FMS alum Bob Kerby passes

Written by Joseph B. Yount III

Two days before Bob Kerby and I graduated from Fishburne Military School, the then commandant told me that he was happy one of us was going to UVA and the other to VA Tech, because no place could possibly survive if the two of us were enrolled together.

I had known Bob Kerby from grade school and early on found him a genius in many ways. A ham radio operator at age 10, this faithful young Methodist liked to assure us that his call letters W4BLD stood for Whiskey for Breakfast Lunch and Dinner. That was said for shock value, of course, but in truth long before he came to Fishburne he could build his own receivers and hi fi equipment, had a basement that looked like an FM radio station, and regularly spoke with ham pals on every continent. Read more

Alumni Weekend 2012

Below is the schedule for the festivities so that planning can begin for those alumni hoping to attend.

Click here to download your copy of the Alumni Weekend 2012 Registration Brochure (PDF).

Click here to register online. Read more

Cincinnati grows its ‘Fishburne Family’

The Cincinnati area’s “Fishburne family” has grown over the past year. Second Lt. Everett “Rhett” Schuster, ’12, who started at Fishburne in February 2010, was joined in August by his brother, Corporal James “Clay” Schuster, ’13, and in October by their first cousin, Private Bryce England, ’13. The three were welcomed to campus by fellow Cincinnatian Lt. Colonel William Ulrich, ’12.

“I am reeling from the positive impact this school has made on my son’s lives. I couldn’t be more grateful.” Lisa England Schuster told Daniel McKinney, ’47, who hosted a Christmas Eve brunch reunion for the cadets and their parents. “It was a difficult decision for me to send them to Fishburne, but I think it is the most important step they will take in their lives. Since they have been at Fishburne they have developed healthy habits, they have enjoyed success, and they feel positive about their futures.”

Story on the Fishburne Kentucky crew in the Community Press (Cincinnati, Ohio: http://local.cincinnati.com/community/Story.aspx?c=100007&url=http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/C2/20120115/NEWS03/301150025/

This fall Rhett Schuster, a runner on Fishburne’s cross country team, was awarded the James G. Hogg Award for sportsmanship. Clay Schuster was named Cadet of the Month and will serve as S1 in 2012. William Ulrich is this year’s BC and has been nominated for admission to West Point by Ohio Second District Congresswoman Jean Schmidt.

McKinney’s grandsons, Joshua and Samuel Cropp, graduated from Fishburne in 2006 and 2008.  Joshua attends Norwich University, a military college in Northfield, Vt., serves in the Vermont National Guard and has completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan.  Samuel attends the University of Cincinnati’s Clermont College. McKinney serves on Fishburne’s Board of Visitors and is Chairman Emeritus of that board.

 
Above Left: Daniel and Judith McKinney with their daughter, Lisa McKinney Cropp, and her husband, Dennis Cropp. Above Right: Rhett, left, and Clay Schuster.

 
Above Left: Bruce Lee and Lisa England Schuster and sons Rhett and Clay Schuster, and Staci England and son Bryce England. Above Right: Cincinnati-area “Fishburne family” members attending the Christmas Eve reunion are Bruce Lee and Lisa England Schuster with sons Rhett and Clay Schuster, Bryce England and his mother, Staci England, hosts Judith and Daniel McKinney, Dr. Nancy Roszell and John Ulrich and their son William Ulrich, and Lisa McKinney Cropp and Dennis Cropp, whose sons Joshua and Samuel Cropp graduated from Fishburne.

 
Above Left: Rhett Schuster and Clay Schuster and their cousin, Bryce England. Above Right: Lt. Col. William Ulrich, brothers Second Lt. Rhett and Corporal Clay Schuster and their cousin, Private Bryce England.  Daniel McKinney, ’47, center, hosted a Christmas Eve brunch for the cadets and their parents.

 
Above Left: William Ulrich, Rhett Schuster, Clay Schuster, Bryce England. Above Right: William Ulrich and Daniel McKinney.

Happy Birthday!

Frances Young recently celebrated her 90th birthday. With her at her celebration were Chaplain Hollowell, BOV and ’57; Mrs. Wayne Larsen;  Mrs. Gina Snell, formerly in the development office and founding editor of the Quadrangle; Mrs. Young; Mrs. Phyllis Hollowell; Mrs. Susan Johnson, assistant superintendent; and Mrs. Becky McGann, trustee of FHEF since 1972 and mother of two alumni.

Of churches, leaves, greenery and cadets

By J.B. Yount III ’56

Waynesboro is often referred to as a city of churches, and Fishburne Military School is virtually surrounded by beautiful houses of worship that uniformly extend a hearty welcome to our cadets.  The Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, and Lutheran churches are among those adjoining the campus, and other denominations nearby are equally eager to embrace the students of the non-sectarian school.

One church has special ties to Fishburne.  Waynesboro’s 1846 First Presbyterian Church grew from the town’s first chapel built in 1798 and was long the church home of school founder Elder James Abbott Fishburne, who with his wife Mary strongly supported the home and foreign mission work of the Presbyterians.  Since 1911, when the church relocated to the southeast corner of the field on which Professor Fishburne had established his school and parade field, there have been even more special ties between the congregation and the corps.

The monumental sanctuary with its lofty, inspiring spaces and historic American tracker organ is the annual site for Fishburne’s autumn National Honor Society installation, as well as its triumphant spring graduation ceremonies.  On other occasions the church willingly affords Fishburne its facilities, and the school does its best to reciprocate.

This is the background that led nine members of the junior class to join FMS Assistant Superintendant Susan Johnson and FMS alumnus and former trustee Ray  Quillen ‘51 for a Saturday morning devoted to helping a group of other church volunteers rid the churchyard of truckloads of fallen leaves and festoon the sanctuary inside and out with the red, green, and brass finery of its annual Christmas season decorations. Read more

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