Charley Warble
I really enjoyed our trip to VMI. In addition to all we learned about the memorials on the campus, it was also fascinating to witness a typical day at this Institute.
One of my favorite memorials was the huge mural that hangs in their chapel. It was cool to see how different Washington and Lee's chapel, and the artwork in it, is from its VMI counterpart. The mural was so militaristic, and it was so cool to hear the backstory behind the piece as well.
Another thing that stuck with me was the racial tension and issue surrounding the honoring of figures who fought for the confederacy, as well as men who were extremely racist and therefore controversial. Our tour guide did not shy away from the topic, mentioning Stonewall Jackson's ties to the confederacy and explained how the honor is to him as a scholar, not him as a confederate soldier. It felt like a fact or two may have been left out about the racism of the men being honored, but appreciated the effort to address the issue.
It was really interesting to hear about all the history VMI has and all the memorials to the people who have kept the institution alive and successful.
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