The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-24
JOHN MARSHALL BOYS
PRESENTED LETTERS
(By Ralph Dombrower.,

Social matters again entered Into the
athletic affairs of John Marshall High
school yesterday morning, and, after
the soiree held only a week or two
ago by everyone in the school at the
time when the football men were pre-
scented with heir letters It looks as
II these social functions are coming
right much in vogue. OF course, now,
after you think 1t over, athletics. that
is amateur athletics. are not so far
from sociaities after all. Few are the
warriors who scamper to and fro and
fro and to on Richmond's amateur
fields, who have no lady friend, or
lady friends, as the case Is very often,
and what is social news but that?
Too bad. We are getting away from
the subject. Yesterday morning In
John Marshall High School auditorium
the members OF the basketball team OF
1915. representing that school were
presented with the ]. M. II. s. mono
grams 1t was a scene of much cou-
rage. ambition. oratory and 1olliiction.
this giving away of the pure white
felt letters. There was more jollfca-
ton on the parts of the mere specta-
tors than there was oratory on the
part OF those who made speeches, and
courage on behalf of those who re-
ceived the letters, but that was not
unusual
Professor simpson Speaks.
After the customary exercises had
been conducted by Principal HARDWOOD.
the same esteemed gentleman intro
duced that man who seems to be the
keynote, very much so. of the teams of
high school. Professor simpson. as
he is called around the school. Coach
Simpson. as he Is known on the field,
and "Simp'' by those who fail to make
the teams which he coaches because
of their own incompetency, made a
short. but interesting talk. Some of
the fellows were prone to say that was
the reason 1t was interesting. But at
any rate, Mr.. Simpson turned things
over to Venus" Fuller the gawky
looking manager OF the basketball
team. From what happened II would
seem that the manager was totally
surprised, too fun for much utterance.
and generally disliked taking the re-
sponsibility of things
Manager Fuller who wears the most
gawky and largest cravats of any
student anywhere. did not say much.
But what little he did say was suffi-
cient. If he had said more II is doubt
full IL the regular classes would have
begun until noon. This was due. how
ever. not to Mr.. Fuller. but to some
other speaker. Mr. Fuller would have
greeted with open arms such a sug-
gestion as half day holiday. Henry.
the Great, introduced Mr.. James, for
fnerly of William and Mary. but now Of
John Marshall. Mr., James attends
every athletic meet. watches all of the
teams of the school and instructs the
students In history. There are those
who say that Professor James Is some"
teacher, too.
Tells Many Jokes
To tell all OF what Professor James
said is far beyond us in the way of
handling the English language. Mr..
James told some of the very best
Jokes that we have heard for some
time, and some that we have not read
for some time. before he really began
making his speech. Clad In his gray
and black cheekered suit, with blue
bow cravat predominating over his en-
tire countenance, II was not long be-
fore the noted dispenser of the lingo.
Mr.. James, began to show some or
those pupils and teachers thing or
two, or three He went back into the
days of Polybonious, the first football
player, and further back still, to Uly-
sees, In sweep of verbal shrapnel
he was at once back into modern days
and told of athletics. He told what
athletics stood for what the mono
gram j. NJ. II. S. stood for in athletics
and other things. Mr.. James told the
members Of the team that John Mar
shall stood for justice. and athietically
for courage. cleanliness and fairness in
athletics. Before giving the boys the
glad news. Mr.. James lines them up
before the vast audience. The boys
began to shake. one fell and basket
bali team representing an invRlids
home could have probably won over
them at that time.
Those who received the monographs
were: Punk" Pendleton. Big Boy"
Bethel. woody" Woodward, "Biggy"
HarErove. Manager Fuller, Booster
Emhig, Buck" Wharton and Coach
Simpson.
1T Is said that Polybonious was re-
lated to Ivoryonious