The Ins'ti'tu'te Report
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http://www.vmi.edu The Ins'ti'tu'te Report VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE Volume XXIV, Number 5 - February 3, 1997 ASIAN STUDIES LITERARY FUND ESTABLISHED An Asian Studies Literary Fund is being established in the VMI Foundation for the benefit of the Virginia Military Institute thanks to the generosity of an anonymous alumnus. "The donor wishes to remain anonymous," said Major General Josiah Bunting III, VMI's superintendent., "but I can state that he has long-standing family, military, and business ties to Asia and is a keen observer of the economic, political, and historic aspects of the region. In addition, his gift will also serve as the kick off event Cadet Joseph H. Steele III '97, honor court president, talks to Col. Gregory N. in a capital campaign designed to enhance Maisel, USN, professor and head ofNaval Science at VMI (left) and Lt. Col. Francis the fund." H. Bush, associate professor ofeconomics and business (right), at a reception held With a plan to increase VMI's core recently for thirty-eight cadets elected to the 1997 edition of "Who's Who Among holdings in literature pertaining to all aspects Students in American Universities and Colleges." of Asia and Asian studies, the fund will cover VMI FILES FIRST REPORT not only material pertaining to Asian countries along the Pacific Rim, but will also ON ASSIMILATION OF WOMEN "It is my fixed intention to preserve and sustain those principles and extend to material about southwest Asia and features of a VMI education that have proved their worth for a century and the Indian subcontinent. The collection will a half. One of them is that all cadets be treated the same, and their encompass material pertaining to the history, achievements be measured by common standards. The egalitarian ethos of politics, religion, literature, and economics VMI does not know gender." · of the region. Holdings in the collection will With these words from VMI Superintendent, Major General Josiah Bunting III, and be housed in VMI's Preston Library and will be available to the entire VMI student body quoting passages from the June 26 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, VMI filed its first quarterly report regarding the assimilation of women into VMI's Corps of as well as to other patrons of Preston Library. Cadets. Col. Patrick M. Mayerchak, director of the international studies program at VMI, On December 2, Judge Jackson L. Kiser, Federal District Court of Western Virginia, denied a motion by the United States Justice Department that VMI present a detailed plan for hailed the gift as a significant boost for his the assimilation department. "With the expansion of the of women, but instead ruled that he be given quarterly reports due two weeks course offerings in all aspects of foreign after each meeting of the VMI Board of Visitors. The Board met in Lexington Dec. 6-7. Contained in the report are basic standards for uniforms, haircuts and physical training. study, to include the introduction of several Properly tailored uniforms will be the same for women and men with the exception new language programs, this gift could not of uniform come at a better time. It will give our skirts for special occasions. As part of their entry into the "Ratline", women, like men, will students significant new resources pertaining receive close cropped haircuts. Noting that cadets take two physical fitness tests, one for to an area which will be of vital interest to VMI (VFT-VMI Fitness Test) and the other for the armed forces given to all ROTC cadets, VMI will require all cadets, women as well as men, to achieve minimum performance continued on page 2 continued on page 7 Page 2 The Institute Report, February 3, 1997 ARTICLE BY COLONEL AUSTIN M. DRUMM, FORMER PROFESSOR SUPERINTENDENT AND HEAD OF HISTORY DEPARTMENT DIES APPEARS IN NEWSWEEK Colonel Austin M. Drumm, USAF (Ret.), of A news feature written by Major Barboursville, Va., died January 8 at the University ofVirginia General Josiah Bunting III, superintendent Medical Center. He was 81 years old. was recently published in Newsweek Col. Drumm retired from the VMI faculty in August 1975 magazine. The article entitled "Making after 22 years of service to the Institute. He began his VMI Room for Sister Rat" appeared in the career in 1953 as an instructor in history, advancing through December 23, 1996 issue. the academic ranks to become department head for five years until his retirement. During his tenure as department head, he initiated new course offerings, a weekly lecture series was established, and a fourth class advisee program was introduced. Under his direction the history department did VMI THEATRE DIRECTOR much pioneering in the field of introductory history, bringing HAS BOOK PUBLISHED widespread favorable publicity to VMI, not only in the media, but from historical societies VMI Theatre Director Joellen Bland and groups from all around the nation. had a book published in November 1996, Col. Drumm served as a pilot in England for the British Royal Air Force Transport entitled "Playing Scenes From Classic Division during World War II, before the United States entered the war. After America's Literature." The book comprises 388 pages entry, he flew transport and passenger planes in several operations from the U.S. to India. It of short dramatizations of the world's most was during one of these flights that he was forced to parachute over the northern part of famous literature, including seventy South America and was for a period of time reported "Missing in Action." selections by fifty-four authors from thirteen Surviving are his wife Bonnie McCarthy Drumm; two sons, Richard Baldwin Drumm countries. The scenes and monologues are and his wife Susan Bishop Drumm of Albemarle County, Dr. David Blair Drumm of taken from novels, stories, poems, essays, Enterprise, Ala.; and two grandchildren, Victoria Elizabeth Drumm and Miranda Catherine and plays in the public domain. Drumm. The book brings to life a variety of The family suggests that memorial donations be made to Blue Ridge ALS Support literary heroes and heroines, including Group, 106 Crofton Place, Box 13, Palmyra, Va. 22963. Captain Ahab, Don Quixote, Rob Roy, Jean Valjean. Edmond Dantes, Ben-Hur, King Arthur, Jane Eyre, Hester Prynne, Jo March, Lorna Doone, Daisy Miller, and Catherine ASIAN FUND Earnshaw, as well as the real life figures of continued from page 1 Abigail Adams, Sojourner Truth, Benjamin them as future world leaders." Spending from the fund's income stream will be coordinated Franklin, Henry David Thoreau, and through the international studies program. Frederick Douglass. Further information on the international studies program can be obtained from Col. A sampling of the authors whose works Mayerchak at (540) 464-7676. Information on the fund or about how gifts can be directed to are represented in the book includes Mark the fund can be obtained from John A. Walters of the VMI Foundation, telephone 464-7287. Twain, Stephen Crane. Bret Harte, Washington Irving, Herman Melville, Louisa May Alcott, Edgar Allen Poe, Harriet Beacher Stowe, Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Robert Browning, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Mary Shelley, The Institute Report Oscar Wilde, Sir Walter Scott, Anton Editor: Burton R. Floyd, Ill Chekhov, Cervantes, Boccaccio, Erasmus, Supervising Editor: Col. Mike Strickler and many others who have enriched our lives Contributing writers: Tom Joynes, Chris Clark with their timeless literary works. Printed by: The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va. The book is published by Meriwether The Institute Report is published at Virginia Military Institute by the Public Relations Office. Publishing, Ltd. Bland has had numerous Eight issues are printed during the academic year. Inquiries, suggestions, or news items should be directed to Editor, The Institute Report, VMI Public Relations Office, Lexington, Virginia adaptations of classics published with this 24450-0304; News received will be included in the next published issue. company and other play publishers for the middle-school and high-school market over Telephone 540-464-7207 FAX 540-464-7583 E-maii:[email protected] the past thirty years. She has been director of the VMI Theatre since 1982. Virginia Military Institute, February 3, 1997 Page 3 FOREIGN STUDY ADMISSIONS WATCH Twenty-nine cadets have been granted Applications continue to surge academic leave for foreign study this If the current trend continues, VMI is headed for its best recruiting year in a decade. semester. The group consists of 17 members Current applications for the Class of200 I are up 23% with 698 applications received (through of the class of 1998 and 12 members of the January 29). The Class of 1992, which entered in the Fall of 1987, had 1,228 applicants. class of 1999. They will study in 13 colleges Since the tracking of applications began in September, the percent increase has ranged from and universities in seven different countries. 20% to 45%. Cadets participating in foreign study A breakdown shows 667 applications are from men and 31 from women. Applications include: international studies (IS) major Les for the current rat class totaled 988, a 10% increase from the previous year. Inquiries for the Class of 2001 are up dramatically (9,749 men and 1,496 women) marking an 82% increase. Thornbury '98, University of Valencia, The increase has come from out of state applications with 387 non-Virginians applying. Spain; J. Patrick Stutts '99, (IS), University The largest number of out of state applicants are from New York (36 applicants), followed by of Valencia, Spain; Kevin M. Ryan '99, Pennsylvania (34), Florida (32), and California (23). Applications from Virginia residents physics, University of Aberdeen, Scotland; number 311. Michael T. Runyan '98, economics (EC), 'The emphasis Gen.