The late spring and summer of 1961 I worked on my uncle's farm in Paschall, NC, just as I had done the previous 2 summers. My father, a school principal in a rural WV town, came to collect me in August as had been the routine. My uncle approached my dad and offered that I was energetic and a good worker and could likely benefit from a more structured secondary school experience than could be had at the local high school. As we drove back to WV, my dad broached the topic to me to gauge my interest. I was interested, sort of. Somehow my dad found out about GMS. By the end of August we were sitting in the office of Colonel C.A. Richardson, Headmaster at the 'Brier participating in an admission interview and exam. I was administered an admission exam after which he explained that the yearly allowance for admitting new students was nearly full but he might favorably consider my application if I just by chance played a musical instrument. I explained that I knew how to play a trumpet. On that note (pun intended) I was accepted for admission in the soon to start 1961-62 school year And, that, my friends is how I came to be a GMS Fighting Cadet!