The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-05-31
HEARST TROPHY
IS PRESENTED
TO CADETS

FORK UNION, Va, May 31.-A
cheering audience of cadets today
witnessed the second consecutive
presentation Of the William Ran.
dolph Hearst Rifle Trophy, won
by the schools rifle team in COM
petition with Virginia and other
Third Corps Area schools.
The presentation was a high
point in the last day of the three
day commencement exercises Of
the school. which have been at
tended by several hundred parents
and visitors from all sections Of
the country.
The trophy is a large silver
plaque to be retained by the school
wkue each one of the five cadets
on the winning team received q
medal. It was handed,to President
j. j. Wicker, of the school, by
Major John A. Hettinger, U. s. A.,
who also pinned the medals on the
gray blouses Of the rifle team, COM
posed of Frank Elmer LeSCanec,
Petersburg, Va; Harry Egbert
Griffin, jr., Dillwyn, Va; Irving
Ward Mohr, New York city; Har-
rail- Ryland Pratt, Suffolk, Va,
and Donald Boyd McSween, Rich
mond, Va.
Coach Introduced
Major Hettinger also introduced
to the commencement audience
Sergt. Edward Walker, Army rifle
expert, who coached the team to
Its victory.
The message of Mr.. Hearst to
the winners and the school was
read by Earl Goodwin, Washington
Times radio commentator and
White House correspondent. The
message contained the following
warning:
"A nation like the United
States, subjected to the envy and
jealousy of q hostile and INSULT
GENTLY civilized world, should
be able to defend itself against
some outbreak Of this latent
hostility into attack. A demo-
cratic nation does not want .
large standing army, and the
only effective alternative 1s .
competent citizen sOldiery.
military training for the
young men Of the nation in
schools and colleges was favored
by the founders Of the republic,
but unfortunately this plan IL
not in general operation. The
next best plan for national de-
Tense is to instruct the youth Of
the land by other means, in the
rudimentS of military training"
Goodwin Speaks
Speaking to the commencement
audience following the presenta-
ton, Mr.. Goodwin said:
"The spirit Of the Old DOmin-
ion should be revitalized at this
very time In tOday's affairs. The
same danger of q collapse of
freedom faces this democracy
today that faced it in 1773
which was the crucial hour in
this part Of America. Had it not
been for the free thinking Of
Patrick Henry, of Thomas JEFF
fersOn and other VirginianS in
the dark moments of '73 there
would today be no celebration
of July 4, 1776.
"The outstanding feature OF
early American patriotism is
that those men thought out
plans for their country and not
merely for their political parties.
Today we need q house cleaning
50 that politics has to do with
the c0untry'S needs and not
merely to build an organization
for the perpetuatiOn of jobs.
One of the first steps for this
much needed and eventual re-
form is free and Independent
thinking on the part of such
young gentlemen as comprise
the body of Fork Union Military
Academy"
HONOR ANNOUNCED
The class valedictory was deliv.
cred by Cadet Thomas Myles
King, jr., of Phoenix, Ariz., and
after an address by Rev. Howard
P. Wagner, President Wicker
awarded prizes and school honorS
as follows:
For scholarship, the Hatcher
Medal to Thomas Myles King, jr.;
Balfour Achievement prize to John
N. Young; prize for the best Off.
Ger to Andrew Hopkins; Citizen
ship medal to Charles William
Perry, John w. Florence, James
l.. Bentley, jr., and Harold Chester
Wise, jr.; prize for best athletes,
Ralph Luther Rigley and Ray.
mond H. Rigler; medal for accom-
plishment in music to Charles w.
AScue: medal for best bugler to
Harry Rainey Bybee, jr.