Pondering points for Hargrave's administration

photo courtesy of Ed Berlien

For the past several years, I have noticed a dramatic increase in the amount of slick promotions Hargrave has invested in to send out requests for monetary donations from Alumni and all those other financial estate planning, endowments, etc.

No doubt the academy has relegated considerable sums to this necessary area of continuing Alumni participation and I am all in favor of this. However, built into this are a number of issues which I feel can be opened up for comment with our Hargrave Alumni Forum participants.

I am particularly dismayed at this very high emphasis on sports, especially the PG football program. To me, the academy seems to be forwarding the overall impression that these salt aways are there to get their grades up for admission to selected universities… and those certainly who have high profile football programs.

All this to be accomplished in six months and certainly nothing more than a full year at the academy only?

I don’t buy into that at all.

Today’s academy administration gives me the personal impression this is the only way on a singular basis to maintain overall enrollment and revenues to keep the academy in existence. I don’t buy into that at all either.

Just this week here on my block in suburban Chicago, three of my neighbors are having their homes either remodeled and/or additions placed onto their structures. Traffic on our somewhat busy street at times is now snarled during daylight hours as we’ve got fifteen or more trucks of all sizes parked there. The vehicle owners are the hard working men and women who provide the skills needed to get the work completed…

Vocational Skills

Even when I was at Hargrave in the Sixties, the main emphasis was having everyone who graduates being accepted to some prestigious university. Same is true I guess today in my view. But how about some, maybe like me who never cared much about that, and/or those of a certain class who didn’t have the grades or aptitude to continue with furthering educational matters. You can certainly put me in that bunch.

So it got me into that dangerous category of thinking about the matter and possibly considering other alternatives Hargrave could consider to accomplish future goals of having high enrollment and the revenues that go along with it. Further, and at the same time maintaining the very high prestige level the academy enjoys to this very day to go along with it’s long storied past.

Personally I feel one has to look no further than Girls & Boys Town in Nebraska. This very famous institution was formed on a humanitarian basis to help disadvantaged children of practically all age groups and this is the basis of their ongoing success. At the very same time, Girls and Boys Town is a self-sufficient organization. Each and every kid of all age groups is required to participate in that self-sufficiency effort by working in all types of environs that gives them a vocational skill of some sort or the other. How many Hargrave cadets today know how to farm or repair plumbing?

Thus, I feel future enrollment prospects could be very well accommodated by having the academy offer vocational courses. Many will feel I’m nuts… personally I don’t care. But here is the greater built in potential.

Major companies such as Home Depot, Lowe’s and others are just dying to lend their support and monies to this kind of idea. My goodness…they can provide guest instructors, help set up vocational training programs, supply tools, equipment, and even if the cards are properly played they can provide endowments to the academy.

Problem is I don’t think anybody other than me has thought about this and/or knows just how to go about it. Well, I do and I can lend my support of exactly showing them how to do it, yet overall me, like most alum’s are ignored of their potential in assisting in the future development of the academy. I have never understood this. The sorry fact is that they only want my money. And as I started off with this possible posting, I quite frankly am not going to donate my funds, which may in fact go towards footing the bill of groceries in feeding some 350 pound-football lineman.

The academy has two routes to go in my estimation in gaining an edge on positive future enrollment. First, the academy can go out and pay some high priced mystery consultant to come in and give advice, but in my view this can come from professional alum’s, just like me, in all fields of endeavors who would be willing to lend their expertise for free. As far as I know of it, Hargrave administration has never solicited this. Why?

To conclude, I feel this overall issue is solid enough to open an ongoing forum and encouraging the very best of positive and/or differing views from those currently involved and those future members of the Forum.

Certainly I would assume the folks in charge of Hargrave today would closely monitor our Forum and see what we are all talking about in our sincere desire to see our famous academy perpetuate itself in these current times.

Fred L. Hardman
fredhardman@comcast.net
hardman@helloworld.com
Chicago, Il
Class of '65

A Curtis English haircut

Tommy Tomoff (photo courtesy of Leon Rue)

Hargrave has been my Camp David Retreat. Whenever I cross the Chatham Town Limits, I would automatically start feeling like my old 17 yr. old Hargrave self again, forgetting all of my troubles, burdens of life. I've been driving or flying down to get my Curtis English Haircut every 3 months, since I left in 1969, which has enabled me to not ever feel a day over 17 going on 38 years now.

While at Hargrave, I had aspirations of becoming 5 Star General. Instead, God gave me a higher calling, yet however, He did allow me to discover what Ole Ponce never found. The poor soul was born 450 years too early, and he was 900 miles off course. Had he been a Hargrave Alumnus, and gotten himself a Curtis English Haircut 3 months after he graduated, he would have immediately realized his Fountain of Youth!

Well, if you're not feeling like your old 17 yr. old Hargrave Self any more, let me strongly encourage you to hop in your car, and head on over to Curtis' house. He is retired, but he has a barber chair in his basement for "The Faithful". Especially if you're paying more than $5 for your haircut, and if it isn't lasting you any three months! Not to mention the added perpetual added benefit of starting to feel like your old 17 yr. old Hargrave Self Again!

Curtis' house is located on top of the first hill on the left hand side off of Hwy 57 West on the way to Martinsville. You'll see his gravel drive way 10' parallel to the road so be sure to slow down as you approach the first hill because it will be a quick zig and zag, and before you know it, you'll see his red brick house on your left as you drive up the drive way.

Just park around back, and go down the only down steps to the basement, and he'll be waiting for you. Well, he normally cuts hair on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings, but if he knows you're coming, he'll try to be there for you just as long as he doesn't have any weddings or funerals to officiate.

Oh yeah, he's been a Church of the Brethren Preacher for about 15 years now. He tried to retire from that a few years ago, but they wouldn't let him. They love him too much.

Tommy Tomoff
hargrave1969@yahoo.com
Class of '69

Charles R. Warren

photo courtesy of the Preston B. Moses Collection

Charles R. Warren was the Headmaster of the Warren Training School in 1908-1909. He was the coach and second baseman for the school's baseball team in 1909. Warren was reputed to be an excellent baseball player. He also played on Chatham's Countyseat Giants baseball team in 1912 (see photo), which posted a record of 14 wins and 2 losses. In the photo, Warren is in the center.

I assume the Warren Training School was named after Charles Warren or his father (or grandfather). Prior to 1908-1909, the school operated out of an old tobacco factory behind the Episcopal Church in Chatham.

Note: The Warren Training School was the precedessor to the Chatham Training School, which in turn was the predecessor to Hargrave Military Academy.

Down on the Farm

photo courtesy of the Pittsylvania Historical Society

Hargrave was originally founded in 1909. At that time, however, it was called the Chatham Training School. It wasn't until 1925 that the school was renamed after one of its cofounders, J. Hunt Hargrave.

The predecessor to the Chatham Training School was the Warren Training School, which was led by Headmaster Charles R. Warren. After the 1908-1909 school year, a group of businessmen led by J. Hunt Hargrave purchased the Warren Training School and renamed it the Chatham Training School.

On Friday, February 19, 1909, Warren Training School's Dramatic Club put on a stage performance of the musical, Down on the Farm. The photograph from the Dr. Glenn B. Updike, Sr. Collection of the Pittsylvania Historical Society is of a wagon on Main Street in Chatham advertising a local show. That show is thought to have been Down on the Farm by the drama students from the Warren Training School. The individual standing up holding a megaphone is Dick Reid. The driver is Fletcher B. Watson, Jr.

The lyrics to the music of Down on the Farm was written by composer Raymond A. Brown in 1902. The music was written by Harry Von Tilzer.

Brasso

There are some smells that remain with you for eternity because they immediately conjure up memories of good times or bad times you experienced in the past. For example, I can't bear the smell of gin or squash. Any proximity to the drink or the vegetable make me nauseous because... well, let's just say they each came up the wrong way once.

One of the most disgusting smells out there is probably the odor emitted by Brasso, that famous metal polish. Oddly enough, though, I find the smell not so unpleasant because it reminds me of Friday nights at Hargrave preparing for inspection on Saturday morning.

As if it were yesterday, I clearly visualize me and my Colombian roommate, Fernando Manrique, sitting at our desks rubbing the hell out of our uniform buttons, our belt buckles and our metal band insignia on our hats, using an old handkerchief or towel. The smell of Brasso permeated every room on our barracks, and it remained on our hands even after several washings.

I'd never even heard of Brasso before going to Hargrave. Now, every time I use the stuff to clean something around the house, I find myself reminiscing a little about long hours rubbing in a circular motion till my wrist ached.

Mentoring graduating cadets

Cheatham Chapel (photo courtesy of HMA)

Hargrave's 2006 graduating class consists of 78 cadets. Thes eindividuals have received letters of acceptance from 117 different colleges and universities. Does anyone know if Hargrave has some sort of "mentors" program that brings together alumni and graduating cadets, so that alumni can share information and insights about the colleges/universities they attended?

Seems like this could be helpful in better preparing students for what to expect. It would also be a good additional marketing point for the school. It wouldn't take much to match those alumni who attended a particular college/university with the students who plan to attend that same institution... especially now that we have the Hargrave Alumni Forum.

For example, there are three universities on the list that I attended: American University, George Mason University, and the University of Richmond. I graduated from the University of Richmond and took graduate courses at American and GMU. There are four graduating cadets this year who have been accepted by these three universities, including Philippe-Olivier Armand, Stephen Kendall, Walter Whitt and Michael Wheeler.

I would've been glad to drive down to HMA during one of these past weekends (ideally Homecoming weekend) and spend a few hours with these cadets, fielding questions about the universities and the cities of Fairfax, Richmond and Washington, DC, where the schools are located.

It's just one more thing that Hargrave can offer its students that would give them even more of an "edge" than they already have.

Greetings from Chicago...

Hello Col. Baker, greetings from Chicago, Fred Hardman, Hargrave Military Academy, Class of 1965, and before I get started Colonel, take a look at Hargrave's site there... my good old Barracks 4, my first room at Hargrave, number 408. I'll never forget that as long as I live. View complete video letter

Legends

Joe Fratangelo (photo courtesy of Ed Berlien)

One of the great "fun" things about coming to a Homecoming is to catch up with long lost friends, and, of course, to hear the stories. I thought I'd share a couple of stories I picked up at homecomings.

Joe Fratangelo arrived at HMA from New Jersey to play varsity football. Those of you who knew him will remember that he was a helluva football player, as well as a waiter in the mess hall.

Joe was (and still is) a great guy, but being from NJ and speaking like a Soprano, he initially had a lot of trouble understanding our Southern drawl. He roomed with another football player, Larry Berry, from Morganton, NC. Joe says that when he first met his new roommate, it sounded like the guy said, "Hi, my name LahBurr." Joe said it was two weeks before he could finally understand that the guy was saying, "Larry Berry". (Of course, I'm sure Larry had a hard time understanding anything Joe said... other than "f**k, which all Yankees from NJ can pronounce perfectly and frequently!)

Those of you who knew (or know) Massie Simpkins know he was/is also a great guy, and he also played football at HMA. Near the end of his senior year in college, Massie had yet to decide what he would do upon graduation (Those of us who know him would not be surprised to learn this!). One day, while walking across campus, he ran into friend who was heading to a meeting with the Navy recruiter. Massey had no interest in the military, but agreed to accompany his friend for "moral support". His friend ended up taking the potential pilot's exam, and Massie took it too, just to kill time, as he knew he didn't have the math, physics, etc. skills needed to pass the exam.

As we all know, Massie has always had a horseshoe up his ass. The answer sheet was one of those "fill in the dot" things. Apparently the guy before Massie had beared down really hard on his answer sheet, and the impressions had come through to the blank answer sheet underneath. In other words, there were "impressions" on Massie's answer sheet, so he just blackened the dots where the impressions were. His friend flunked the exam; Massie got one of the highest scores ever recorded! But, as I said, Massie had no interest in the military.

Several months after graduation, Massie had yet to find employment, so he returned to the Navy recruiter, and ended up flying jets during Viet Nam. But the horseshoe was still there, so naturally he ended up spending his tour of duty in Hawaii. (I think that's why he still wears those Hawaii shirts all the time.) Massie spent most of his career flying for USAir, and retired a year or so ago. He is now flying for some organization in Africa. If you know of some private company in the USA who could use a well-experienced--albeit OLD stick jocky--you might drop Massie a line.

The above mentioned "legends" are still around.

Marc Axel
marc.axel@verizon.net
Class of '63