Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-04-23
VALLEY men At university
Holding Positions of Honor in Vari-
Gus Departments---Many on
the List.
Charlottesville Progress. J


the considerable number of Valley mer
who are now holding positions of more
or less honor and responsibility in con
nection with the institution. 1t is s
fact, l suppose, that ever since Gessnel
Harrison and Henry Tutwiler were
here as contemporaries of Edgar Aller
Poe, R. M. T.s hunter, Gen. John B
Magruder, and others known to fame
in the succeeding years, Rockingham
and the Valley as whole have mad.
their mark. Woodrow Wilson anG
Holmes Conrad and Daniel Bedingel
Lucas, among those still living, are O.
national reputation. 1t is source ol
remark and speculation here, at leas
among certain memb bers of the faculty
why the Valley men, particularly those
from certain institutions, are uniform.
ly such good students. To be sure
there are failures among them, but they
are usually far enough above the aver
age to attract some notice. There is
only one answer I can give, and thai
is, nearly every Valley boy has been
taught to work, either with his hands
or his head or with both and 'sall foul
feet, from his youth up. Work is in.
stilled into him, as general thing, as
his breath of life.
But to return to my text. At present
the Rector of the Board of Visitors to
the University is Valley man-Hon.
Armistead Churchill Gordon, of Staun-
ton. The University Secretary is R.
Marshall Price, LII. B., formerly OF
Harrisonburg. Theodore Hough, Phi.
d., professor of physiology, is native
OF Warren county, having been born at
Front Royal. Robert French Comp
ton, M. D., professor of diseases of ear,
throat, and nose, lived formerly in
Harrisonburg, and perhaps was born
there. John A.. E. Eyster, M. D., pro-
fessor of pharmacology, materia medi-
ca, and toxicology, is a native of Au-
gusta, having been born near Staun-
ton. John s. Grasty, Phi. D., adjunct
professor of economic geology, and D.
Vance Guthrie, Phi. D., instructor in
physics, are both from Augusta coun-
ty. Rev. Hugh M. McIlhany, Phi. D.,
for five years general secretary Of the
University Y. M. G. A., and now doing
religious work in connection with the
University, is also from Staunton. DR..
McIlhany has been really one of the
benefactors of the University. It was
largely through his untiring zeal and
industry that the 100000 building,
Madison Hall, was secured for the reli-
gious work of the Institution, and that
an additional endowment of $40, 900 for
maintaining it..was raised.
John II. Nef, of Harrisonburg, has
for several years been one of the best
known and most popular men among
the students. He has been president
and vice-president of the Y. M. G. A,
is president of the Raven Society, and
has recently been chosen as head coach
of the football team for next year. His
brother, Mitchell 7. Neff, is an assist.
ant to the professor of philosophy
Kemper Yancey is one of the popular
men of the student body, and distin
guished member of the football team
Thomas V. Williamson, M. D., o1
Jackson, is president of the last grad
uating class of 140 men. He is not now
at the University, but his official duties
as president of the class of 1908 are still
being actively exercised in connection
with the work Of the authorities here.
Weldon T. Myers, M. A., of Broad
way, is instructor in Latin; Heber M
Hays, b. A., of the same town, is in
structor in Greek. DR.. John Waite
Wayland, native of Shenandoah, bu
since 1898 mainly resident of Rock
ingham, is instructor in history. DR.
Wayland is also one of the editors o
the Alumni Bulletin, published by th'
faculty.
Hensell r. Pence, of Mt. Crawford
latterly of Harrisonburg, has not only
been making all Of his tickets, in tn
heavy law courses, but at the SAM
time has taken and passed off mum
Der of tickets in the College Depart
ment. That is, he has been carryinl
the full law course, and doing the othe
work in addition.
| Emmett Young Burton, B. A., .
Parnassus, is instructor in Mathemat
les. Mr.. Burton, who came here from
Missouri, where he taught for severa
years after leaving the Valley, was las
year superintendent Of st. Charlie
Military College, and commandant o
cadets. He also holds colonel's com
mission in the National Guards, receiv
ed from Governor Folk, of Missouri.
NJ. B. Coyner, B. A, of Waynesboro
H. G. Whitmere, B. A., of Parnassus
and Frank J. Wright, B. A., of Bridge
water, are all doing good work as stu
dents and are holding responsible posi-
tions as teachers in the vicinity of tn
University.
There are other Valley boys doin
good work as students, but | think
have mentioned most of those VIII
have won special distinction or hol
teaching positions in or near Univel
sity.
1t should be noted, also, that goo
proportion of the men named abov
are members of three leading hone
societies at the University: Phi Bet
Kappa, Delta Sigma Rho, and tn
Raven Society. The last is a locs
organization; the others are of nations
scope.
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