Alumni and Friends of VMI:
Cyber Corps Numbers: 533
Death in the VMI Family: One of our
participants passed along the following.
John Jarvis Burgess '35 died Nov. 26 at the age of 85. An ASCE
Fellow, Burgess
was confounder of the engineering and architectural firm Carter
& Burgess Inc.,
based in Fort Worth, Tex. He attended Virginia Military
Institute, graduating
in 1935 with a degree in civil engineering, then began his career
on a Works
Progress Administration (WPA) project for the Fort Worth Public
Schools. In
1937, he joined the National Supply Construction Corp., working
as an oil field
construction engineer in several states before returning to Fort
Worth to form
Carter & Burgess with Eugene Carter.
During World War II, Burgess joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was
trained as a
flight director; he eventually achieved the rank of captain.
After the war, he
resumed his place at Carter & Burgess, helping the firm
achieve a primary role
in the postwar development of Fort Worth. He also worked on
planning and
development projects at military bases and on urban renewel
projects in several
southern adn south-western states. Burgess retired as chairman of
the firm in
1988. Today, Carter & Burgess has more than 1,400 employees
and 24 locations.
Status of A Couple Lawsuits:
Military Institute Lawsuit Dropped
.c The Associated Press
By DAVID REED
LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) -- The 9-year-old lawsuit that put an end to
Virginia Military Institute's male-only admission policy was
dismissed Friday.
U.S. District Judge Jackson Kiser ruled the state and VMI have
succeeded with a plan that guarantees equal treatment for women.
In June 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the state-supported
military school to either admit women or give up its state
funding. The first women entered the school in August 1997.
Of those 31 women, 23 made it through the first year. The school
now has 48 women -- 26 freshman and 22 sophomores -- among its
1,250 cadets.
Kiser said the Justice Department has filed no objections to
dropping its lawsuit.
In another court ruling Friday involving VMI, a state judge ruled
that the traditional spanking of freshmen by upperclassmen
violates Virginia's anti-hazing law.
``I'm putting you and VMI on notice that this is a corrupt
practice under state law and it must cease,'' Circuit Judge
George E. Honts III told cadets in the audience.
But Honts said he would dismiss misdemeanor charges against two
former VMI cadets if they stayed out of trouble for eight months
and performed 56 hours each of community service.
Jonathan Gonzales and Charles Travers Clemons were accused of
striking George Wade Jr. on the buttocks with belts and coat
hangers about three times a week in fall 1997 before Wade
withdrew from VMI.
A grand jury indicted the cadets after the Wade family complained
that VMI officials did not bring administrative hazing charges
against the cadets.
VMI spokesman Mike Strickler said school officials have
repeatedly told cadets that such physical abuse will not be
tolerated.
VMI Basketball: Keydets are 5 - 9 overall and 3
- 2 in the conference. Next game is tomorrow afternoon (home)
against Georgia Southern.
Breakout: Word has it that the Rats will begin
their breakout beginning the last weekend of February. OK, OK, I
know it seems that I'm letting the cat (rat?) out of the bag by
disclosing the date, but apparently this date is no secret. Seems
the breakout festivities will begin on Friday, February 26 with a
two-day Marine Corps like crucible exercise. I don't profess to
know what the crucible is all about, but I hear it involves two
days of exhausting leadership exercise with very little sleep.
This will be followed by dropping the Rats about 20 miles south
of New Market and having them march to the battlefield. Sounds
like a pretty intense weekend. I'll pass along any new info as it
becomes available.
What of Those Cell Phones? In the last update I
mentioned that some cadets were carrying around cell phones. I
hear that it's worth 5 demerits to be caught with a cell phone or
a pager. Well, leave it to some cadets to have the old
entrepreneurial spirit. I hear that one cadet has a cell phone
that has a $15 per month service charge. Good part is that the
plan provides for free unlimited usage during the weekend. So the
cadet lets other cadets use the phone for $1 per each 15 minute
increment. Hmmm...I wonder it this guy needs an agent?
Miss Manners Meets VMI: Seems some alums have
been rather shocked regarding the manners, or lack thereof, of
cadets off post. I've heard this concern voiced from more than
one of our participants as well. I have learned that Gen Bunting
has directed the publication and distribution to cadets of a
protocol guide book. This book will provide guidelines regarding
proper manners, traditions, etc. I believe this book will be
provided for each cadet room. Great idea if you ask me. This book
will apparently supplement voluntary classes being offered to
cadets on etiquette and manners.
VMI Alumni Association Meeting: Next meeting is
tomorrow morning. I'll pass along information when I receive it.
That's it for this week.
Yours in the Spirit,
RB Lane '75
Last Updated: October 11, 2009
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