Page 62 - 1952 VES Meteor

The Old Astrologer
The Old Astrologer is seen rocket- ing his way toward earth to observe his beloved 160 acres. He arrives at his destination and leaps out of the ship. He notices something different about the school. The trees are big- ger and more paint is chipped off.
Due to his not paying attention in the Gu's trig class one day, he has left out part of a formula in his navi- gation. Instead of landing in the world of 1952 he has alighted in 1972.
There seems to be some sort of re- union going on. The old mon spots o few familiar faces and engages most of their owners in short and loud conversation.
He sees Tal Kemper who is billed in Geek Barrett's Wild Animal Show as the " Fattest Man on Earth." While he is tolking Old Joe Barber, you remember Joe, comes up ond pokes Tal in the nose. The reason is that Joe is billed in Scott McCracken's "Freaks of the W orld" as the "Fattest Man in the World." This sort of thing has been going on for 20 years.
While he is talking a long green four-door convertible rolls up and " Diamond Jim" Kester and Robbins Lowe, the great Spanish professor of the original Egyptian Sudan, pile out.
Over on the edge of the crowd he sees the world famous painter " N" Smith surrounded by a group of ad- miring girls. For the last 16 yeors he has been pointing the Queen Mary's bottom, using high grade water col- ors.
" I get my share" (of points) Car- rington has been playing basketball with the Ha rlem Globe Trotters for the last few seasons.
The Old Astrologer is approached by the Gu who demands the alumni dues for the last 21 years. At this,
(Continued on poge 18, col. 3)
THE SCHOOL
Thirty-four Years Ago At V. E. S.
Details of Third Session of School Gleaned from Old "Meteor"
With only the Main Building and the cottage, without the chapel, W est Dormitory, and a gymnasium, V. E. S. entered upon the third year of her career thirty-four years ago with a total enrollment of 78 boys. The fol- lowing historic details are presented to give some idea of how the school
fared in her infancy.
On Wednesday, September 25th,
19 18, t he school was formally opened by Dr. Jett, the Rector. On the fol- lowing evening the school officers were chosen by the old boys, and on the 27th the Honor Committee and Head C ou nselor were appointed by Dr. Jet+. The school was placed under quarantine on account of the "flu" epidemic in Lynchburg, and on Octo- ber 8th it became necessary to close school until November 5th. No fatali-
ties occurred.
A red letter day in the history of
V. E. S. was November I I, 1918, when all demerits were removed , and all boys allowed to go to town to cele- brate the event. A subscription of $313.46 was collected in the school for the United War Relief Fund. Con- sidering the school's small size at that time, this was a large sum, and by its aid Campbell County went above par in its donations.
After the reopening of school on the 5th of November, football prac- tice was resumed, and V. E. S. con- cluded a brilliant season of five vic- tcries and no defeats, only two points being scored by opponents. The Woodberry Forest second team was among those defeated.
Basketball season, 1919, consisted of only two games, on account of the burning of the old gymnasium, a frame construction in back of school, and this circumstance necessitated the cancellation of the remaining games scheduled.
Our first Annual Field Day, held on the Y. M. C. A. Island, April 22nd, proved to be a great success. The "Whites" vanquishing the "Garnets" by a sixteen-point margin. The fea- ture of the day, however, was a race between Mr. Mattfield, then a rat teacher, and Dr. Jet+. Our respected Senior master covered himself with laurels in this event, but our former Rector gave him keen competition.
In the drinking-well,
Which the plumber built her, A unt Eliza fell;
We must buy a filter.
-"Ruthless Rhymes"
Everything was peaceful around our house until Aunt Eliza arrived. We lived on a modest income in a pent- house up East Broadway in New York City. Aunt Eliza was our rich country relative and really a character. Her maiden name was Miss Eliza Prim- stone and she had married her hus- band early in life. He died of a nervous breakdown and I can easily understand why. Aunt Eliza was the most overbearing, r1nicky person that I have ever met. She was a large country woman who was used to hav- ing her own way.
Father said that we should try to please her because she had arthritis and that when she died she would leove us sixty thousand dollors. Per- sonally, I thought she looked as heal- thy as a horse but father said that you never could tell.
Her arrival caused quite a stir. In her usual brisk, hypercritical manner she managed to insult every member of the apartment house before she ever saw us. She seemed immensly pleased with our set-up for we had a large garden in one corner of the roof. Of course, it was a flower garden and she proceded to teor out all of mother's prize tulips. She called mother a senseless woman and repri- manded her for wasting "sich nice plontin' space."
She also became highly peeved when she leorned that we didn't have a drinking-well. Father tried to ex- plain to her the impossibility and uselessness of a drinking well on top of a Manhatton apartment house, but it was no use. She refused to listen and firmly stated that she was
(Continued on poge 18, col. 2)
6
THE METEOR