Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute. Corps of Cadets (1896-1944)
Administrative History
Two cadet companies were organized in 1872-73, but the Corps of Cadets was not officially established until 1891-92. The first Commandant of Cadets was General J.H. Lane, appointed in 1872. Commandants have been appointed by the Board of Visitors since that time, except for 1880-81 when the Board failed to appoint either a Commandant or a president, so the acting president appointed a senior cadet as acting Commandant. In 1966, this post was put under the Dean of Students (now Vice- President of Student Affairs). From 1908 to 1964, a president of the Corps was elected each year. This individual's primary responsibility was to serve as chairman of the Cadet Senate. The first constitution of the Corps was adopted in 1908. Both civilian and cadet units served under this single constitution until 1916 when a Unified Student Body was formed (now the Student Government Association).
For a chronological list of Corps units, under their original names, as well as lists of Commanders, Commandants, and Presidents of the Corps, see Historical Data Book 1872-1972.
Found in 16 Collections and/or Records:
Patrick H. Butler Collection
The Patrick H. Butler Collection includes materials from 1911-1990. The collection contains personal papers and photographs relating to Butler’s tenure as a Virginia Tech student and his alumni relationship with the university.
Cadet Uniform Blouse,
Harold C. Cox Memorabilia Collection,
The collection contains items, which belonged to or were collected by Harold C. Cox during his time as a student at Virginia Agriculture and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute from 1922-1926, and his continued experiences with the university as alumnus, primarily from the 1970s and 1980s.
Percy Clayton Hamilton Photograph Album
The collection consists of a small photograph album belonging to Percy Clayton Hamilton, class of 1912, with photographs from his tenure as a student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI).
Historical Photograph Collection (List of Subjects)
The photograph collection at Special Collections and University Archives consists primarily of historical photographs of Virginia Tech, dating back to the 1890s. The collection is also home to historic images of Blacksburg, Montgomery County, the New River Valley, and Southwest Virginia in general. A photograph collection of faculty and staff from the university is maintained separately.
Earl H. Hornbarger Collection,
This collection contains photographs, publications, journals, writings and artifacts pertaining to Earl H. Hornbarger's time as a student at VPI, his later career as an engineer with Westinghouse Electric Company, and his involvement as a VPI alumnus.
Joseph F. Ware Collection, 1900-1971 (Ms2010-022)
Maroon Corps of Cadet sashes,
Notes attached to box items were found in read: "Corps Maroon Sashes" and "Maroon sashes from the Tailor Shop."
Named/Individual Photograph Collections
The Named/Individual Photograph Collections include images from alumni and former faculty and staff, or individuals with ties to campus and the New River Valley. Collections (c.1890-present) depict campus life and events, railroad history, agricultural extension research, Blacksburg and surrounding areas, and some local families.
Herbert Reed Pollard Collection
This collection contains three items collected by Herbert Reed Pollard, a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and related to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute Corps of Cadets, including a 1933 ROTC dinner program, a photograph of the 1934 officers of the Corps' Company E, and a photocopied newspaper clipping of the Corps marching in Norfolk, Virginia.