Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-02-02
Shepherd College Gets Into Uniform
BY ]. o. Knott.

and in uniform, put our Shepherd Col
lege boys to Huntington our college
girls completely lost their heads and
hearts over that uniformed bunch
which blew in on us one summer, and
occasioned many Of our fair CO.
eds to do much cajoling afterwards
10 bring back the old and tried but
! uuunifomed boys OF our institution
10 their former places at the feet OF
their lady loves. Bull, the possibility
Of a repetition uf the ST. Johns
Academy episode created an atmos
phere very favorable to our boys hav-
ing their own military organization.
| Thus il came about and the decree
was signed that the boys OF Shepherd
| College were to wear uniforms, though
they were not compelled to do so.
Very little studying was done while
the details of organizing and equipping
our company were under way. ! sup
pose Prof. Mciaurran was responsible
Tor the cODr OF our uniform-Rcbcl
gray. Any other color would have
been at that time out of the question.
1t is probable that Prof. McMurran
| also suggested that the coats be made
! "irOck," though ! recall there was
| much surprise over the sudden emery
ence OF fifteen and sixteen year boys
| into lOng-tailed coats. had, when
/ donnlng my coat, much the same eX-
| perience that | imagine girl has when
| she puts on her first long dress. ! felt
certain dignity belonged to the coat
coat that the boy must see was main
| tanned.
| But long before our uniforms were
/ made, or our guns came by corSIgn-
ment, we had our organization to COM
! plctc by elccting officers.
! write chapter at this point that
| would prefer to leave in oblivion, but
! over forty years have bedimmcd in
some measure the lurid lines of con-
duct and softenCi the har, hness Of SCH
| iiShneSs and vanity that tC THIS day
cause my checks ~ burn when ! think
OF that election which decided vino
should be officers in our company.
| Just who first betOok himself to cleo
t!oncering for an officers place | do
not know; but soon the most OF us
were at it. SOothe my conscience
with the reflection that before enter
Cd my campaign for top sergeant"
asked Prof. McMurran if would, in
/ ais opinion, be a miSit in the place.
|
! | .erily believe, did no clectiouccr.ng
/ Tor himself, was my rival for the place
! ! vas sure he was the choice of the
college, but had Committed enough
boy = be it said ~ my shame, to beat my
cousin by two br three votes. en-
'nglL the ONCE thus secured about as
, mr.. Ncwberry will enjoy his seat IN
,t- u. 5. Senate, though OF course did
. 2 a. httN DAB 4 Z
| e.-ctiOneerng
I Harry Turner was elected captain by
"laGSomc majority. Harry was then
blonde, well-built but not corpulent
| 2";, with clear, pink complexion, and
! Vas one of the wittieSt of all our fcl-
'"NS. ! never saw mm that he did
! not have Il good story TO rtil, and often
when he and should have been cram
ming mathematics, for which neither
of us had great love.
The two lieutenant places were filled
by J. +. S. Baker and Edward Bill
myer ! can not recall who was first,
| Hut aS seymour" Baker died so
t:ISicaiiy, | take his name first. HJ
vas ow in stature, had wonderfully
! broad shoulders, and walked with a
sight stop, which would have detach-
! ei from the appearance of less in
/ tereSting boy. In fact, his walk was al
!'oSt a waddle, tina; could be noted
several squares off. But Jacob Elias
! Seymour Baker was one of the most
! popular of our college boys. His face
is recalled as wildly as though / had
/ seen him yesterday. His complexion
vas Sallow but clear; his hair light
and disposed 10 curl; his eyes were
dreamy, with plenty of laugh in them
at times; his teeth very good, and his
lips quite what the girls called kiss
able" Seymour was By odds our "man
of the world" He knew much more
of the great world than any of us, and
often held US spellbound by chapters on
the meaning of life. He was early Or
dained for the job Of a physician, and
was practcing, | believe, in a far
western State, when he accidentally
shot himself. When | heard of his
/ death, recalled that Seymour was
! seldom. as boy, without revolver in
mis- pocket.
id Ril.myer doubtless got his Of
ace because the boys wanted him TO
! have II. He would have teen too
! modest TO ask any one TO vote for him.
/ A tall, slender, soldier-likc Young fell
/ low. with integrity in his face and man
| !iness in his bearing, Ed was one of our
| handsome boys, but seemed TO caro-
little. about the fact, and made little
out of this asset with the ladies'. He
! did not, as | recall, cultivate AS as
! s'duousiy the fair co-eds as did some
If us. But even though confess to
being one Of the chief of sinners in
this line, | look back upon it all with
TO special regret, for ! have come to
believe that the proper study of man
Kind is woman But Ed Billmyer
was to my youthful observation about