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The Archive Series: Mr. Mil
Introduction: For this collection of writing, students in Ms. Johnsonʼs Upper School journalism class explored the schoolʼs historical archive of yearbooks, magazines and newspaper publications like “The Pine Needle.” Through research and interviews, they crafted and developed stories around a topic that piqued their interest. The writing both tells past stories and incorporates the modern-day perspective of the author. Enjoy!
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The sky is gray. there is rubble all over the street. You are nineteen years old on your way to church in Belgrade, Serbia. There was just a coup to overthrow the tyrannical fascist government, and now a Nazi invasion coming from the north ravages your country. A thundering of bombs rains down from the sky, and you are knocked unconscious. You’re dragged into the basement of a hotel in your slumber. When eventually captured by Nazis, you are given two options: either work for the Third Reich (the most tyrannical government in recent history) or be executed. You choose to leave, but, unfortunately for you, that isn’t an option. You’re instead forced to clean up a decimated city you once called home and then work in a meatpacking plant. You are taken there and forced to toil with limited resources. Chances are that you are going to die in that labor camp and perhaps be one of six million victims of the Holocaust.
What if I told you that this situation really happened? And, what if I told you that man who lived it was one of the most respected people in the St. Christopher’s community since Dr. Churchill Chamberlayne?
Milorad Miljevic, fondly called Mr. Mil by the STC community, was the custodial head of our school in the 1970s. The ones that were closest to him described him as hard working, diligent, reserved and patriotic for both his school and country. “He was a staunch supporter of this country, and he said to people ‘If you don’t like it here, you can leave, no one’s stopping you,” said Marriane Watkinson, Mr. Miljevic’s only surviving daughter. “He had a license plate, I still have it, which says July 4.”
Before coming to Richmond, Mr. Mil’s tenure at a work camp in Germany was short-lived, as Americans liberated the country soon after. Watkinson said, “He told me that the sky was pitch black there were so many American airplanes.”
Seeing that this was Mr. Mil’s first impression of America, it’s very understandable that he’s so loyal to her. He exhibit-ed his patriotism by chastising those who’d criticize his country and standing up for the stars and stripes. Mr. Mil was proud to be American and he was proud to be an employee of St. Christopher’s School.
After he was freed, Mr. Mil was admitted into the British army. Again, he had two choices (but not nearly as dire) Either he could go to Australia or America. Mr. Mil, seeing the Americans free him years be-fore, was destined to come to the United States. However, back in the 50s, getting in the U.S. required more than simply a visa and some stubbornness. In order for Mr. Mil to get into the United States, he needed a sponsor. He was lucky enough to get a sponsorship with St. John’s Episcopal Church. Fittingly, it’s the same church where Patrick Henry famously declared, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Mr. Mil got liberty.
In the U.S., Mr. George McVey noted Mr. Mil’s potential and hired him to be a custodian at St. Christopher’s School. There, he met very supportive peers, including the former Athletic Director of St. Christopher’s, Mr. Dick Kemper. “I just wanted to make sure he could get all the support he could.”
Here at St. Christopher’s, he was welcomed and ultimately became the head of the custodial division. “He was a hard worker, he was really loyal to the school, that work ethic… he brought expertise,” said Kemper in regards to what Mr. Mil added to the STC community.
He was a well established member of the community along with a great personality. His house was the house opposite the Lower School on Pepper Avenue. Mr. Mil’s life was the school and the school was his life. Even though he was a re-served man, every December on-lookers anticipated his display of a traditional Serbian Christmas tree adorned with wax candles.
It’s important that we showcase the life and legacy of Mr. Mil and shed light on his incredible character, despite his past life of hardship. “The preservation of history is critical…if you don’t get your history right, you don’t know where you’re going. Just think about all of the Holocaust deniers and deniers of history,” said Upper School history teacher Mr. Greg Tune. Preserving Mr. Mil’s story can help us to not be led astray by others to lean into the direction of belittling, overshadowing or outrightly denying the harrowing effects of the Holocaust. If we let go of this story completely, we lose connections to past events. Mr. Mil’s connection to this historical event humanizes and accentuates the consequences of the Nazi regime.
It’s imperative that we, as Saints, herald Mr. Mil as an example of model character in the STC community. He was a fierce defender of America and her ideas of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, all three of which Mr. Mil achieved himself. He had a heart of iron, and per-severed through his treacherous realities while in that Nazi work camp with the hope of liberation. Mr. Mil was a patriotic, loyal and kind man, and we could all learn how to improve our own selves from his story.
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The sky is gray. there is rubble all over the street. You are nineteen years old on your way to church in Belgrade, Serbia. There was just a coup to overthrow the tyrannical fascist government, and now a Nazi invasion coming from the north ravages your country. A thundering of bombs rains down from the sky, and you are knocked unconscious. You’re dragged into the basement of a hotel in your slumber. When eventually captured by Nazis, you are given two options: either work for the Third Reich (the most tyrannical government in recent history) or be executed. You choose to leave, but, unfortunately for you, that isn’t an option. You’re instead forced to clean up a decimated city you once called home and then work in a meatpacking plant. You are taken there and forced to toil with limited resources. Chances are that you are going to die in that labor camp and perhaps be one of six million victims of the Holocaust.
What if I told you that this situation really happened? And, what if I told you that man who lived it was one of the most respected people in the St. Christopher’s community since Dr. Churchill Chamberlayne?
Milorad Miljevic, fondly called Mr. Mil by the STC community, was the custodial head of our school in the 1970s. The ones that were closest to him described him as hard working, diligent, reserved and patriotic for both his school and country. “He was a staunch supporter of this country, and he said to people ‘If you don’t like it here, you can leave, no one’s stopping you,” said Marriane Watkinson, Mr. Miljevic’s only surviving daughter. “He had a license plate, I still have it, which says July 4.”
Before coming to Richmond, Mr. Mil’s tenure at a work camp in Germany was short-lived, as Americans liberated the country soon after. Watkinson said, “He told me that the sky was pitch black there were so many American airplanes.”
Seeing that this was Mr. Mil’s first impression of America, it’s very understandable that he’s so loyal to her. He exhibit-ed his patriotism by chastising those who’d criticize his country and standing up for the stars and stripes. Mr. Mil was proud to be American and he was proud to be an employee of St. Christopher’s School.
After he was freed, Mr. Mil was admitted into the British army. Again, he had two choices (but not nearly as dire) Either he could go to Australia or America. Mr. Mil, seeing the Americans free him years be-fore, was destined to come to the United States. However, back in the 50s, getting in the U.S. required more than simply a visa and some stubbornness. In order for Mr. Mil to get into the United States, he needed a sponsor. He was lucky enough to get a sponsorship with St. John’s Episcopal Church. Fittingly, it’s the same church where Patrick Henry famously declared, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Mr. Mil got liberty.
In the U.S., Mr. George McVey noted Mr. Mil’s potential and hired him to be a custodian at St. Christopher’s School. There, he met very supportive peers, including the former Athletic Director of St. Christopher’s, Mr. Dick Kemper. “I just wanted to make sure he could get all the support he could.”
Here at St. Christopher’s, he was welcomed and ultimately became the head of the custodial division. “He was a hard worker, he was really loyal to the school, that work ethic… he brought expertise,” said Kemper in regards to what Mr. Mil added to the STC community.
He was a well established member of the community along with a great personality. His house was the house opposite the Lower School on Pepper Avenue. Mr. Mil’s life was the school and the school was his life. Even though he was a re-served man, every December on-lookers anticipated his display of a traditional Serbian Christmas tree adorned with wax candles.
It’s important that we showcase the life and legacy of Mr. Mil and shed light on his incredible character, despite his past life of hardship. “The preservation of history is critical…if you don’t get your history right, you don’t know where you’re going. Just think about all of the Holocaust deniers and deniers of history,” said Upper School history teacher Mr. Greg Tune. Preserving Mr. Mil’s story can help us to not be led astray by others to lean into the direction of belittling, overshadowing or outrightly denying the harrowing effects of the Holocaust. If we let go of this story completely, we lose connections to past events. Mr. Mil’s connection to this historical event humanizes and accentuates the consequences of the Nazi regime.
It’s imperative that we, as Saints, herald Mr. Mil as an example of model character in the STC community. He was a fierce defender of America and her ideas of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, all three of which Mr. Mil achieved himself. He had a heart of iron, and per-severed through his treacherous realities while in that Nazi work camp with the hope of liberation. Mr. Mil was a patriotic, loyal and kind man, and we could all learn how to improve our own selves from his story.
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