Saturday, October 3, 1942 CLOUDBUSTER Page Five Looking Backward,.. (This is the second and final install-^ ment of a retrospective article on our Pre-Flight School. The first installment, which appear ed in the first issue of the Cloudbuster, reviewed the history of the station from its beginning at Swain Hall early in March, 19i2, to the busy days early in May, when officers and crew toiled together bringing order out of chaos.) By Everett Bracken, YSc CPOs stood shoulder to shoulder with second class seamen; lieutenant commanders covered off in ranks with ensigns. One officer took over the duties of chief yeoman, which the sta tion lacked, and sorely needed. He set up a filing system that was hardly Navy regulation, but it worked. Alexander Hall was the scene of bustling activity, for the Pre-Flight school was beginning to burst its seams, and urgently needed more space. Several officers who had quar tered themselves on the first deck of Alexander, in rooms now occupied by the Military Department, were the first to feel the effects of the increased tempo of the remodeling work. These officers, Lt. Comdr. Graff, Lt. Comdr. Micou, and Ens. Mack, led a hardy existence in their make-shift quarters. When asked about their “living condi tions” during this period, Lt. Comdr. Graff said, with feeling, “The radiators were disconnected, the water was icy, the hallways were littered with plas ter and trash, the smell of fresh paint was everywhere, and it was cold as . . . .” We didn’t quite catch that last word he said, but believe he said “ . . . as anything.” Little Jack Graff, ten year old son of our executive officer, lived with his father in Alexander Hall for two weeks, where he received Pre- Pre-Flight training in a Spartan man-' academic staff and about nine hundred ner. ' cadets at one time—for recitation pur- By the time May rolled around, a poses, few Chapel Hill merchant's were cau- A few days later a telephone PBX tiously displaying Navy pennants and gear. One patriotic gentleman in the dry-cleaning business, who had offered to clean navy uniforms free of charge, surveyed the rapidly growing comple ment of the station and quietly tucked away the “free of charge” sign. (For which he could hardly be blamed). These first two weeks in May saw many changes and developments in the school. Alexander Hall was now ready for occupancy, and the adminis trative offices were moved from Swain Hall. Some idea of the size of the school at this period may be obtained from the fact that the offices in Swain Hall were completely emptied by three trips of a rather small truck. One telephone was installed in Alexander Hall, an empty packing box was label ed “post office,” and desks, chairs, and typewriters were at a premium. A room in the basement, formerly a bil liard room, was set up as the disburs ing office. Incidentally, blank checks and funds were very slow in arriving, so that the dignity of the Pre-Flight School suffered 9, bit by the necessity of “stalling” creditors. Personnel now poured in—five or six third class yeomen, a squad of six Marines, led by Sgt. Faustin Wirkus, the one-time White King of La-Gonave, hospital corpsmen, radiomen and sig nalmen, and civilian employees, were put on the rolls. The commanding of ficer arrived to stay at this time, and gave the work and organization added impetus. A-lexander Hall was set up to house about a hundred and fifty cadets, and a temporary dispensary had been equip ped in this building. Work was going full blast on Caldwell Hall, which was being remodeled to accommodate the CAROLINA MEN^ SHOP Officers and Cadets . .. Get Your Needs Here Cadet Robert Varley, Proprietor MARATHON SANDWICH SHOP Just Above Theaters invites You and Yours for All Kinds of SANDWICHES Hot Meals — Hot Dogs — Hamburgers COME IN FOR THE LATE BITE C^asadena <^o