Dunbar High School - Liber Anni Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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Among former officers of the Cadet Corps deserving special nention are the late lamented Major James E, Walker, commanding the brave 1st Separate Battalion, District of Columbia National Guard, while s ationed on the bo der during the recent Mexican imbroglio; Major Walter H. Loving, organizer of the famous Philippine Con- stabulary Band led the High School Cadets in review before Pres dent William Howard Taft on the Ellipse, March 17, 1909; Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin O. Davis who rose from the ranks to his present grade in the regular mili‘ary establish nent of the United States; and Captain Eldridge T. Hawkins, former secretary of the Ameri an Legation at Liberia, and for several years chief of the Liberian Constabulary in Africa. The last three named are graduates of the Department of Business Practice Among former Dunbar cade!s not already mentioned who served as com- missioned or non-commissioned officers in the Spanish-Amevican War are Cap‘ains Frank R. Stewart and Sylvester H. Epps; Lieutenants Raymond A. Jackson and Charles E. Minkins, who were with the American forces in the Philippines; Gunner John Jordan of the Business Department, who bombarded the enemy in the memorahle battle of Manila Bay; and Lieutenant Harry T. Burgess, who followed the Stars and Strips in Cuba. During the recent Mexican troubles Captains Albert Ridgley, Louis H. Patterson, Clarence C. H. Davis, West A Hanilton, Arthur C. Newman, Princinal of Armstrong Manual Training School, and Lieutenants Benjamin D. Boyd, Thomas J. Abrahams, and Cornelius King safeguarded impo tant stations on the Mexican border. When the Nation called for loyal and efficient officers to lead her increased armed forces to victory in the World War, in obedient response, Dunbar answered with Captains Harry O. Atwood, Milton T. Dean, Napoleon B. Marshall, Ulysses G. B. Martin, and Joseph E. Trigg; First Lieutenants William I. Barnes. Frank Coleman, Joseph H. Cooper, Austin M. Curtis, Merrill H. Curtis, Eugene L. C. Davidson, Francis M. Dent, Thomas M. Dent, Edward B. Gray, Thornton H. Gray, Clifton S. Hardy, Merriman C, Hayson, Charles H. Houston, William J. Howard, Campbell C. Johnson, Thomas E. Jones, Charles E. Lane, David A. Lane, William W. Lawson, Joseph H. Martin, William W. Peebles, Harold L. Quivers, Ellis F Rivers, Sher nont R. Sewell, Oscar H. Smith, and Louis W. Watson; and 2nd Lieutenants Richard Banks, Willian H. Burrell, George C. Hollomand, Ernest C. Johnson, Rober’ E Johnson, Walker L. Savoy, James E. Scott, Enos B. Smith, and Vincent B. Thomas First Lieut. James Reese Europe, former high school cadet color-bearer, was one of the founders of the Fifteenth New York, af‘erwards, the 369th U. S. Infantry, and later organized and directed the famous regimental band, was twice decorated with the Gold Leaf, and finally was sent to the trenches in comand of a machine gun company. ; The roster of former cadets who served as non-commissioned officers and privates in the overthrow of Prussian autocracy is not yet available. Be it known, however. that of the 300 picked colored registrants from the District of Columbia mustered in the Federal Army, on May 16, 1918, and ordered to the training camp at Howard University in Washington, 200 received their first military training as high school cadets and were selected for special draft because of their mental capacity. 5 Ata cost of $175, Charles B. Fisher, Alexander Oglesby, John P. Dixons Alexander Freeman, William H. Smith, Wesley Howard, Louis A. Cornish, Charles Davis, Orisius Smith and Major Christian C. Fleetwood, all veterans of the Civil War, purchased a handsome American flag, and on Feberuary 19, 1897, presented it to the high school cadets on behalf of the local O. P. Morton Post No, 4, Grand Army of a Republic, This flag and a diamond studded medal given in 1898 by the te I : of the related schools, are coveted prizes, respectively awarded the successful Say and the Captain of the winning Company in each successive Competitive Drill, hoo nted to M Street High School by the d Army of the Republic, having been Mrs. Julia Mason Layton, In September, 1912, Old Glory was prese Women’s Relief Corps, auxiliary to the Gran secured through the thoughtful initiative of a prominent

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In 1920, the 3rd Regiment of High School Cadets was formed with Lieutenant Colonel] Mercer W. Cook in command. The 1st Battalion, Dunbar, was under com- mand of Major Charles S. Scott; the 2nd Battalion, Armstrong, was under Major George Newsome; and Company B. of Dunbar, under Captain Ralph W. Scott, won the drill. In 1922 the designation of the cadet corps was changed from 3rd to 24th Regi- ment High School Cadets, and the Annual Competitive Drill was attended by the largest and most enthusiastic gathering of colored people ever assembled in Wash- ington. The Regiment was composed of 11 Companies; 5 Dunbar, 4 Armstrong, and 2 Junior High including 1 non-competitive Company. The 1st Battalion from Dunbar, under command of Major Maurice E. Johnson, won the Battalion drill in this brilliant military classic. Cadet officerships are awarded through competitive military examination, and the U. S. Infantry Drill Regulations is used for instruction. Officers from the regular army and the District of Columbia National Guard serve each year as judges in the annual contests; and the names of the successive commanding ofhcers, winning Company, winning Captain and winning school are as follows: School Commanding Winning Winning School Year Officer Company Captain 1891-92 Capt. Albert Ridgley 1892-93 | Capt. Louis A. Cornish 2nd Pltn. | Lieut. Benj. Washington | M Street 1895-94 | Capt. Chas. M. Thomas |2nd Pltn. | Lieut Chas. E, Minkins M Street 1894-95 Maj. Chas. E. Minkins A Capt. Henry D. Burwell | M Street 18.5-96 Maj. Chas. E. Minkins Capt. C. K. Wormley M Street 1896-97 Maj, C. K. Wormiey Capt. Archibald M. Ray | M Street 1897-98 Maj. Wm. O. Davs Capt. J. O. Montgomery | M Street 1898-99 Maj. Leon S. Turner Capt. Wm. Brown M Street 1899-00 Maj. Leon S. Turner Capt. Wm. J. Howard M Street 1900-01 Maj. Walter P. Ray Capt. R. N. Mattingly M Street 1901-02 Maj. R. N. Mattingly Capt. Chester H. Jarvis | M Street 19( 2-03 Mai. Milton S, Bush Capt. Hugh R. Francis M Street Capt. John H. Wilson Armstrong Capt. Arthur F. Albert Armstrong Capt. Wm. A. Henderson | Armstrong Capt. John R. Pinkett M Street Capt. Edward B. Gray |M Street Capt. A. A. Taylor Armstrong Capt. W. W. Lawson M Street Capt. Hugh B. Shipley M Street Capt. Arthur C. Logan M Street Capt. Rayford W. Logan | M Street Capt. Arthur C. Payne M Street Capt. Robert O, Powell | Armstrong Capt. Lorimer D. Milton | M Street Capt. S‘erling A. Brown | Dunbar Capt. George W. Davis | Armstrong Capt Ralyh W. Scott Dunbar Capt, William B. Mason | Dunbar 1903 Maj. Hugh R. Francis 1904-05 Maj. Jas. M. Saunders 1905-(6 | Maj. Henry C. Weeden 1906-07 Maj W. A. Hamilton 1907-08 | Maj Seerling O, Fields 1908-09 Mai. C. C. McDuffie 1909-10 Maj. A. A. Taylor 1910-11 Maj. Norman I. Ewing 1911-12 Maj. John C. Woods 1912-13 M7-i Arthur A. Dyer 1913-14 Maj R. W. Reynolds 1914-15 Maj W. I. Barnes 1915-16 | Maj. Willia 1 Lew’s 1916-17 Maj. Earl R, Alexander 1917-18 Maj. Sterling A. Brown 1918-19 Maj. Charles Lewis 1919-20 | Lt. Col. W. M Cook Maj. C. S. Scott, ist. Bt. Maj. G. Newso-ne, 2d Bt, 1920-21 Lt. Col. T. L. Dulany Maj. A. Booker, 1st Bt. Maj. S. Blackwell 2d Bt. 1921-22 Lt. Col. C. A. Wells L Capt. Powell F. Allen Armstyvong Maj. M. Johnson, te j. B. Branson, 2 t. 1922-23 ur tory 8 Carroll B Capt. Lowell C. Wormley ¢ Dunbar Maj. T. W. Boyde, 1st B. Maj. H. Shamwell, 2d B. AWUMWOH S OuarwOnnOOe fo) Capt. Claude R. Terrell | Armstrong Winning Battalion.

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officer in the Corps. This flag is also or richest silk, trimmed with gold fringe, and cost $150. Miss Laura Smith, patriotic instructor of the Corps, made the presenta- tion, and was accompanied to the school by a committee of fifty delegates attending the Women’s Relief Corps convention in Washington. Dunbar also has a Service Flag, commemorating the valor and supreme sacrifice of her gallant sons in the late World War. In its crowded field, 200 and more undim- med stars keep silent vigil, and in mute eloquence attest that their Alma Mater has not labored in vain. As these brave graduates and undergraduates followed the Stars and Stripes for the betterment of humanity and the democracy of the world, other sons of Dunbar patriotically contributed their bit in the gun factory at the Washington Navy Yard, in Government munition plants, and the Chillicothe Radio Station, in the Dental and Medical Corps of the Army, and as enlisted men in the Navy. As early as May 7, 1917, the girl students of Dunbar became actively interested in Red Cross work, and later organized a Senior and Junior Auxiliary with direct affiliation with the District of Columbia Red Cross Chapter. Giving freely and with- out stint of both time and talent, they made an appreciable number of articles for cantonments, comfort kits, and over seas; and in purchase of Liberty Bonds, Thrift Stamps, and War Savings Certificates, they were not slackers. As ministers and teachers, as doctors and lawyers, in public service and private pursuits, as home makers and community social workers, the graduates of Dunbar High School have reflected much credit upon their Alma Mater and the community in general, and it is steadfastly hoped that the youth, both now and in the teeming years to come, who receive instruction and inspiration within Dunbar’s spacious walls may ever lif. the standard higher, and render acceptable service sufficient unto their day and generation.