcome and
introduced to the rich
history of the lower
Valley, which includes
great battlefields of
the War Between
the States, several
Washington family
homes, the sites of John
Brown’s insurrection
and hanging, and
a monument in
Shepherdstown to James
Rumsey, who is to the
history of steamboat
18
navigation what the
Wright brothers are to
aviation.”
Bob King wrote: “My
wife and I moved to
Phoenix six years ago
after working in the
computer business and
retiring in Michigan. We
play lots of golf and love
the weather – except in
the summer when it gets
a little warm! Then we
spend a couple months
in Colorado where it is
nice and cool.”
Class of 1947
Roy W. Smith, Jr. recaps
the past 60 years since
graduation: “acquired
engineering degree
(NCSU). Married
college sweetheart, two
children followed (now
three grandchildren).
Three years USAF
service (2nd Lt. in
Korea during conflict).
Harvard MBA. 30+ years
corporate executive with
ExxonMobil (including
20 years in Asia), and
then retirement. Began
a second career with
University of West
Florida, on MBA
teaching faculty, moved
into administration,
ultimately served as
Interim Dean of the
College of Business.
Subsequently appointed
by Gov. Bush to serve
two terms on the
Board of Trustees.
Today, celebrating my
81st birthday, again
retired. My wife and I
recently moved into a
retirement community
in Pensacola, Florida.
In terms of Fishburne
memories, I was indeed
fortunate to be there
during the era of the
legendary Col. E.B.
Young, my mentor and
inspiration for the next
60 years.”
Class of 1948
Joe Hodges noted
that he “is now 79,
almost 80 years of age,
Marine Corps combat
veteran of the Korean
War, retired from
Northern Telecom,
living in Midlothian,
VA, with loving wife
Shirley. Parents of
seven children, 15
grandchildren, six greatgrandchildren. Holding
up pretty good despite
two broken hips,
gradual hearing loss,
etc. Hello old age! I’m
fighting you in every
way I know. Semper Fi.”
Ronny Button wrote
into FMS that “his
favorite faculty member
at FMS was Major
Arlet K. VanScoy. He
was my science teacher
and also the person
who came closest
to being a personal
mentor to me. This
came about as I was a
table commandant my
senior year and Major
and Mrs. VanScoy
were the faculty couple
seated at the table. As
a teacher, he would
sometimes answer a
question from a cadet
by supplying the pager
the answer could be
found. He injected
lots of humor that
kept us informed and
motivated.”
Class of 1951
Doug Powell writes
that “he and his wife,
Barbara, are residents of
The Villages, FL., and
split their time between
there and Wilmington,
NC. Looking forward
to our 60th at Fishburne
in April.”
Class of 1952
Bill Graham wrote
in, “My wife of almost
53 years, Kent, died
October 4, 2010. I
continue to live in
Winston-Salem, practice
some law, serve on
boards, more nonprofits than for-profits,
here and in Raleigh
and Durham. I travel
when I can; have been
in 2,497 of the 3,142
counties in the U.S.,
and am working on a
trip to Turkey, Armenia,
Georgia, and Azerbaijan
in April right after Duke
wins the National BB
Championship again.”
Class of 1953
Curtis D. Tate reports,
“still alive and kicking,
although no 45 yard
field goals. Life is good.
Cigars and wine are
still holding out. Stay
tuned.”
Class of 1954
Rusty Loth writes to
FMS, “I lost my wife,
Andrea, to MS this
past March, but we
had 43 wonderful years
together, and under the
circumstances, she is in
a better place free from
suffering. Although my
daughter, Laura, lives
and teaches French
at Rhodes College in
Memphis, TN, I
plan on staying in
Richmond for a while
longer. I have retired,
again, and finally…I
think. I hope to be
able to participate
in more Fishburne
gatherings in the near
future. I would enjoy
hearing from any or all
classmates when the
opportunity arises. I
have plenty of room,
and would welcome
a visit when you are
in the area or passing
through.”
David Hayes writes to
FMS, “I have traveled
to Scotland to visit my
daughter, Debbie, in
October. Tell all hi,
and take care.”
Class of 1956
Billy Sharpe wrotein, “Jean and I are
doing well, and so is
the rest of the family.
I look forward to
April. Remember guys,
that will be our 55th
reunion. J.B. and I
look forward to seeing
all of you.”
Class of 1958
Raymond Suhm
updated FMS letting
us know that he “has a
two-year research grant
from the Oklahoma
Geological Survey to
publish my lifelong
academic research of the
Ordovician Simpson
Group. It should be
completed by 2012.”
Jorge Arias writes, “It’s
always nice to hear from
you and to get info
on Fishburne and our
friends. I too have done
some traveling. Earlier
this year with friends we
took a tour of the Baltic
Sea from Amsterdam
and upon retuning took
the wife to visit friends
in Spain and Portugal.
Both trips were great.
We are now preparing
our next trip with all
six children and my
seventeen grandchildren
on the Endeavor of
the Seas which leaves
Panama on February
6 for the Caribbean.
On the home front I
am now involved in
development startup in
our island on the Pearl
Islands off the Pacific
coast of Panama. I
would love to hear from
other classmates.”
Bob Dawson tells FMS,
“Not much is happening
with us. We traveled to
Israel and Egypt in the
Summer of ’09. Part
of that trip was a week
on the Nile between
Luxor and Aswan. This
year, we are about to
spend a quick week
on a riverboat on the
Seine between Paris and
Rouen. Also, several
trips to our home in the
NE Georgia Mountains,
Spring, Summer and
Fall.”
David Green writes,
“Another year has rolled
by or rather raced by
and 2010 has about
run its course. Linkey
and I still are enjoying
living in the “country”
South of Carlisle, PA
and I am still working
for Ahold USA, Inc. My
retirement (12/31/2011)
was announced in
January. Right now I am
busily preparing for the
adjustment of not going
to the office every day
after 41 years of doing
so. Not yet sure how that
is going to work but I
think I can handle it. We
have had a great 2010
19
Class Connections
going to FMS Alumni
Weekend in March,
Lewes Beach, Delaware
for a week in May and
to Northport, Maine
for a week in July. This
year we are the civilian
sponsor for the Belgian
Officer, Col. Bruno
Malveaux, who is an
International Fellow at
the Army War College,
Carlisle Barracks. His
wife Anja is with him for
the academic year as he
works on his Master of
Strategic Studies Degree.
Our job is to expose
Bruno and Anja to as
much American culture
as we can by working
around his academic
schedule. Linkey just
happened to run into
Danny Whiteside’s
(FMS ’57) wife last
week so we plan to get
together with them as
soon as schedules allow.
Danny lives in nearby
Boiling Springs, PA.
Next year promises
to be another busy
time starting with the
wedding of our eldest
granddaughter, Kirby
Nicole Simmons (our
oldest daughter’s oldest
child) in the Spring so
we will hit the ground
running in 2011.
Kirby will be the first
grandchild of the nine
20
making more frequent
trips to Virginia. It is
interesting to watch our
three granddaughters
from Florida in the
cooler weather of
Virginia. Their first
snow was really funny.
The Florida social will
be held March 19th in
Leesburg, Florida. If you
can make it down, we
would love to have you
join us.”
to get married. Linkey
and I send our very best
wishes to all of FMS ’58
and all FMS Alumni,
Faculty and Staff for a
prosperous, happy and
healthy 2011.”
Bill Jackson notes,
“Sally and I have kept
busy. We have been
helping her mother
with a flooded house
and with some health
issues. We have also
managed to travel some
and spent a week in
the mountains of NC
with two other couples
from church. On the
way home we dropped
our travel trailer at a
camp site in Georgia. Of
course we had to bring
it home from Georgia in
early November for our
Church camp out at Fort
Wilderness Campground
at Disney. It was a great
time with about 400 out
camping; however, it was
unseasonably cool. Then
we had to take the trailer
back to Georgia where it
will stay until deer and
turkey hunting season
ends. Our son and his
family have just moved
from the Orlando area
to Richmond. We spent
Thanksgiving with
them in Richmond, and
I imagine we will be
At Alumni Weekend 2009, I was able to reconnect with
several of my classmates. Daron Wilson (FMS ’95),
Andres Jimenez (FMS ’96), and I even shared a room.
I hadn’t seen either of these guys in at least a decade.
I had mentioned to Andres that I had an upcoming
trip to Costa Rica to meet with a company interested
in increasing exposure in the United States. As it turns
out, he is originally from Costa Rica and still has much
family in that country.
At the time, I had very few contacts there so I figured
it would be a perfect idea to ask him to accompany me
and be my liaison. He is also an accomplished photographer, so that would also be of tremendous value. He
accepted and off we went. We went on a two day excursion on the Pacuare River right through the heart of
Costa Rica. This 108 km River is widely considered one
of the top 5 rafting spots in the world. On this same
trip we got to climb and jump from waterfalls and met
some very interesting people from all over the world,
including our two raft-mates who were New Zealanders
on a month-long trek through Central America.
The moral of this story is: Go back to FMS! Visit during alumni weekend. Connecting with our old classmates is great and the possibilities created are endless.
Bradley Taylor ’95
Bill Westberg tells
FMS, “Well, in response
to your request for
information about how
I’ve been and what I’ve
been doing ... pretty
routine, with a few
minor exceptions. Twice
since our last spring
I’ve visited friends up
in Pennsylvania and
also started laying
the groundwork for
establishing a second
home in a small town,
Lititz, smack-dab
in the middle of the
Amish country. I’m
making reasonably
good progress with that
little project and expect
to settle in sometime
during the first half
of 2011. I’ve also
attended two Citadel
reunions. In May my
old Citadel roommate
and I organized a mini
reunion for our Citadel
What Better to Support Today’s Young Men,
Our Fine Cadets, Our Historical and Legendary
Institution?
Give to the FMS Annual Fund
How are we able to continue this important heritage
when so many of our sister military schools have
closed over the decades? The dedicated and loyal
generosity of our Alumni, Current and Past Parents,
Grandparents, and Friends of the school has enabled
us to do so.
Class of ’62, Delta
Company classmates
and wives right here
in little ol’ Beaufort,
SC. Great success with
everybody having a
very nice time. Then
in October I went up
to Charleston to join
a class-wide Class of
’62 semi-mini reunion
(significantly bigger
than in May), which
included a football
game. Fun reunion but
Georgia Southern really
stomped The Citadel
Bulldogs. Although
I’m not getting any
younger ... just joined
the 70 + club in
September ... I’m still
in good health and feel
great.”
Class of 1959
Your contribution to the Annual Fund will ensure
that Fishburne can continue to educate our nation’s
young men and instill the qualities of integrity,
leadership and honor as it has done for over 130
years. What better way to invest in our leaders of
tomorrow than a gift to the school that goes beyond
teaching in the classroom to ensure our young men
are prepared for the next level of higher education
and as respected members of their communities.
Please consider making a tax deductible donation to
the school today. Your gift can be….mailed to the
school at PO Box 988, Waynesboro, VA, 22980;
made online via PayPal at our website (link: www.
fishburne.org/page.cfm?p=362); or call Debbie
Todd at 540-946-7716.
William A.J. Pitt, Jr.,
updated FMS that he
is “looking forward to
retirement this year.
He will remain in
Miami at first to see
how the economy goes,
and then may move
to the Tampa area to
be closer to our son
and daughter (and
our grandchildren)
in Winter Park and
Brandon, Florida.”
Thank you for keeping the Fishburne legacy alive!
Stuart Watkins
21
Class Connections
was inducted to the
University of Alaska
“Nanooks” Athletics
Hall of Fame as an AllAmerican rifle shooter
(1960-1964). He lives
in Tucson, AZ with his
wife, Jeanette. He writes
a little poetry now and
then, but is most proud
of being a grandfather.
no stores here. We are
planning on attending
my 50th Reunion in
April of 2011. I hope
to win the prize for the
furthest away ’61 alumni
attendee. I look forward
to seeing as many of my
classmates as possible.”
Gene Moser wrote in,
“Back in May of ’09
I began working with
Class of 1960
Wii-Fit and then WiiFit Plus. These plus a lot
Robert H. Gascoyne
of walking, including
reports that, “my
some Volksmarches
colleagues of the class
have helped me get in
of ’60 changed my life
better shape than I’ve
– thank you Fishburne
been in years. In July
and the strength of the
I began geocaching,
1960 community. As
which I do a minimum
a PG with no place to
of several times a week.
go, the fellow cadets,
John and Karen Crosby
faculty and discipline
invited me up to their
gave me a direction that
home in Charlottesville
led to a personal success.
for Thanksgiving and
Thanks!”
I introduced them to
caching. John’s first find
was a reasonably difficult
Class of 1961
one – he had to imitate
a mountain goat to find
Bill Frank tells FMS,
it. I am also working on
“I am living in the
the plans for our 50th
beautiful San Juan
Reunion in April.”
Islands, about 10.5
miles off the coast of
Larry Burnette writes,
Washington State.
“I am looking forward to
My wife and I, both
our class’s 50th next April
retired, are building a
in Waynesboro.”
hobby farm of 16 acres
on Decatur Island. We
take an island taxi once
Class of 1962
a week to go to the
mainland as there are
22
Larry Palmer writes to
FMS, “I am still living in
Maumee, Ohio (Toledo
area) with my wife
Linda, and I am still at
work because I choose
to – I’d rather wear
out than rust out! My
oldest son has given us
three young grandsons,
and my other son and
daughter are considering
marriage and kids. I still
have time to enjoy my
family, motorcycling,
golf, boating, and other
endeavors. I am looking
forward to seeing all
my classmates at our
50th Class Reunion.
Please guys, count on
attending!”
writes, “The year 2010
closes with our good
health, a new granddaughter, and plenty of
old memories. Valerie
and I send our love and
warmest regards to all.
God Bless and Keep the
Faith.”
Class of 1966
William S. Taylor
updated FMS that he
currently lives in Wilson,
N.C. and is a retired
engineer, formally with
CSX Railroad.
Dave Hastings writes,
“Wife Wanda and I
are enjoying the quiet
life in Mississippi…
Class of 1963
except when all six
grandchildren descend
Tommy Cournow
on our homestead.
retired from the
Golf continues to be
insurance business in
a challenge and, of
January 2009 when he
course, my interest
sold his Independent
in the shooting
Insurance Agency in
sports, which began
Indiana, MS. After
at FMS, continues.
taking a year off in
Sporting Clays and has
retirement he is working supplanted Metallic
part time at Resurrection Silhouettes as the new
Catholic Church in
game of choice. We
Miramar Beach, FL.,
hope to make the 45th
as the Bookkeeper and
Reunion of the Class of
enjoying retirement.
1966 this coming spring.
Class of 1964
Class of 1967
Mel Buchanan Jr.,
Jamie Lockhart told
FMS that, “I currently
live in Pleasant Garden,
N.C. with my lovely
wife, Mary. Our
daughter Jaime Alberti
from Hampstead,
N.C. and I are in sales
with Hilco Transport
Inc. Jaime works out
of our Wilmington,
N.C. location and I
am in Greensboro. We
have two lovely granddaughters, Natalie and
Lillian. Our son, Brooks,
is the Town Manager
of Briscoe, N.C. Mary
and I both graduated
from East Tennessee
State University. Mary
retired from Guilford
County Environmental
Health Dept. on 1231-2010. She and I
have enjoyed having the
opportunity to do a lot
of traveling this year.
On a final note – Please
let’s keep Tippy Telfair’s
beach get-together alive.
Remember always. Let’s
communicate with one
another.”
Class of 1968
Steve Shaw reports that
he retired from Spec
Ops, Inc., the first of
this year. He now works
with PrePaid Legal as an
Independent Associate.
He and his wife, Terry,
live in Ashland and
Dunnsville, VA. Check
out his Web site at:
www.prepaidlegal.com/
hub/stephenshaw. We
are still trying to find
any and all classmates so
if you know of telephone
or email info on any
of our class, please
pass it on to Debbie
Todd at FMS or me at
[email protected]
Classes of the
1970’s
Send us your news! We
would love to hear from
you.
Class of 1981
George Riggs III
sent FMS a press
release noting that
he was appointed
to the Pinneast.com
Advisory Board. As a
member of the Board
his responsibilities will
include: identifying and
introducing Pinneast
to potential business
and contract partners.
Identifying potential
Merger and Acquisition
opportunities,
advising in the areas of
corporate finance and
development, extending
Pinneast’s circle of
contacts, and providing with his wife Trina and
perspectives and ideas on children, William (15)
information technology. and Elizabeth (13). He
is working for the City
County of Denver
Class of 1983 and
in the Department of
Aviation at Denver
David L. Baillio tells
International Airport as
FMS that, “he has
an Equipment Operator
recently been promoted
Specialist. Marc extends
to Management of
his invitation to his
his own store and
Fishburne family to
territory with Ferguson
make contact and visit,
Enterprises, Inc., and
any time. “Even if you
word is out that John
are just flying through,
Michael Baillio ’91
let me know. My door
is following closely to
is always open to my
his brother and will be
brothers and their
promoted to the same
families. I am always
level very shortly.”
excited to connect with
those who share the
Class of 1985 unique gift which is
Fishburne.”
Spencer Smith tells
Class of 1988
Fishburne, “The
Smith family relocated
Josh Maisel wrote-in,
to Fairfax, VA, this
“Hey, Brothers, I hope
past summer for an
you have been well!
assignment to the
My baby turned 5 in
Pentagon as the Travel
November and my
Coordinator for the
oldest will be 7 in April.
Secretary of Defense.
I am very excited about
I was also selected for
Colonel and attendance Alumni Weekend.
It should be a great
to the Army War
College. Stand by for the time as always and it
is always great to see
promotion party!”
everyone. God Bless!”
Class of 1987
Marc Jones emailed
FMS that he is living
in Northern Colorado
Class of 1989
Ned Overton updated
23
Class Connections
FMS that “Kim and I
just moved into a new
home and are expecting
twins boys in about
three weeks. Am looking
forward to watching
FMS at FCS tomorrow.”
(Updated 10/22/2010)
Brian Ringer wrote
in that, “I’m teaching
7th grade social studies
at Dutchman Creek
Middle School in Rock
Hill, S.C. and coaching
JV and Varsity Soccer
teams.”
Rudy Larreur wrote
in, “Hey, FMS Family,
I am currently living in
the Charlotte, NC area
with my wife, Amy and
our four kids. Keeping
busy and loving every
moment. To all my
boys, look me up the
next time you’re in the
Queen City! Bravo, best
company on the hill!!
Larry Vincent! Where
are you?”
24
Cadets dive off the starting
blocks during swim practice in the newly renovated
FMS pool.
7224 HALO. He
returned from
Class of 1992 recently
Colombia and still
resides in Ft. Bragg, NC
Matthew Hemphill
with his wife, Elizabeth
updated FMS that he
Ann Brown. I have
“manages and operates
been associating with
the food service
other FMS grads here in
concession at the
Fayetteville, NC. Judge
Newport Campus of the Dougald Clark from
Community College of the class of ’56, as well as
Rhode Island. He and
some of the other guys
his wife, Kathleen, reside in the Army here.”
in Exeter, RI., with their
two children, Elijah and David Chase tells FMS,
Cecile.”
“I’m still in Nashville
Class of 1995
Charles Jefferson write
in, “Just had a son born
in May 2009 who has
brought tremendous
joy to the entire family.
I hope fully little Jack
Jefferson will be a FMS
cadet in the future.”
CPT Mark L. Brown,
Jr. is “currently serving
as the Detachment
Commander for ODA
for the time being. We
just finished rebuilding
the Opryland Hotel
here after the record
setting flood in May.
The flood was the
largest non-hurricane
natural disaster in the
history of the country
(dollars and damage).
Opryland is the largest
non-gaming hotel in the
world at 3,000 rooms. It
is 4 million square feet
in total and 1 million
square feet was under
10-20 feet of
water. You
could say we
put Humpty
Dumpty back
together again.
It is a major
landmark in
Nashville and
for country
music. We
rebuilt the
hotel in five months.”
Bradley S. Taylor (see
page 20)
Class of 1997
James Bryant, Jr.
told FMS, “After
finishing a year teaching
English in S. Korea,
meeting my Canadian
fiancée and starting a
new career with The
Garland Company in
San Francisco, I was
recently relocated again
to San Bernardino
County, California for
a permanent position.
Amanda and I are still
waiting for the long
immigration process to
be over so we can marry
in Hawaii.”
Class of 2004
Stephen Brooks wrote,
“Attended the University
of Mary Washington
in Fredericksburg,
VA earning a B.A. in
International Relations
and history in the Spring
of 2008. Joined the US
Army in the summer of
2008 and commissioned
as a Military Intelligence
Officer from the US
Army Officer Candidate
School at Fort Benning,
GA, in the Spring of
2009. Attended the
US Army Airborne
School in the Fall
of 2009 and joined
1st Brigade Combat
Teams, 82nd Airborne
Division on deployment
in Al Anbar Province,
Iraq in the Winter of
2009. Returned from
deployment in Summer
2010. Currently, serving
as the Assistant S2 for
1st Battalion, 504th
Parachute Infantry
Regiment (1BCT), 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort
Bragg, NC.”
Chris Davis wrote,
“Since Fishburne, I have
completed a Bachelor’s
Degree program in
Mechanical Engineering,
and am certified as an
Engineer In Training.
Upon graduation from
UMBC, I worked for the
Department of Defense
and am now proud to be
pursuing a private career
in computer-related
engineering and design.
Recently, I assembled
a 3D printer capable
of building complex
plastic parts. I plan
on eventually setting
up a workshop where
machinists, engineers,
and other hobbyists
can get together and
work on their ideas. I
am thankful that the
talented staff and faculty
at FMS provided me
with the tools to pursue
my goals, and I firmly
believe that engaging
education in science and
math can open exciting
doors for Fishburne
Cadets.”
Mike Ryan reports,
“After graduation went
to work for a security
risk management firm in
Abu Dhabi. Evaluating
the security of maritime,
aviation, and energy
sectors. I stayed with
that job for two years
before going on to the
financial industry. In
2010, I went to work
with the Sovereign
Wealth Fund Institute.
Here I reviewed the
portfolios of various
MENA Sovereign
Wealth Fund’s to
ensure transparency. I
identified and researched
current issues related to
emerging markets and
sovereign wealth funds.
Also, I supplied research
on and how Sovereign
Wealth Funds influence
decision makers,
financial markets, and
the global economy.
Schuyler Allen
told FMS that he
“began preparing for
Shenandoah University
upon leaving the
Archway a graduate. I
completed a Bachelor’s
Degree in University
Studies in Music
Production and Mass
Communications. In
2008 I went to work for
the Accotink Academy
Special Education
School in Northern
Virginia where I assisted
the Intake Officer with
all incoming students.
In 2009, I transferred
to The Village Academy
of Washington DC
where I co-taught and
was an administrative
assistant. Also in 2009,
I joined a successful
band called Black Dog
Prowl. We recently were
interviewed on the radio
and our music is being
played on the airwaves.
You can catch us in
New York and possibly
London next year. Black
Dog Prowl is available
on iTunes. I also joined
a second group called
Jack Merridew and we
recently completed our
first full length album
which will also be on
iTunes.”
Class of 2005
Dustin B. Liam is
“currently serving
on-board the USS
Enterprise (CVN 65).”
Andrew J. Genova
tells FMS that he “is
currently employed
with ACE Corp. and
is pursuing a Master’s
degree at Adelphi
University.”
Class of 2006
William Houchins
emailed FMS that “Wil
is currently serving in
the Air Force. At the
end of basic training
he was selected for the
Air Force Honor Guard
and is now stationed
at Bolling Air Force
Base in Washington,
D.C. The Honor Guard
is a unit with more
than 210 ceremonial
guardsmen and support
personnel assigned.
Organizationally, the
Honor Guard consists of
three ceremonial flights,
made up of Colors,
Bearers, and Firing Party
qualified personnel.”
Class of 2008
Mick Gay tells FMS
that “he enjoyed this
past summer/fall hiking
the CT River Valley area
and exploring rural areas
of the Virginia lowlands
and mountains, and
spending time with
family.
25
Departed Comrades
Class of 1938
Class of 1945
Eugene G. Payne died on
October 14, 2010. A full
article about his life was
published in the Fall 2010
edition of The CQ .
George V. Wood passed
away on July 24, 2010.
His son, George, told
FMS that his father
enjoyed keeping up with
Fishburne.
Class of 1941
Lawrence K. Larkin of
Rockville, MD passed
away on March 4, 2010.
Class of 1942
William C. Fauber died
on March 15, 2010. He
was the Class Agent for his
graduation year.
Class of 1943
John Richard Hutchings
III passed away peacefully
at his home on August 19,
2010, after an extended
period of declining health.
He spent his career
at American Tobacco
Company as a buyer where
his father was an officer
and director. Mr. Hutchins
proudly served his country
in the U.S. Navy on
the USS Pittsburgh and
the USS Fulton during
and after World War II.
He graduated from the
UNC at Chapel Hill.
After retiring, he devoted
himself to his family,
spending as much time
with them as possible.
26
Class of 1947
Hal B. Ingram, Jr. passed
away on November 13,
2010 after a long hard
fight with Parkinson’s
disease. He attended
UNC at Chapel Hill on
a swimming scholarship.
He was a lifetime member
of the Monogram Club
and a member of Lamda
Chi Alpha fraternity. His
love for flying started
with lessons when he was
at the age of nine. He
joined the Air Force in
1951 and then married
his sweetheart, Emma Lee
(Kit) Sinclair. Hal and Kit
retired to Hilton Head in
1990 and enjoyed 20 more
good years together.
Class of 1948
William A. Drumwright
of Hopewell, VA died on
March 14, 2010. He is
survived by his wife, Jane,
sons, Tommy and Keith;
four grandchildren and
two great-grandchildren.
Class of 1951
James Chadwick Austin,
Sr., of Waynesboro, passed
away Monday, Nov. 22,
2010. After FMS he
attended VPI and was a
veteran of the Air Force.
His work history includes
General Electric, Paul
Freed Ford and Genicom.
Jim was a member of the
Waynesboro Country Club
for more than 40 years
and served as president of
Waynesboro South Little
League baseball and the
Waynesboro High School
Athletic Boosters Club.
Class of 1952
Frederick Whitmell
Williams died on April 21,
2008. His wife, Connie,
reported that the dealth
was a shock and happened
due to complications after
having gall stones.
Class of 1954
Leslie D. Edwards, Jr. of
Virginia Beach, VA died
on October 22, 2010.
After graduating from
FMS he managed and
ran Virginia Materials
Corporation until his
retirement. “Derry”
enjoyed many activities,
and was a longtime
member of the Virginia
Beach Shag Club, and
Bayville Golf Club.
James Norwood Whitley,
Jr., of Stantonsburg, NC,
died on Sunday, April 25,
2010. A Master Mason of
34 years, he also served as
an Explorer Scout adviser
and was an assistant football
coach for Speight Middle
School for three years.
He owned and operated
Whitley Farms.
Class of 1956
Richard Rohme of
Hopewell Jct, NY died on
August 30, 1987.
Class of 1957
Ronald G. “Ronnie” Long
passed away July 19th,
2010. He was retired from
Ford Motor Company’s
KY Truck Plant, member
of the Antique Auto Club
of America Kyana Region,
Middletown VFW 1170,
Southeast Christian Church
and he was a US Army
veteran.
Class of 1960
Robert Lee McGeorge
passed away at his home
on December 28, 2010.
Mr. McGeorge was
chairman of the David R.
McGeorge Car Company.
He is survived by his
four children and five
grandchildren.
William Titus Ward,
Jr., died Tuesday, August
3, 2010. A native of
Raleigh, N.C. Titus Ward
spent most of his life in
Rock Hill, S.C. He was
the owner and operator
of Ward Realty and
Construction Company,
as well as a member
and past president of
York County Realtors
Association. A graduate of
Campbell University, he
served his country during
the Vietnam War, was a
5th degree Mason and
a member of Oakland
Baptist Church.
Class of 1970
John Sanford, jr., passed
away over the summer.
Judy Sandford Bryant,
John’s sister (Fairfax Hall
’60) wrote in to FMS, “I
told my buddies, Anne
and Bill Logan, that there
is no way to explain to
an “outsider” the bond
between all that are lucky
enough to have Fishburne
and Fairfax Hall in our
blood. The presence of
the Fishburne boys added
dignity to John’s funeral
and gave me much-needed
comfort.”
Class of 1973
Paul Michael Ketchum of
Harrisonburg, Va, died on
May 30, 2010.
Class of 1974
William Campbell
“Camm” Niemeyer III of
Virginia Beach, VA passed
away Saturday morning,
Dec. 11th, 2010. He leaves
behind his daughters,
Leigh and Brittany, his first
wife Bonnie, and his lifelong friend and significant
other, Kimberly.
Class of 1996
Robert Carlyle “Bobby”
Harris of Abingdon,
VA passed away on
December 1st, 2010. He
was a graduate of Radford
University and served
in the United States Air
Force. Before his death he
was employed by CHI in
Lebanon, VA.
FMS All-Florida Alumni Social and BBQ
Date: March 19, 2011
Class of 1959
Time: 12:00 - 4:00 pm - Hosted by John McLeod ’51
Henry B. Edwards, Jr.,
passed away on April 28th,
2010. In a letter from his
wife, Mrs. Janet Edwards,
she wrote, “Fishburne was a
large reason why Barry was
so successful in his adult
life. He was a wonderful
husband, exceptional father
and a great friend. He
often spoke of his time at
Fishburne and the friends
and roommates that he had
there.”
Location: 32124 Kinne Pearce Rd, Leesburg, Florida, 34788
Notes: Col. Rick Zinser, Fishburne’s Superintendent, will be present
to discuss current successes and future challenges for the school.
Directions: From Leesburg - Go South 5 miles on US Highway
441 and turn right onto Kinne Pearce Rd. (1/2 mile past McDonald’s - look for FMS signs). From Tavares - Go North 2 miles on
US Highway 441, make a U-turn across from Home Depot at the light.
Leesburg Municipal Airport is two miles away - John will pick you up.
Call or email John McLeod to RSVP by Feb. 26th - (352) 406-2635
[email protected]
I
tar
Interview with a Rock S
by Josh Maisel ’84
think when my
mind wonders
back to the day
my brothers in
s of being at Fis
a snapshot of ti
hburne, I remem
me. Years go by
in the day and
ber the teachers,
and you talk wit
this image pops
staff and
h a classmate ab
to mind when w
fatter, taller, hav
out a fellow cad
e were young m
e less hair, have
et
en
back
. We have all ch
more hair or fa
.
anged a little; so
cial hair but the
m
fa
e
ce
are
n
ever changes
Facebook has b
een an amazing
way to reconnec
I have learned tw
t with my old cl
o things; first F
assmates and ge
MS consistentl
change at FMS
t to know some
y puts out the sa
. An example w
new ones.
me product year
ould be the cad
graduate is the
after year. Thin
et uniform, and
same. I have had
gs may
the rooms may
a great opportu
great new frien
be different, bu
nity to reconnec
ds from classes
t
the FMS
t with old classm
ahead of me an
is capable of m
d after me. The
ates and make so
aking a decision
F
me
is
hburne graduat
and dealing wit
to be a gentlem
e excels at what
h the outcome
an and underst
he does,
good or bad, is
ands words like
diverse our alum
dedicated, know
Brotherhood an
ni are. We have
s
w
hat it is
d Honor. The m
soldiers, sailors
fire and rescue
ost interesting th
, airmen, busin
workers, actors
in
g is how
es
sm
, writers, chefs,
an, doctors, vete
music producers
ri
n
ar
ia
n
s,
p
o
liceman,
and, yes, a real
I have had the o
life rock star.
pportunity to re
connect with Jo
of God. Last N
hn Campbell, th
ovember Andy
e bassist and on
T
eu
bner FMS ’89 an
at Madison Squ
e of the founder
d I got to see Jo
are Garden in N
s of Lamb
hn and Lamb o
YC and spent so
Emily and an aw
f God open for
me time with h
esome little man
Metallica
im. It was a bla
named Henry.
of his time is sp
st! John has a b
John is on the ro
ent traveling ar
ea
utiful wife
ad an amazing
ound the world
amount of the
with the band.
year. Most
In his spare tim
e at home he lo
ves his wife
and son and pla
ys with his toys
like the rest
of us. John has
a beautiful moto
rcycle
and likes to put
some lead down
range.
John has been in
terviewed by m
agazines
and on TV, but
now he has bee
n
given
the rare opport
unity for a Q&
A with Josh
Maisel. And wh
en I say rare, it
is because
I feel bad that Jo
hn had to put u
p with
this from me. So
here we go:
How did the sk
ills you learned
at FMS
help you in life
?
My experience
at Fishburne has
had a
profound impac
t on me in innu
m
erable
ways. I think th
e most immedia
te
an
p
d
ro
bably most imp
challenging pla
ortant influence
ce in which to b
was in giving m
egin my transfo
to be part of a b
e a safe, discipli
rmation from ch
rotherhood that
ned and
il
d to adult. I was
held me to a stan
The mental and
given the oppo
dard that was fa
physical adjustm
rtunity
r above what I
ents that it took
me dig deeper th
experienced at
to get through
an I had before
h
o
me.
the indoctrinat
to find the will
of coming up th
ion as new cadet
and focus neces
rough the rank
made
sary. From ther
s in the Corps o
accomplishmen
e, the continued
f Cadets gave m
ts. These very b
st
ructure
e confidence an
asic life lessons
from Fishburne
d a sense of pri
are absolutely th
Military Schoo
d
e
in
e
my
m
l.
ost important th
ing that I took
away
28
en you are off the road?
What do you like to do at home wh
6 or 7 weeks long while my
ts of my job is that my “work week” is
par
cult
diffi
es
etim
som
and
que
keep me busy,
uni
One of the
I get home there are plenty of things to
e
onc
t
tha
g
lon
so
e
gon
am
I
ks.
wee
t, it’s either going out
“weekends” last for 2 or 3
n near run to my motorcycle. After tha
dam
I
e,
tim
my
h
wit
sh
selfi
g
bein
to
but when I do get
to do any of them!
been far too long since I’ve been able
It’s
.
ing
fish
g
goin
or
ot
sho
to
ge
ran
to the
What is it like to see the world?
play 5 to 6 shows a
ors to traverse the globe. Normally, we
eav
end
my
in
lity
qua
r
ove
y
ntit
qua
gs to see
I’m squeezing in
asionally in places where there are thin
occ
are
off
s
Day
rs.
hou
24
n
tha
less
es of walking through
week and stay in some cities for
tside of landmarks, there have been mil
Ou
nt.
poi
g
pin
stop
ient
ven
con
a
g
rather than just bein
the time we finish a 2-year
. It can be a bit of sensory overload. By
ped
stop
e
hav
we
ch
whi
in
es
citi
t
y, I’m good at
the differen
g the way turn into a blur. Thankfull
alon
met
e
hav
we
ple
peo
and
el
trav
tour cycle, all the shows,
remembering to take pictures.
What brought you to FMS?
re and worse
school and was starting to get in to mo
in
l
wel
ng
doi
n’t
was
I
?).
mb
-du
age
Teenage-dom (or is it teen
nkfully Fishburne was exactly
ironment than I had at home and tha
env
ned
ipli
disc
re
mo
a
ded
nee
I
e.
trouble at hom
that.
S?
What is your favorite memory of FM
p
guy who rang the wake-u
duty as the ranking cadet and was the
rd
gua
ran
first
I
n
whe
was
d
min
to
One that comes
rung.
ice and sense of retribution that it was
mal
e
littl
a
just
n
tha
re
mo
h
wit
was
It
bell.
act on your life?
What staff member had the most imp
” was a magnificent man
lty member. Col. Windon, aka “Chief
facu
one
just
on
al
med
t
tha
pin
to
kindness of
d
It would be har
ry he taught. I also remember well the
met
geo
the
n
tha
l
ona
cati
edu
re
mo
ect for authority in me
whose display of character was
Col. Rapp did a good job instilling resp
ces.
uen
infl
e
itiv
pos
as
er
Bak
.
Col
Susan Johnson and
’s wrath.
- I worked hard to never incur that man
ug
you leave your work day is over? Do
en
wh
t
tha
job
9-5
a
e
hav
and
suit
a
Do you ever wish you could put on
Scott FMS’89
willing
home to my family every night. I am
e
com
ld
cou
and
job
9-5
mal
nor
a
for mine. Work
I absolutely wish at times that I had
n as those who are living the 9-5 wish
ofte
as
nity
ortu
opp
t
tha
for
h
wis
’t
to bet, however, that I don
pare notes when re-visiting
und in another 20 years and can com
aro
all
are
we
t
tha
es
hop
I
.
old
get
s
is work, all job
this question.
29
A REPORT ON FISHBURNE MILITARY SCHOOL
HISTORICAL ARCHIVES
The true history of a school is written in the individual lives and achievements of its alumni. But also worthwhile is the accumulation of artifacts and records maintained in the archives of the institution itself.
In 131 years Fishburne has amassed a significant collection worthy of preservation. I believe the time has come for Fishburne
alumni and trustees to assert ownership and firm control of these historical and museum quality items. Establishment of a first-class
FMS museum may await a future day and benefactor, but permanent board-driven action is long overdue to insure that our collection is permanently protected and orderly additions are made as future years pass by.
Key Club Update
F
ishburne’s Key Club kept busy this fall running the concession stand during home football games,
volunteering at the Virginia Fall Foliage Festival held in downtown Waynesboro and managing the water
station for the annual Crop Walk. As in years past, the club participated in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, one of
Key Club International’s Service Partners. This year, UNICEF celebrates its 60th anniversary of helping children
around the world. The year’s campaign supports Operation Uruguay: Protecting the Rights of Children. This
campaign works to ensure the rights of youth to education, health and basic services in Uruguay, where nearly
half a million children and adolescents are living in poverty.
Much remains! Early catalogs, announcements, and other publications—including a complete run of the yearbook Taps and intermittent runs of the longtime cadet newspaper The CQ and more recent newsletters like Fishburne Update and the alumni-oriented
Quadrangle—are stored under safe but in many cases inaccessible condition. Minutes of the old FMS corporation (1916-51) and
the present Fishburne-Hudgins Educational Foundation (1951-present) are preserved, as well as countless newspaper articles and
special publications and many hundreds of old photographs and donated early uniforms and scrapbooks. Items from the files of all
the superintendents survive, some more voluminous than others. None seems to have felt the need to safeguard Fishburne’s history
more firmly in his heart than Colonel Young.
We have the Fishburne files of past president Felix E. Edmunds, the attorney-legislator who incorporated the Foundation, as well
as such longtime employees as Mrs. Edna Jordan and Ms. Doris Brown, who were among the fiercest preservers of items that might
otherwise have been lost. My own packrat mentality during 4 years as a cadet and 43 years a trustee has yielded some three-score file
boxes of archival material, and even today, President Ted Moroney and other alumni vie with each other when a valuable FMS item
appears for sale on eBay.
PRESENT ARCHIVAL PROJECT
The time is long overdue for the Board to take full and final responsibility for preserving these remaining archives. Encouraged by
Colonel Zinser, I have undertaken the beginning phase of this project. Recognizing that the administration’s main priority is to
serve the cadets of today and that the budget has little to spare for historic preservation, I have been fortunate at my own expense to
engage the professional help of the afore-mentioned Ms. Brosi, a skilled researcher with archival experience, who as an employee in
the school’s administrative office from 1996 to 2002, was given the challenge of augmenting her other duties by assembling as many
of the archives as possible and making an outline of the school’s history. With volunteer help and often on her own time she accomplished remarkable preservation work here before leaving our employment. We are determined to catalog and arrange these items in
such manner as will make them available for those exploring our school’s history. Once this is accomplished, we will suggest guidelines to insure that the collection is regularly updated.
If it is feasible, we hope to involve interested cadets in the project, much as we try to promote an appreciation for Fishburne’s remarkable history in all who enroll here. It is heartening to see the interest our present cadets show when faced with an 1890’s FMS
coatee, a photograph of a 1920’s cadet bivouac, or a copy of General Robert E. Lee’s 1870 letter to James Fishburne’s mother.
Some day a more professional approach will incorporate these items into a full-fledged FMS Museum. When that time comes, we
hope that the people involved in that endeavor will find that we have laid a careful and protective preparation for them.
- J.B. Yount III, Esquire ’56
30
As an international club, our mission is to do our part to help children and their families around the world
and primarily in our own community. One of our favorite projects during the holiday season is packing boxes
of non-perishable food items that been donated to the Waynesboro Salvation Army by church groups, scout
troops, local schools and other service organizations. Each year, our club along with our sponsoring Kiwanis
Club and members of the Waynesboro High School Key Club, gather at the Salvation Army and form an
assembly line to pack hundreds of boxes containing food items to be distributed before Christmas to local
families in need.
Since the holiday break, the club is focusing on our District Project: “Keys for a Healthier World.” This project
was adopted by the current Capital District Board – of which Cadet Alex Burkard and Cadet Sean Wrigley
are members. The project
focuses on ways to improve
our environment and our
health, doing our part to
promote a cleaner community
and healthier body. Another
project on our list is “Pennies
J.B. Yount III ’56, Chairman
for Patients” – The Leukemia
of the Board of Trustees, with
Cadet Travis Knapp during
and Lymphoma Society.
Parents’ Military Weekend.
Money raised for this project
will go to this worthwhile
organization that helps
children afflicted with these
horrific blood cancers. This is
another favorite charity of our
Key Club because the money
we raise will help children in
the state of Virginia.
31 35
Foundation Adds Six New Trustees
-continued-
The Fishburne-Hudgins Educational Foundation, Inc. added six new trustees at the Board’s annual meeting in
October 2011.
Louis (Pete) W. Frank, Jr. – Pete served as an active trustee from 2003 – 2007 before taking
a leave of absence to handle pressing business concerns in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
which destroyed a portion of his business interests in Louisiana. . He is president of Turnbull
Enterprises.
Charles E. Biele, Jr. ’53 – Charlie won an Honor Military School competitive appointment to the U.S. Naval
Academy, graduating in 1957. He completed a 30-year career in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Captain (0-6) after
serving on destroyers and in the nuclear submarine program, including CO of the ballistic missile submarine USS
VON STEUBEN (SSBN-632). In addition, Charlie earned a MS from MIT and worked at TASC for 17 years as
a program director/manager. He has served on the Fishburne Military School Board of Visitors from 2007-2010.
Charlie commented on his election stating, “Being elected as a Trustee is a very special honor. Giving back to Fishburne has always been important to me.”
David C. Stamm, ’67 Colonel USAF (RET) – David graduated from the Citadel in 1971 with a BS in Business
Administration, two Master Degrees from Webster University (Business and Management), and a Master Degree in Acquisition Management from the Defense Systems Management College. His twenty-five year Air Force
career comprised of operational assignments (combat support groups, tactical fighter wings and sites), research and
development (Air Force Wright Laboratories) and acquisition management roles (ICBMs, aircraft, air-launched
missiles, electronics, command, control & communications and munitions acquisition programs) with assignments
Okinawa, Egypt and throughout the US. He is currently Senior Director for Department of Defense and Science
and Technology Programs with MCR LLC, based in McLean, VA. David commented, “I am both honored and
humbled at being elected to serve Fishburne as a member of our Board of Trustees. It was my 3 years at FMS that
focused and prepared me for success in life: an excellent academic foundation, many leadership opportunities and
the development of a sense of responsibility for the actions of others.”
Harroll (Nick) H. Weaver ’64 – Nick served as an active trustee from 2001 – 2007 before taking a leave of absence to handle pressing business concerns. He is a senior executive at Goldsboro Milling Company in Goldsboro,
North Carolina. During his previous Board tenure, Nick served as Foundation Vice President from 2003-2006
and said, “It is a special experience to return to active duty on the board. FMS has and will always occupy a special
place in my heart and I look forward to the challenge ahead. This is a “working” board, one in which has endeavored to provide every young cadet genuine and positive life experiences.”
Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) Spencer L. Smith ‘85 – Spence is currently assigned to the Pentagon as the
Military Assistant and Travel Coordinator to the Secretary of Defense. Throughout his 20 years of service, he has
served as a Logistics Officer in several stateside and overseas assignments to include deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Kosovo and Haiti. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Longwood University in Farmville, VA. He was recently selected for promotion to Colonel and attendance to the US
Army War College. A native of Purcellville, VA he was a five year cadet at Fishburne. He is married to the former
Wendy Truitt with three children LTC (P) Smith stated, “It’s an honor and privilege to support the Cadets, faculty
and staff of Fishburne Military School by serving on the Board of Trustees. I’m committed to working with a team
of stellar Board Members to keep Fishburne competitive and relevant while developing successful young men.”
Douglas Payne ’84 - Doug is a native of Roanoke, Virginia and received his B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College
in Virginia where he studied Political Science and History. He is the owner and managing principal of Payne &
Company, an advertising, marketing and public relations consultancy based in Richmond, Virginia, where Doug
has made his home since 1994. He also directs the communications for the Greater Richmond ARC, a nonprofit
that serves over 1,400 individuals with a variety of developmental and intellectual disabilities He has one son,
Turner, who attends St. Christopher’s School in Richmond.
32
The Trusteeship Committee is responsible for the recruitment and vetting of potential Board
of Trustee members. The committee chairman is Foundation Vice President Rob Grey ’83 and
the vice chairman is Keith Shackleford ’88.
Letter from the Foundation President, Board of Trustees
As 2011 begins, Fishburne continues to make great strides across nearly every area of the operation. Among many current achievements, despite the national economic woes, our enrollment has consistently remained in the high 160’s, with the likelihood that we will crack 175 as
second semester cadets matriculate; our budget is balanced; we have refinanced the bulk of our
long term debt; our pool has been completely renovated and reopened after being closed for
many years; we are in the early stages of exploring the possibility of opening a junior college;
and our school leadership continues to push improvements and upgrades across the board. A
preliminary reaccredidation visit is scheduled for January 18 and 19, with the full in-depth
review in late March or early April. We are well prepared for this vitally important visit.
One of the most important duties of the Board of Trustees is to provide long range planning
and goals for the school. In February the Board of Trustees will meet in Atlanta, Georgia to redefine and update the strategic plan. This will be the third incarnation of the current plan and
the final document will differ greatly from those of the past. The key change will be in adding
the implementation strategy to the plan. In the past we have provided overall goals and desires
but there has been no internal plan designed to meet those goals. Under the aggressive leadership of our excellent Superintendent Colonel Rick Zinser, we will add the implementation
piece to the puzzle. This will provide both the school and the board with an annual plan to
meet each of our goals. It will serve to focus our efforts and will provide measurable metrics to
evaluate our plan, progress, the school administration and ourselves. For the first time the plan
will truly become a living document. It is my hope that we will name this plan Fishburne
2019 to target where we want our school to be when we celebrate our 140th anniversary. The
strategic plan will be posted on our Web site when the final plan is adopted by the Board.
These are exciting times at Fishburne. Once again we need to continue to overcome the economic climate in our nation while at the same time improving our facility and meeting the
needs of today’s cadets. We are determined to continue moving forward, we are dedicated to
ensuring the continued success of this school and we are united with you, our best advertisement of success, to mold and direct the next generation of Americans.
Ted Moroney ’73
President
33
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