‘Flaming W evolved into a _ living W’ “” a (Continued from Page 4) y and refreshments were served. ql The fall of ’47, student Dick Farr _}headed a committee to see that the a “flammables’”’ (straw and oil) were | transported to the top. A-bomber | pilot during WWII, Dick thought of _ |the convenience ‘ ‘ and excitement of | that mode of transportation and left o| the horse behind. Obtaining a small plane Dick ‘ headed for Malan Peak with a cargo jof straw bales. Inside the straw i f _|bales were cans of oil. _| While Dick had the skill of pinjpoint bombing he lacked the _| knowledge of logistics. Upon impact on the mountainside the bales and _jcans burst open, spilling contents _\ down the hill. | A shot in the arm for the | Flaming W”’ hike came when the jnew campus was purchased. The _thike was switched from Malan : : i Peak to the foothills east of Weber jCollege on a rather sparsely _lvegetated side of the mountain _jabove the ‘‘water mark’’ where for ‘a number of years a_ literal | “Flaming W”’ was built by filling a large trenched area in the shape of a ‘‘W’’. The trench was filled with oil or kerosene, straw or sawdust, and set ablaze. This became a featured event of Homecoming Week activities. Alumni attending the Homecoming banquet in ’63 witnessed a more spectacular show than had been expected. The lighting of the ‘“‘W’’ had an added attraction — the whole mountainside burst into flames. Several reports are available on the source of the blaze that engulfed the mountain. One report states that wind whipped the fire out of the trenched ‘‘W”’ and another claims that small boys were playing with another bonfire on the hillside the same evening. At any rate the disaster became a three-alarm fire with pumpers arriving to quench the flames and volunteers from the forest service, studentbody, alumni and community fought the blaze. City fathers met and forbade future “Flaming W” events, which brought about another change in the tradition — from fire to electricity, and whitewash. _ The ‘‘W”’ was outlined in lights and, following similar programs at other schools, rocks were hauled onto the ‘‘W”’ and whitewashed. The TERRY HALE and Roger Lee entertain students beneath lighted ““W.’’ whitewashing process became another feature of ‘‘“Homecoming”’ events. Trucks of whitewash pulled up at the foot of the mountain and a “‘bucket brigade’’ passed the buckets to the ‘‘W’’ where the whitewash was dumped onto the rocks. It was a day of comradery, laughs, e CHANGING the ‘‘w”’ into living sumac, Tom Davenport and co-worker _ plant under the supervision of Dr. Orson Whitney Young. c.) . = ‘ play and hard work for Weberites. In the later 60’s ecology became a popular concern and as a result Dr. Orson Whitney Young, professor of Zoology, spearheaded a_ student group to action to prevent further leaching, washing out and erosion resulting from the ‘‘W”’’. The group removed the rocks and planted the ‘“W” in mountain sumac. The living vegetation is a bright green in the spring and flaming red in the fall. Because of chemicals from the whitewash in the soil the sumac has been replanted several times. Hopefully conditions for the living ‘‘W”’ will continue to improve and ‘‘blaze’’ forth spring, summer and fall as a unique adaptation of the old mountain block letter seen throughout the area. Another new wrinkle to an old tradition was started this fall during Homecoming Week when a block ““W”’ with a forward pointing arrow was installed in lights on the hillside. Students hope to make this addition a permanent installation. With a forward-arrow ‘‘W”’ anda “living W”’ the tradition seems *“‘rooted’’ for the future. Class notes LAWRENCE BOYD ANDERSON has received the award for Civilian Meritorious Services, the highest civilian award given by the Air Force Logistics Command. He received the honor for his role in developing a new method in determining manpower requirements in the Directorate of Distribution at Hill AFB. The plan has since been adopted throughout the Air Force Logistics Command. He received his education at Weber State College, University of Utah, and George Washington University. TRUMAN M. HENDERSON has been named personnel manager at IBM’s plant in San Jose, Calif. He joined IBM in 1965 and for the past two years was in New York City. Mr. Henderson attended Weber State College and graduated from San Jose College. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Henderson, Washington Terrace. DEAN L. OBORN has earned his master’s degree from Utah State University. He teaches at Roy High School and is a graduate of Weber State College in secondary education. DAVID E. BRONSON has been elected a vice president of the Commercial Security Bank in Ogden. He is assigned to the commercial loan department. A native of Weber County, Mr. Bronson attended Weber State College and in 1973 graduated from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington. REED College operations J. BEECHER, a Weber State graduate, has been named improvement officer in the head office of First Security Bank of Utah.