High School Cadet Corps - Adjutant Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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astic standing. Frank had always had a slight edge over Holliday in the classroom. That year Holliday worked hard, but just didn't seem to equal Prank. Realizing this, a thought Cshock- ing at iirst, but growing more and more prac- tical in the passing weeksj lingered and grew in Holliday's mind until one Tuesday it culminat- ed in- Why study so hard, when it is so much easier just to change a certain 7 to a Z? Frank noticed something wrong in Holliday after that Tuseday, but was at a loss for an explanation until it gradually dawned on him that Holliday's marks were falling, too. Why should he slip up with so much at stake? Frank debated with himself and finally ap- proached his friend with the subject. But What's the use? Holliday would always evas- ively answer his questions. 'A 'What's the use?' is right, thought Prank as he remembered last fall when commissions were given. Colonel Merrill read each position and slowly announced the name of the new of- ficer for that position as he appointed them from the commission list. A few cadets, standing in a line, smiled hap- pily, while those in a line facing them wore eager and anxious expressions. As each cadet's name was read, he would heave a thankful sigh, and smiling, step into the other line. Colonel Merrill. standing between the two rows, looked at the two candidates left, Grover and Holliday-one to get the captaincy of Com- pany M. Whats Holliday even here for? i'Grover got the best marks and so the best rating. It's a cinch! Such remarks passed in whispers from mouth to mouth of the new officers. Clearing his throat for silence, Colonel Merrill lifted up the list again and in a clear. loud voice read: Company M-Captain William Holliday! l-lolliday! Holliday? Why, how come- Grover was lost in thought and disappointment as his fellow cadets questioned him about it. With a rueful smile he turned, and then put- ting on his best congratulatory expression, shook Holliday's hand with a Great, boy. Do your best! Holliday looked around and seeing Grover to be the speaker, quickly dropped his eyes, but said nothing. Grover worried and thought a great deal as to how Holliday had gotten a better rating than he, and Hnally forced himself to believe the in- evitable fact-that his best friend had cheated, had actually changed the ratings after they had checked them together, changed HIS rating. Holliday was clever. He had cut the credits given to Grover in his freshman year. What other record was there besides this one? None. Grover couldn't prove to anyone what he had found out as he had helped list the correct rat- ings himself for Colonel Merrill. But with the passing of the drill days, Grover One Hundred Fifteen ,, , Sc LR began to think that he hated Hollida for it, and as he drilled, thoughts of revenge gathered in his head. Always, on more serious thought, he had discarded these ideas realizing that they wouldn't grant him the right kind of revenge. But he hadn't forgotten, he never would! elf iii Pk As Lieutenant Grover watched the non-coms iixing the privates' ties, sitting their caps at the right angles, and giving them last minute ad- vice, he suddenly grasped a plan which would be his final and positive action for the sake of his vengeance. Kitty's with Betty, a voice suddenly an- nou.nced in his ear. Grover started, and then seeing Captain Holliday, looked up into the stands and saw the other blue and gold banner waving around the laughing face of Kitty, the captain's one and only . She was hoping, bet- ting, depending on Holliday's victory. COMPANY M! The order rang out through the noise. With whispered commands of Don't get nervous! and Keep the ca- dence! , Captain William Holliday led Com- pany M before the judges. The stands went wild. Blue and gold speck- led the stadium. Pandemonium reigned-for a few minutes-until the captain gave his first order. Then the cheering and yelling slackened and gradually ceased as each ear was strained to catch every command which was given. Kitty sat with eager eyes on the cadets. Over in another part of the stands, a mother's eyes slowly iilled with tears of joy, and beside her, her husband's glowed with pride. Each ear suddenly became keener, each eye sharper: and each body, more alert. As one person, the blue and gold leaned forward breath- less. Something was wrong! Why had the com- pany stopped? Why the hesitation? Whose command should be given? Lieutenant Grover, with hate glowing in his eyes. at last knew that he was master of the situation. Holliday would be paid-and paid in full! lt was his own command which would make or break things now. Ha! He would give a LEFT TURN and ruin his captain's chances ever to get those first place ribbons. Scornfully he turned his head. Glancing at the stands, he knew that their honor as a school depended in him. He could imagine Kitty's grief at his mistaken command, and he could almost see the Hollidays sitting and praying for their son. He turned his head and looked back at Holli- day, worried and concerned. His expression changed slowly and the old fire of hatred died from his eyes. He thought what this way of revenge 'would mean to himself as compared with all those others. and with a decision from his very heart, a new light glowed in his eyes. A smile broke over his face, and with an exalt- ing tingle running through his body, Lieutenant Grover raised high his head and triumphantly barked out UPLATOON-RIGHT TURN! il 3 ! 1' iff! -If ff. . 4, if .bl , F,

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PK l ' , Bite' tl' rn 91 I Y THE RIGHT TURN By J AMES RAWLS, Central First Prize Short Story LATOONS - RIGHT TURNV' With only this oral command audible, Company M silently and with a brisk military pre- cision which marked it as the best unit of cadets in Columbus High School, executed the move- ment with a beautiful exactness. Two months before, that same movement had been their most ragged one, but now-twenty minutes to go! Lieutenant Grover glanced at his watch, Twenty more minutes, he said, answering a private's question. and thirty more minutes before we do 'PLATOONS-RIGHT TURN' as we just did it then. With the sharp, shrill sound of the sergeant's whistle blowing cadence, the company of blue- clad cadets caught sight of the crowded stadium in which they would soon prove all they had learned during the year of drill. MSQUADS, RIGHT-MARCH! shouted the captain, and in a few minutes, COM- PANY-I-IALT ! The officers' sabers flashed in the sunlight: belt buckles, medals, and brass buttons also caught the reflection of the fiery red afternoon sun. Blue uniforms, tightly drawn in at the waist by spotless white belts, down to the shiny black shoes-every cadet was aquiver with the glamor and excitement of the company competi- tive drill. The stadium was one huge colorful mass. Colu.mbus's blue and gold banners dotted the stands. Two pennants were being vigorously and very noticeably waved back and forth just above. Squinting his eyes, Lieutenant Grover looked up. Hello, Frank! Don't forget to get me those first-place ribbons! called down the waver of one of the blue and gold emblems. Lieutenant Grover shaded his eyes with his cap and in a mock salute answered the golden- haired girl above, flushed and excited with the thrill of it all. He smiled, and putting his cap back on, unconsciously muttered, Thank good- ness, he didn't gyp me out of Betty. -gyp me out of Betty -those words stuck, and with a far-away look, Lieutenant Grover, in the ten minutes left, lapsed back into the past as the high points of his last year's cadet career flashed through his mind. A'Sergeant Grover and Sergeant Holliday will please report to Colonel Merrill to aid in check- ing ratingsf' How well he remembered that command given last year when he and Holli- day started in the work which finally robbed him of a captaincy. Colonel Merrill was one of those army offi- cers who automatically did things exact and or- derly. Sergeant Grover, the Colonel had re- quested, please take this half, and you, Holli- day, this. We have picked you two to do this clerical work for us because we trust you thor- oughly. These ratings you are checking will determine each one of those men's positions for next year. As he spoke, he pointed to the regiment of cadets drilling in the Held below, And that reminds me, boys, I'll be back soon. I must inspect Company E this afternoon. As the door closed on his stately figure, both cadets heaved a sigh and began to add and check on the figures. Silently and deftly both worked for several hou.rs, the time punctuated only with such ejaculations as Here's Jack Welley's rat- ing. Not badl , A'Still going strong, Frank? , or Yeah, join the cadets and learn to add! Slowly, in the course of working, Prank's cap was tossed on the bench. Holliday's joined it in a few seconds. Coats and ties followed in order one after another. It was hot work! Whew! With a sigh of genuine gladness, Frank put down his pencil and watched Holli- day until he had finished his last card. Well, what's the outcome? Frank asked. Oh, mostly everything was O. K. Not many mistakes, Holliday answered. A'What I want to do now is to see about the officers for next year, I took down names here and there of those with the highest ratings. I thought you would, you old cheater, Frank kidded. You just want to see what YOU'LL be next year, don't you? Don't worry, though-I did the same! Goodl Holliday remarked. I know what most of these fellows want next year. Take this paper and we'll make a list. First theres the colonel, majors, etc.-all army ofiicers. Now for the captains-officers for our own cadets. With steady and deliberate meaning, each company and probable captain was listed. Company A ,...,r,.,...r.,..... ....,. ..... . J ohn Brunner Company B ..... ....... B everly Cleveland Company C ,,... ...... , Harold M. Clarke Company D .,.... ,...... S . R. I-Iousenoff Company E ...... ,.......... J ames Winik Company F ....,.. ...... ..... F r ank E. Johnson Company G ,...,..,......,.,..........., .David Brinkly Company K ............r..,.,......,,, .Gordon Grayson Company M-.-..Frank Grover and Wm. Holliday After recovering from the shock of finding oneself tied for the last captaincy with one's best friend, both sergeants kidded each other and realized that the only way for one of them to win out was for one of them to get a better scholastic rating. Their drill ratings were even. The following days saw both settled down and studying to out-rate the other in his schol- One Hundred Fourteen

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M50 .C 4 Y 'J' W Ek X COLONELS OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL h COL. FRANK SKINNER, '94 COL. C. NV. JOHNSON. '18 COL. YVILLIAM SHUSTER. '95 COL. R. LUDLUM, '21 N I L . , I, ff ,QA . :qn.-,.?j- ri , , i l ! COL. FRANK C. DANIEL. Y gs. f 1 ' ' COL. H. O. EMBREY, '23 COL. S. ALPHER, '27 COL. S. D. POLLARD, '28 COL. LYONS, '29 One Hundred Sixteen