Fred Nelson ‘59 reflections after returning to Farragut
Fred Nelson ‘59S shared some of his thoughts after he visited Farragut last fall (and he’s returning in October for his 60th reunion). Here are some highlights.
- “I witnessed many changes while visiting. For starters, the sickbay is now an administration building and the main open area of the sickbay is a museum dedicated to both the northern and southern campuses. Fred Nelson says Obviously, they made much of many prep school academy graduates and two astronauts. However, just standing in that room, in the presence of all of the Navy paraphernalia brought tears to my eyes. I was truly overwhelmed with a flood of memories.
- Today the school has 180 or so boarding students and over 300 day students.
- Room inspection is every day. They do not have twice weekly drills, just one. Both the Mess Hall and study hall have round tables.
- The Library is now the Aviation Classroom and a number of students obtain their Private Pilot’s Certificate by graduation.
- The dorm rooms are air-conditioned.
- Farragut has a lot of international cadets. In particular, a number of students attend from China wherein the parents see their son or daughter being tracked in a non-academic path wherein they are sent to Farragut to learn English and get the opportunity they would not have in China. One such cadet read to us O Captain for poem day, Oh my God, brought tears to my eyes.
- I have left out a number of other changes, but the 2.5 hours spent there was something I will never forget. Unfortunately, I am a little too old to “re-enlist.”
