VMI Memorial Garden

The Memorial Garden, at the front of Cocke Hall, was designed by landscape architect Ferruccio Vitale and was dedicated June 1928. Plaques honoring VMI alumni who were killed in war are located in this area. The Garden includes the statue "Spirit of Youth", the work of sculptor Attilio Piccirelli. This statue was a gift of Anne Cocke, the wife of VMI's 4th Superintendent, William H. Cocke, and was unveiled June 13, 1939.

In 2016 a memorial arch was added opposite the Spirit of Youth. This triple-arched memorial invites visitors to reflect while visiting Memorial Garden. An inscription reads, “In remembrance of all of those who have served the Institute."

Dedication Ceremony, statue unveiling, memorial arch, and top-down view of the garden. All photos from VMI Archives.

Dedication ceremony and unveiling of new statue. Photos courtesy of VMI Archives.

Memorial Arch lit at night and view of garden from walkway. Photos from VMI Archives.

Photographs from the VMI Archives: Dedication Ceremony 1928, Unveiling of "Spirit of Youth" 1939, Memorial Arch 2016, Garden 2017.

Plaques in the Garden

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Last Name	First Name & MI	VMI Class	Presented By	Biography
Aaron	Reid S.	1940	Class of 1940	Reid S. Aaron Biography Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Sample	Sample B.	1948	Class of 1940	Sample B. Sample Biography Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Burruss	Nathaniel	1864	Test Class	Nathaniel Burruss Biography Nathaniel Burruss, Virginia Military Institute class of 1864, was one of General Jackson’s Drill Masters. He was one of ten cadets left to guard the campus, while other cadets were sent to Richmond. On April 22, 1861, Burruss and the other nine cadets were sent to Harpers Ferry, where they served as escort for a munitions shipment. The plaque itself was erected by his daughter, who did not want it displayed in Memorial Garden, but rather in Jackson Hall or in the library, along with another plaque that was dedicated to the ten men sent to Harpers Ferry. While serving in Harpers Ferry “there he drilled the troops who afterwards became famous as the Stonewall Brigade, and with them participated in the first battle of Manassas.”
Nichols	Edward W.	1878	Testing	Edward W. Nichols Biography Edward West Nichols, a member of the class of 1878, served as the Virginia Military Institute’s third Superintendent. He started off his professional career at VMI as an assistant professor of Mathematics and Tactics. He later taught classes in French, Civil and Military Engineering, Mechanics, and Astronomy. In 1884, he was became the Colonel of Astronomy, Civil and Military Engineering, and Mechanics, and in 1890, he became the professor of Mathematics. “Old Nick”, a nickname of endearment by colleagues and cadets, took on the role of Superintendent in 1907 and remained in this position until 1924. He continued at the school teaching Pure and Applied Math. In 1927, Nichols was a victim of a blasting accident while sitting on his front porch overlooking the parade ground. He left a deep impact on those around him, especially the cadets, “He was much more than head of the school, He was a father to every boy who entered that quadrangle, and very seldom did anyone leave there who did not carry with him the deepest love for General Nichols.”

Plaques in the Garden

VMI: Forging 21st Century Leaders