100 YEARS AGO

1904--As part of the townspeople's intense lobbying of the VirginiaGeneral Assembly to attract the normal school to Harrison-burg, the local newspaper editor, Adolph H.
Snyder, takes the high ground. He writes that the city "is so located and so environed that any agency that quickens local interest in the public schools in like measure brings public education to a higher standard of efficiency in the commonwealth as a whole, and elevates the public school as a power for higher civilization and civic virtue." In 2004, JMU's mission statement expresses those same sentiments: We are committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who will lead productive and meaningful lives.

[Raymond C. Dingledine Jr. MadisonCollege: The First 50 Years, 1908 - 1958]

64  YEARSAGO

1940--Old Virginia, whose lyrics were written in 1911 by original normal school
history department head John Wayland,
finishes second in a vote for the state song by the members of the Virginia General Assembly. The runner-up's music was written by William H. Reubush, who taught music at ShenandoahCollegeand Conservatory of Music, then located in Dayton. Old Virginiawas sung widely throughout the commonwealth in the 1920s, '30s and '40s, particularly in public schools, where many Madisoncollege graduates were teaching. Nonetheless, the song finished behind the winning Carry Me Back to Old Virginia, (which the assembly retired in 1997 because of racist lyrics).
[Fred Hilton: A Catching Tune, Montpelier, Fall 1997]

32  YEARSAGO

1972--Malcolm Harris arrives from Texasand recruits 100 students to establish the MadisonCollegeMarching Band to complement the college's first football team. Stepping off on their right feet (contrary to the norm), these precursors to the Marching Royal Dukes are thus known as a right-footed band. Practicing on X-lot and performing at the home field location of Godwin Field, they perform militaristic marching and precision drills and play mostly fanfares and circus marches. Band members wear black tuxedo jackets, a white overlay and a gold gothic M. The band includes nine twirlers known as "The Golden Girls," eight of whom wear gold sequined outfits, with the ninth girl in a blue sequined outfit.
[Assistant MRD director Bill Posey, who marched and played trumpet in 1973]

200   YEARS AGO IN THE LIFE OF JAMES MADISON

1804--[June  15] The 12th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified by the states in time for the November elections. Secretary of State Madison wrote to President Jefferson, "I take for granted that no time was lost in issuing the documents lying ready for the event." The amendment was designed to prevent a repeat of the tie vote in 1800 that forced the election into the House of Representatives.
[Phil Bigler, The JamesMadisonCenter; James Morton Smith, The Republicof Letters: The Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and James Madison 1776-1826, Vol. 3]