FMS cadets take part in review

Tuesday was a nervewracking day for cadets at Fishburne Military School, who were under the watchful eyes of cadets from Virginia Military School for Regional Formal Inspection.

The reason for the nerves: RFI is, for all intents and purposes, “the beginning of the culmination of their school year,” said Susan Johnson, assistant superintendent at FMS.

A group of VMI cadets led by Maj. Charles Beirne conducted the review, which began bright and early at 8 a.m. and included a dress parade late Tuesday morning.

The review is the home stretch for the 2011-2012 academic year at Fishburne.

“It’s the beginning of a series of pats on the back, both academic and military, that will result in feeling that it was all worth it,” Johnson said.

Bob Blum, a 1946 Fishburne alum on campus this week to teach leadership classes to members of the senior class, looked on with pride.

“I know that they’re going to go on to great futures,” said Blum, a retired homebuilder who credits his own time at FMS with turning his life around.

“I had trouble as a young man. And let me tell you something, this school turned me around, and I believe that all the success that I’ve had has been due to this school,” Blum said.