The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-03
Unique Service Features Big
Meeting Held by Students
This Morning.
BY LARRY


Centre Colleges football eleven,
known all over the country as the
praying Colonies" becs:=e the
members of the team always pray
before going int a game and
sometimes on the field OF conflict
must now share unique honors in
this respect with the followers Of
Fairmont High School team. At a
big "thuse" session at the high
school this morning, everyone In
the auditorium at tho request OF
Cheer Leader Henry Thompson
bowed their heads for two minutes
In silent prayer for the success oil
the team in the game tomorrow
with Grafton and with East Side
one week from tomorrow.
1t was something unique at a
football "thuse" session in a local
high school, and 1t seemed =, carry
with It punch" eevn deeper and
heavier than the singing Of school
songs and the rehearsing Of yells.
Picture II you will large audit
tcrlum filled with active high
school students; picture two cheer
leaders, a boy and girl, leading
the bunch in cheers and songs
then in the twink ng of an eye al
suggestion from the leader pic
ture the auditorium filled with
bowed heads and I'LL SO still that
the drop of pin would have
sounded like the crack of doom.
Perfect quiet holds forth for about
two minutes, at the expiration OF
which the cheer leader says.
amen" and the service is over.
To the skeptical 1t may seem but
an effort to pull something Just n
little different, but TO, those who
were there and understand the
earnestness with which II was
put through and the real love for
their alma mater that the students
had behind It all, II sent thrill
up and down the backbone and
made the heart beat faster.
Prayers for the team did not end
W til the servlce this morning.
Every student was asked to kneel
each evening when they retired
and offer up n prayer TO give the
men on the team the power and
the drive and the spirit that viii.
mean victory in the remaining
games OF the season.
The student bed vat the h,sh
school, according TO all reports and
confessions, has neen tx in It's
support of the team thus far tn 8
season. but there were plenty Of
Indications today that they will 5a
behind the team from nc..J on. This
student body will be out in force
tomorrow for the Grafton game,
and, OF course, for the East Side
game one week later.
Major Smith told the stueuts
Hardesty, DR.. II. H. Carr and
several memhers Of the team
spoke at the meeting this morn
ms.
NJ ajor Smith told the students
and the team that they just had to
win the East Side game, because
unless they did when high
school was mentioned in Fairmon;
for the next year everyone would
think OF East Side High School.
&C. H. Hardesty. who is making
quite reputation as an orator.
made a wonderful three minute
talk. He told of some OF his eX-
periences when he was memba:
OF the Mann ngton High School
team some years aso. He said that
when Warrington came to Fair
mont IN those days tho score was
always So to 0, and that Manning
ton invariably had the goose cgg
end OF the score. He urged the
team and the students to fight for
victory In the coming games.
Doctor Carr emphasized the need
for good cheer ng when the oppon-
ents were driving through for
! gains. He said that was the time
when the team needed the cheers
on the sidelines.
A number OF tho members Of the
squad and OF the student body
made short and snappy talks. 4
is said that a "thuse" meeting will
be held every day next week ID
preparation for the game.
A brand new banner with Fair
mont" in big letters was presented
to the team and students at the
session this morning. All the mem
bers OF the squad were seated OIL
the stage during the session.