taking the bus to Sunday Mass

Yes, indeed! We have a thriving association of Catholic cadets and staff/faculty advisors. They still make the trip as you remember...

That's good to hear CaptDan! There were times that I was saved on those trips. Whether it was from God or just the fact I had an hour or so outside FUMA I don't know. The cadet officers were just "cadets" and faculty officers were just "regular" people. It was a nice reality break from the sometimes hectic life of FUMA.

In my time at FUMA, I think I only missed Mass 2 or 3 times. Those were due to guard duty or the biannual flooding of the James/Rivanna Rivers that would isolate Columbia. The flood of 1985 reached over Route 6 and partially up the hill towards the Parish. The old Railroad station almost floated away!

Yes, the metropolis of Columbia has not weathered the years very well. Periodic floods have taken their toll, and what was once a thriving river crossroads is now merely a ghost of its former self.

There are still wonderful people in the small town, and several great and active churches. But the main street is a sad shell of empty buildings for the most part.

There are still wonderful people in the small town, and several great and active churches. But the main street is a sad shell of empty buildings for the most part.

Wow, 20 years ago it was a ghost town. It's a shame that things didn't pick up for poor little Columbia. My personal local favorite, however, was Dixie Crossroads. Two roads, a few trailers, and an abandoned store. Made Columbia look like New York City.

Dixie remains as you remember it. Actually, it has seen some improvements....the old motel buildings and restaurant have been remodeled and turned into small office suites. Trees (lighted at night!) have been planted along Rt. 15 at this new office complex. Still a quiet intersection, still a few trailers, but some modest change for the better. I'll try to get some pictures for you this week...

That would be awesome! The whole drive to campus, either on Route 6 or US-15 has to be among the most beautiful scenery on the East Coast. I haven't set foot on campus since June 1989. I really need to come back but it is a long trip from Florida. I did run into a lady from Palmyra about a month ago. I really freaked her out by talking about the steel bridge over the Rivanna, the Old Stone Jail, and when that bridge almost washed out in the floods of 1985 and 1988.

Um, the steel bridge over the Rivanna...well.....

You've had to digest a lot of change today....I'll let that one wait for another day.

:wink:

You've had to digest a lot of change today....I'll let that one wait for another day.

:wink:

Ya'll are still a military school right?

Some things never change. That's one of the neat things about this campus....buildings may get added and plants and trees look different, but cadet life goes on.

I think it's really neat that an alumnus from the 1940s can still sit with cadets in our dining hall (did you know we now have a dining hall??) and swap barracks stories and have a lot of experiences in common despite the generational differences. Not many schools can have such interesting interactions between older alumni and current students....

I think it's really neat that an alumnus from the 1940s can still sit with cadets in our dining hall (did you know we now have a dining hall??) and swap barracks stories and have a lot of experiences in common despite the generational differences. Not many schools can have such interesting interactions between older alumni and current students....

I know about the Dining Hall. It looks really nice on the website. I just feel bad that future generations of Cadets won't be eating under Hatcher Hall. I guess the cadets will march around the Upper School loop, then down to the Junior, oops Middle, School loop to go eat.

I'm still upset about A/C in the barracks! Man these kids have it easy now! All in all, I wouldn't have traded my years at FUMA for anything, even now with all of its new facilities. My last year there was when the Estes Field House was just finishing. It was opening full scale the following fall semester. I would really have liked to have seen that. Some things just can't be duplicated: swimming in the old pool under the Junior School gym, hanging out in the TV room on second floor of Memorial Hall, or watching movies on Tuesday nights in the old Band building (which I think is the Commandant's Office now).

During 1970 -1974 there was a run down Diner at the corner and all the Catholic cadets skipping Mess I, would have a meal there before Mass. We thought it tasted delicious and there was a juke box too. It was a real treat to be away from the school and for an hour or so and have a meal. I remember Columbia and going to Mass with such pleasure to this day some 40 years later. Henry Franceschini,
E Company 1st Platoon, Batallion Staff.

Ah! Sunday trips to Columbia.........During my last two years at FUMA (54-55) when I drew the short straw for OD on Sunday, I had to chaperone the guys to church. In those days we had the "Blue Beetle" (48 Chevy/GMC school bus) This bus was a disaster waiting to happen. Bad brakes, motor burned oil (no bugs could live within miles of the exhaust). Well, you get the picture. Anyway, it always seemed to break down. Point gap would close up in the distributor. Breaker plate screw was stripped. Hated this as I had to strip down to my T shirt and fix the damn thing or not get home. Had to take a piece of cloth and what around the screw and try to get it to "bite". Then bump it till the gap was sufficient to get the engine to catch. In those days, school couldn't afford a new bus and there was no tow truck available. The cadets are so fortunate today and don't realize it. Also story of coming down the mountain from Charlottesville with no brakes but will save that one for another time. Cheers Joe Kosaveach '55