Strange, John B. (John Bowie), 1823-1862
Person
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Cadet John B. Strange letter, 1840 [digital]
Digital Collection
Identifier: http://digitalcollections.vmi.edu/digital/collection/p15821coll11/id/1389
Found in:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
John B. Strange letter
Item
Identifier: MS-0153
Scope and Contents
Strange's letter to his sister Anne was written just a few months after the Institute's opening day, and is one of the oldest personal cadet letters still in existence. Strange mentions several aspects of cadet life that were common during the pre-Civil War era: Final examinations were given orally rather than as written tests, presided over by faculty and the VMI Board of Visitors and open to the public; summer furlough was not automatic, and many cadets stayed at the Institute throughout the...
