Gloucester High School - Flicker Yearbook (Gloucester, MA)

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HISTORY OF THE R.O.T.C. In September of 1885, Albert W. Bachelor organized the first company of High School cadets. He called the boys of the High School together and suggested the idea of forming such a military unit. The suggestion met with hearty approval and in no time the boys were in line, receiving military instructions. Their organizer, Mr. Albert W. Bachelor, was born in India in 1843. As a child, he went with his parents to New Hampshire and lived in Hampton where he received most of his education. While attending Dartmouth, the Civil War broke out and he enlisted with a New Hampshire regiment which saw much action with the Army of the Potomac. He was captured by the Confed- erates and confined in Libby Prison. With a few others, he escaped and made his way success- fully to the Union Lines where he rejoined his regiment and served valiantly until the war ended. Graduating from Dartmouth in 1871, he became a teacher. Having been elected principal of Gloucester High School in 1884, he came here at once and assumed his duties. A heavy burden or responsibility was upon his shoulders, but he managed perfectly. When in 1887 the High School building burned, Albert W. Bachelor adjusted himself very quickly to the new building on Dale Avenue. The school went forward with rapid strides in numbers and influence, for it was Mr. Bachelor who established the military department. This was organized when he became principal of Glou- cester High School and it met with success almost immediately. The uniforms of the first company consisted of blue flannel blouses with a row of seven brass buttons and a blue straight-visor cap. A committee appeared before the City Council asking for an appropriation for the purchase of guns. This was refused, but the money was raised by pub- lic subscription. The Company made its first public appearance on Memorial Day with the D.A.R. Colonel Haskell took a very great interest in the boys, offering a gold medal for the best drilled cadet. Thus, from the very beginning, the Haskell Medal roused much rivalry. The first prize drill was held in the City Hall on the evening of June 22, 1886. Fred W. Allen was the winner. Later a battalion of two companies was formed, and the drills were held in the old skating rink on Elm Street. A drum corps was formed at this time which added much to the battalion. This was the beginning of military drills. The first banner was given to the company on the evening of June 22, 1886, at the first prize drill held in the City Hall. Miss Abbie S. Sherburne presented the banner on behalf of State Senator Ebaezer Boynton. It was red, white, and blue silken banner, four and one half by six feet.

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The class of I960 is fortunate to have the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Gloucester High School R.O.T.C. occur in the year of their graduation. For the outstanding work this fine organization has done during the past seventy-five years, we wish to show our appreciation by dedicating The FLICKER to the R.O.T.C. We hope that we will be able to present a fraction of the honor for which this organization has worked so hard, and we want this yearbook to re- main as a standing salute” to the Gloucester High School R.O.T.C. Franklin Boardman and Sergeant Douglas Russell glance at a picture of Company D in the Field Day exercises of 1914. Many people will remember the uniform, for it was worn on the last Field Day at which Mr. A. W. Bachelor was present as an instructor. He retired at the close of the year 1914.

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1885 From the year 1886 to 1889 no important change took place in the Military Department. The annual prize drill was held in June and one gold Haskell Medal was pre- sented to the best drilled cadet. However, on May 10, 1890, the 2nd Massachusetts School Regiment had been formed and the first annual Field Day was at Wakefield. Ralph I. Trask, of Gloucester, won first prize and be- came Colonel for the next year. Also, for the first time, Colonel Haskell awarded two medals — one gold and one silver. He announced that he would present two medals annually from then on. In 1892 Field Day was held at Brookline, Gloucester taking third place and in 1893 in Malden, Gloucester ranked first. The cadets had blue blouses and white trousers for their uniform. By the Field Day of 1895 another change had taken place. It was decided that the Cross of ’89 would be given to the cadet with the most soldierly appearance. In 1896 the cadets again took a new appearance, this time wearing white duck trousers and buff leggings. The first national flag was presented to the Military Department by the Honorable Eleazer Boynton of Boston. In 1890 the first state flag was presented by the Senior Girls of that year. The battalion was the largest it had been since G.H.S. first opened in 1907, for it was nec- essary to assign men into three companies instead of two as in years past. In March, 1913, Company G” had the honor of participating in the parade in Washington at the Inauguration of President Wilson. The last Field Day under the guidance of Mr. Albert W. Bachelor was in 1914. It was a great event for the cadets, for each realized it was the last time for their founder. Two years later, in 1916, there was a change from one battalion of three or four companies to two battalions of three companies each.