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VOLUME 63ALTON, ILLINOIS, MAY 24,1971NO. 12Col. Persing Resigns As Headmaster After 34 Years At W.M.A.HAS GREAT CAREERIN THIS COUNTRY AS ANEDUCATOR AND TEACHER*Lt. Col. Chester L. Persing, Headmaster of Western Military Academy for thirty-four years, has tendered his resignation to go into effect after commencement. He has had a long and distinguished career as an educator. As head of the Academic Department, he has kept W.M.A.’s scholastic rating among the highest in boys’ preparatory schools of this country.TCol. Persing came to Westernin the Fall of 1937. He hadlt;been director of studies and Dean of Boys at New Trier High School, Wimietka, 111., forten years. He was known as a dynamic educator and a leader in educational research and progressive methods. He has always been recognized as an authority in testing and planning courses of study.tNATIONALLY KNOWNCol.Persing’s work attracted national attention. He wrote articles for educational magazines and was often called upon for reports at state and national conferences. He specialized in the Field of English. He has been the author of several text books which employ his methods.He graduated from Broaddus Academy, West Virginia, and from Colgate • University and Northwestern University. He did extensive graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania and at Yale.His varied career reads almost like fiction. He has beeni *in the U.S. Army during World War I, a shipping clerk, a book salesman, a store keeper, a football player and coach, a minister, a manager of a baseball team, a manager of a debate team which toured Great Britain, a lecturer, a magazine writer, a teacher and a counselor for boys.MAINTAINED HIGH STANDARDSCol. Persing has been a mainstay of the Western faculty. He has always insisted upon the highest standards in academic work and has kept the Academy fully accredited. He sponsored the National Honor Society here and founded the400 Club, an honor organization, and also the Alumni Memorial Foundation.Col. Persing has enjoyed the confidence of colleges and universities. They have recognized the sincere quality of his work. Often a recommendation from him carried more weight in getting cadets accepted by colleges than their tests did. He lived onPrograms Of 92nd Valedictorians And♦ •Commencement ToCOL. C. £. PERSING% ♦the campus and was always available for conferences with cadets and their parents.WILL MISS MRS. PERSINGMrs. Persing has also been a valuable and wholesome influence in the life of Western. She graduated from Baylor University in Texas and traveled as a student secretary in that state. She served as a directorJof social studies at North Texasi •State Teacher’s College. Prior to coming to Western, she was an outstanding Counselor for Women at Northwestern Uni-t.versity for ten years.Mrs. Persing has taught sev-*eral classes at Western. She has done vaulable work in advising students, especially Latin American cadets. She has also been a charming and gracious lady in the social life on the campus and in social and civic groups iniAlton. She has made many friends among cadets and their parents.WARM MEMORIESCol. and Mrs. Persing, plan to live in Alton at present. Col. Persing feels that he needs a deserved rest after his long andbusy career as an educator. The. ♦warm places that they hold in the hearts and memories of teachers, cadets, and parents during their thirty-four years at Western will be their indestructible monument.Cadets Hold Parade To Honor MothersVBy Cross On Mother’s Day, May 9,the cadet battalion held a dress parade in honor of their mothers. A good crowd of mothers sat in a specially reserved reviewing stand. The parade was completely commanded by Juniors, while the Seniors were in a separate platoon next to “B” company. Afterwards, the visitors enjoyed a band concert near the quadrangle.The Military Department was pleased with the performance of the cadets and the Junior officers. The best lines were won by “A” company commanded by Jennings and by platoon leaders Walling and T. Jackson.These events are traditionali ion Mother’s Day.End On Sat., June 5TRADITIONAL EVENTS WILL CONTINUE FOR THREE DAYSThe 92nd Commencement program has been moved forward one day. The graduation exercises were originally set for Sunday, June 6. Now this event will be at 1:30 P.M. on Saturday, June 5. The revised program is printed in full in this edition. Several changes have been made.The Junior Feed will be held on Tuesday, May 25, and the Senior Banquet will be on Tuesday, June 1. The banquet will be the farewell gathering of the Class of ’71.The final week of the commencement activities will start with the Senior Play, “Take Me to Your President”, on Thursday evening, June 3, in the field house. A large cast of Seniors will present the most amusing comedy of the year.FRIDAY PROGRAMFriday, June 4, will be a busy, crowded day. There will be a letter award ceremony in the chapel at 1:30 P.M. Then the cadet battalion will stage a review on the lower field at 3:30 P.M. Many military awards will be presented, including Chicago Tribune Medals, and there will be the Exchange of Colors to undergraduates.At 8:00 P.M. the mostcolorful and enjoyable dance of the year, the Junior Prom, will be held. Juniors have charge of this event honoring the Seniors and they have planned the theme and the decorations. Seniors and their partners will lead the grand march. The danceiwill end at midnight.While the dance is in prograss, Col. R. B. Jackson will hold his annual Superintendent’s Reception for patrons and alumni in the library at 9:00 P.M. The guests will be greeted by faculty members and will relax while refreshments are being served.LAST BUSY DAYOn Saturday, June 5, the activities will start at 9:00 A.M. with Military Demonstrations. Then the Lower School Graduation of the 8th grade will be held in the chapel with Col. Persing in charge. The young cadets will make their own speeches and honors will be awarded.The corps will hold its final dress parade on the lower Field at 11:00 A.M. Many parents and alumni will witness this final military event.At noon the cadets will have a picnic luncheon on the campus, while the visiting alumni will attend their annual lunch-eon in the dining room. Old graduates will get together and the faculty members will be on hand to welcome them.Sahitatorians AreAnnounced For 1971The valedictorian and salutatorian for the Class of ’71 have been named. The valedictorian is Cadet Alan Young of Apple Valley, Calif. He will deliver the farewell address for the Senior Class. The salutatorian is Cadet Arnold J. Smith of Southfield, Mich. He will deliver the welcoming speech at commencement.These honor positions are based largely upon academic averages over a period of time and upon character. Both of these cadets belong to the M.T.O. and are top students. Young has been accepted by the U.S.A.F. Academy of Colorado Springs, Colo. Smith has been accepted by M.I.T., Cambridge, Mass.L. S. HONOR CADETSLower School cadets in the 8 th grade were also selected for their graduation and will deliver speeches. The valedictorian is Cadet William Harry Hegwein of Cool Valley, Mo. The salutatorian is Cadet John A. Royce of Granite City, 111.Major Sutton will assist these cadets in preparing their speeches for commencement.Speaker At 92nd Commencement Will Be Wm. C. Lyon, '56LAST COMMENCEMENT FOR MONTICELLO COLLEGEMonticello College just north of Alton has been a famous girls’ college and prep school for over 130 years. It will hold its final commencement for girl students on May 30. Monticello, its buildings, and campus have been combined with the new Lewis and Clark Junior College for young men and women. There was a time when “Monti” girls provided most of the dates for W.M.A. cadets at dances and social events.GRADUATION EXERCISESThe graduation exercises for the Class of ’71 will be held in the field house on Saturday at 1:30 P.M. The Seniors will enter and sit together as the audience gives a standing ovation. The cadet salutatorian will welcome those present. The commencement speaker will deliver an address to the graduating class. There will be an announcement of honors and the advancement of classes. Diplomas will be presented to Seniors by Col. Jackson and Col. Persing. The graduates will assemble on the stage to take the alumni pledge. The valedictorian will make the farewell speech for his class.Seniors will leave the hall to the strains of “Auld Lang Syne”. They will lower the flag on the campus and present it to the Juniors.Col. Moore will give the'final order, “Dismissed”. There willbe cheers and tears and fond*.•goodbyes. The cadets will rush to cars, planes, and trains, and the summer silence will descend upon the campus.HE HAS BRILLIANT CAREER IN FIELD OF JOURNALISMMr. William C. “Bill” Lyon, Class ’56, will be the guest speaker who will deliver theaddress to the Senior Class at■the graduation exercises at 1:30 P.M. on June 5. He has had a distinguished career in journalism and is at present the managing editor of the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette in Champaign, 111.Mr. Lyon was on the “Shrapnel” staff at Western for 5 years and was the editor. He graduated later from the University of Illinois, and even as a college student he was a member of the News-Gazette staff. He served as a news reporter, farm editor, and sports writer.WITH 3 NEWSPAPERSIn 1959 Bill Lyon made a tour of the Soviet Union and other European countries. His articles were excellent and he was asked to make more than 200 talks. He was named as one of Champaign-Urbana’s most outstanding young men in 1961. He has also served with the Illinois National Guard.Mr. Lyon was later on the staff of the Courier and Press in Evansville, Ind., where he won important awards in contests sponsored by the Indiana Associated Press. In 1969 he became managing editor of the Metro-East Journal of East St. Louis. He recently returned tohis position with his originalpaper, the News-Gazette.HONORS AT WESTERNAt the University of Illinois, Bill Lyon belonged to the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He is a member of the Sigma Delta Chi, professional journalism fraternity. He has received the M.T.O. Emeritus Award at Western for being a distinguished young graduate. He has inter-s . jviewed- three men who became _v ■President of the United States — Richard Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, and John F. Kennedy.Bill married the former Ethel Slade, and they ahve two sons.His many honors during his cadet days at Western include the following:Salutatorian of Class ’56, “Shrapnel” Editor, Cadet Captain, Barracks Chief, National Honor Society, 400 Club, M.T.O., Quill and Scroll, Honor Guard, Thespians, Prom Reporter, winner of sports letters and varsity baseball letters.f i*iFOUR SENIORS JOIN NAT. HONOR SOCIETYCongratulations to the four Seniors who were recently elected to membership in the W.M.A. chapter of the National Honor Society. They are Dennis Keyser, Bill Hargraves, Arnold Smith, and Alan Young.
Newspaper Details
Alton Western Military Academy Shrapnel
Alton, Illinois, US
Mon, May 24, 1971
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IL, 17 Jan 2022
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