THE INSTITUTE REPORT Volume XVII October27,l989 Number 3 An occasional publication of the Public Information Office, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia 24450. Tel (703) 464-7207. VMI to Celebrate 150th with Cake, Cannonade, and Convocation While its focus is clearly set on the 21st century, Events ofthe landmark year began last January VMI will spend the Nov. 10-12 weekend in celebration after several years of planning by a 17-member ofits 150th birthday and the accomplishments that VIRGINIA M1UTARY INSTITUTE Sesquicentennial Committee composed of Institute­ have marked the years since its opening on Nov. 11, wide representatives, including members ofthe Corps 1839. Hundreds ofalumni and special guests will joi n ofCadets. The committee has been headed by Col. intheculminating events ofthe sesquicentennial year. George M. Brooke, Jr., '36, of Lexington, emeritus The weekend program, which is listed in detail professor of history, with Col. Leonard L. Lewane, elsewhere is this publication, includes a three-day '50B, also of Lexington, as executive director of the schedule ofactivities beginning Friday, Nov. 10, with sesquicentennial office. burial of a time capsule, parade, and what promises The year-long anniversary events leading up to that evening to be a stirring and memorable concert. Founders Day November's grand finale have included special memorial observances; on Saturday will include the dedication ofthe new science hall; a con­ concerts; lectures; exhibits; a play; a leadership conference; several vocation; post-wide luncheons; and an afternoon football game. commemorative items, including a limited edition sesquicentennial Popular NBC weatherman Willard Scott has also been invited to medallion; and thepublication ofthree books. During the year, there make his national morning weather telecast from the VMI parade has also been the symbolic appearance at parades and other special ground, but confirmation of his visit is still on hold at NBC. functions of a cadet dressed in an authentic 1839 cadet uniform. On Sunday, in addition to cadet chapel services, a number ofLex­ And what's a birthday partywithoutbirthday cake? Not to worry. ington area churches will join in the sesquicentennial commemora­ A giant cake decorated in the tri-colors of red, white, and yellow is tion with special recognition ofthe Institute attheir morningservices. scheduled to be cut on the eve of Founders Day. St. Patrick's Catholic Church will hold a special mass in VMl's honor. For details of the Nov. 10-12 weekend, please turn to pages 4-5. VMI Aids Hugo Relief Effort New Entry Gates Given by Ruffin Family In the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, which devastated the Charleston, S.C., area Sept. 21, VMI joined the nationwide effortto help, with two cadets ofthe Arnold Air Society driving overnight to South Carolina in a nine-ton truck filled with community-wide donations ofcanned food, clothing, mattresses, pillows, and diapers. Cash donations were also carried by the cadet drivers. Mrs. Debbie Shuck, wife of VMl's head football coach, organized the hurricane relief operationin cooperation with the American Red Cross and numerous support groups in the Lexington area. Second classmen Christopher T. Loret and Michael 1. Robertson (see photo, page 2) supervised the loading and delivery of the donations that had been collected at Cameron Hall and other area locations. TheU-Haul truck used for transporting the reliefgoods was itself a company donation, one designated to be left at Charleston where demand for trucks is great. After loading the truck at the Kroger park­ Dedication ofthe Ruffin Gates brought remarks by Mrs. Jean C Han­ ing lot on Friday afternoon, Oct. 6, Loret and Robertson left for their bury, ofPortsmouth, who spoke on behalf ofthefamity ofthe donor, all night drive to Charleston, arriving at The Citadel the next morn­ the late Mrs. Mary Denmead RUffin. ing for a few hours ofsleep before delivering the Lexington collection to the tiny coastal community of McOellanville. The cadets returned The new Letcher Avenue entrygates that mark the western limits by air on Sunday. their plane tickets also a part of the relief effort. of the VMI post were dedicated in ceremonies attended Oct. 13 by members of the Ruffin family in whose honor the small brick and "VMl's response was tremendous," said Mrs. Shuck, "especially in view ofthe short time we had to get wordout before the major col­ stone plaza has been named. The Ruffin Gates. as they will beknown. are replicas ofthe Limit Gates erected in the post Civil War era. lection ofcanned goods at the Furmangame. I want to thank all who helped pull the efforttogether - members ofthe athletic department, Thememorial with its restful benches came to VMI from the estate Capt. Willcockson, Capt. McKenzie, so many, and especially the ofMary Denmead Ruffin andis a tribute to the familyofCharIes L. cadets." Six cadets aided Mrs. Shuck with the collectionofthecanned Ruffin, an 1852 VMI graduate whose father Edmund Ruffin was an goods: Christopher Bergen, Christopher Bergstol, Jeffrey Blackburn, honorary member ofthe class of 1859 and whose direct VMI descen­ Charles Dunn, Christopher Eubank, and Jeffrey Eget. dants include C. L. Ruffin, Jr., 1886; C. L. Ruffin, III, 1922. and a The devastation was apparent everywhere, said Loret after their great grandson, David D. Wallace, a member of the class of 1958. drive to South Carolina - "tons ofdebris on the streets and wooded A state marker identifying the Institute as a National Historic areas looking as ifsomeone hadgone throughthem with a chain saw." District is on order and will be erected at the spot soon. Page 2, The In,stitule Report, October 27, 1989 New Horizons for Mrs. Nancy Hostetter Seven Picked for Sports Hall of Fame Six former Keydet athletes and a former faculty chairman of Mrs. Nancy Tolley Hostetter, athletics will be inducted into the VMI Sports Hall ofFameatbanquet assistant registrar, wrapped up ceremonies Saturday, Nov. 4, at Cameron Hall. Two of the six star the last of her VMI tasks this athletes are from the championship basketball team that took VMI month to accept the pOSition of to the 1976 NCAA eastern regional finals. registrarat Hollins College. After thirty years on the VMI scene, the Leading the group ofHall ofFame inductees is Ron Carter, '78, 1987 Distinguished Service one of the finest basketball players in VMI history and the fITSt to have Award winner will be missed ­ his jersey number retired. Now an investment analyst in North and none will miss her more than Hollywood, Calif., he holds VMI's career scoring record (2228 points) the endless number of cadets and is the only Keydet ever to be chosen to the All-Southern team three who have depended on her con­ years in a row. lWice he was named Conference Player ofthe Year. He stant review of their grades and is, in addition, the only VMI man ever to play in the National Basket­ courses to keep them on track ball Association, initially a draft choice ofthe Los Angeles Lakers and toward graduation. later playing for the Indiana Pacers. Mrs. Hostetter, who assumed Joining Carter is teammate Dave Montgomery, '78, a Baltimore, her new duties at Hollins on Oct. Md., public works engineer who, as a cadet. set VMI basketball Mrs. Nancy Hostetter admires 16, has bothresigned and retired records for career rebounding and shooting accuracy. In his final the VMlchairpresentedOyMaj. from her VMI position, her long season, his 65.2 percent accuracy in field goals was second best in the Gen. John W. Knapp, superin­years at the Institutemaking her nation. He also stands seventh in scoring in VMI career records. tendent, at her recent retirement eligible for early state retirement. Also from the class of 1978 are former football players Andre after 30 years on the VMI scene. "It will be different, I'm sure, to Gibson and Glen Jones and track star Rex Wiggins. be working with young women As a tailback, Gibson, now a financial consultant in Fontana, after so many years ofdaily contact with cadets, II she said before leav­ Calif., set a VMI record with 1218 yards rushing, averaging almost five ing her office for thelast time, "but I look forward to the exciting new yards per carry. He was named first team AlI Southern and honorable experiences that Hollins will offer." mention All American. As a cadet he also starred in track, setting con­ Nancy, who swings a golf club as skillfully as she tallies grade point ference records in the long jump, both indoor and outdoor, earning averages, has spent her entire working life in exacting tasks. After a seven state and conference championships in that event. year at Longwood College, she joined the VMI treasurer's office in Jones, marketing technical support manager with Bell Atlantic in 1959as a bookkeeper, moving five years later to theregistrar's office Richmond and a member ofthe VMI Board of Visitors, started every where she advanced from statistician to assistant registrar. In addi­ football game during his four years, playing defensive endthe first two tion to her responsibility for maintaining cadet academic records, she years and linebacker the final two. Even as a freshman his defensive has also served as assistant director of institutional research, play was so outstanding that he was named honorable mention All compiling statistical studies for the endless flow of state and federal State and All Southern. In addition to state and conference honors reports that VMI is required to submit. as a senior, he was honorable mention All American and still holds While keeping tabs on cadet grades, Mrs. Hostetter also watched the VMI record for career tackles. over her own in recent years as she completed her undergraduate Wiggins, a trading manager with First Union Corporation in degree at Mary Baldwin College.