Washington High School Cadets - Adjutant Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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From a corner of the grandstand, weary, but undaunted cries of Tl T! T! sounded in obe-- dience to the gyrations of two sweating cheer leaders, and the band struck up stirringly Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here ! Just as if it had not already played the same tune a dozen times that morning. The Cadets kicked out their legs in even rhythm to the music, and swung across the field in perfect formation. For the briefest second, as he marched on, a memory came to David of the little school boy standing on the street corner, watching the Cadets parade about Lincoln High, and he felt proud and happy to think that the same boy was now leading a whole company of the once-envied Cadets to victory or defeat in this big contest. The faces of his Cadets were red and drip- ping with the heat, and their stiff collars showed signs of wilting. Little rivers of per- spiration oozed between David's neck and col- lar and ran down his back, and the handle of his sword was hot, as if it had been heated over a forge. The sun, like a round, burnished shield, seemed suspended a few feet above his head. The white gloves of the Cadets formed a succession of rapidly changing patterns against the dark blue uniforms as they moved sharply about the butts of the guns in quick response to his orders. David did not see any one fumble, but he felt nervously that the keen eyes of the judges must be discovering any number of mistakes. If only this were over! The gay murmur of talk and laughter which fioated continuously from the grandstand filled his heart with envy. As he gave the commands, he had the feeling that his voice was issuing from some one else, and that he could not regulate itg it was as if a phonograph record were giving off the orders. Squads right ! Squads right! Squads right! the lieuten- ants echoed. While the Cadets obeyed, David stood still, as if being wound up for the next order. Squads left ! Squads left ! Squads left ! Worriedly, he watched the Cadets run and fall in extended orderg rise, run, and fall again. As they lay with their legs spread out, they looked like blue Y's drawn upon the field. The sun poured down upon the heads of the unfor- tunate ones who had lost their caps, and little wisps of dust, as irritating as pepper, rose from the dry grass. These discomforts made the Cadets seem rather heroic to David, as if they were soldiers on a real battlefield, and he felt a sort of fatherly affection for them, as he watched them creep up on the imaginary enemy. They were good kids, he told himself. They had worked hard and they deserved to win. Suddenly, with a brave shout, the Cadets charged. The band struck up again, encour- aginglyg, a trickle of applause sounded from the grandstand, and the cheer leaders prepared to do business for the next company. Unbe- lievably, the ordeal was over. Twenty-five minutes had decided the fate of Company T. Mopping his forehead, David made his way off the field. The long, hot afternoon went by like a dream, a constant repetition of maneuv- ering companies. The sun was growing less torrid, and the shadow of the grandstand was beginning to project out into the field, when the time came for the announcement of the winning company. The great open space turned blue like the sea with the massed Ca- dets, and against the variegated background of the spectators stood the figures of the judges and brigade officers. David, waiting in agonized tenseness before Company T, wondered how the officers could walk so un- concernedly at this critical moment. He felt that he had been standing forever in this same place, seeing the same scene-the stands full of people, the bleachers dotted with a few curious little boys, the group of officers with their gleaming swords. His eyes, which had been roaming, came sharply to rest on the 'bright flag of the Adjutant moving across the field. At last . . . . The Adjutant paused, turned, and came closer and closer. He's stopping now-he's stopping -David thought as the Adjutant passed each company. Company Q is the one-no-S-no-. Abruptly, he found himself looking full into the face of the Adjutant. He stood dazed, while a great, quivering roar, at first inarticu- late, then definite, swept over the field. Tl T! T! Yes, it was the proudest day of my life, David had once imagined himself saying to Evelyn Carey, and the memory of that day- dream crossed his mind, when, after the drill, he saw her rushing up to him. The crowd of enthusiasts, who were shaking his hand, and slapping his back, and displaying adoration in various ways, parted for an instant as she ap- proached. Oh, David, you're wonderful! I was never so thrilled in my life, and to think it was one of my friends-. Ch-uh-thank you- David gasped, look- ing at her thoughtfully. Why wasn't he elated by this realization of his longings? Uncon- sciously his glance traveled to Ruth Darrell, who was beaming at him from the outskirts of the crowd, which she had not been able to penetrate. .She was so happy in his victory that a glow radiated from her, and David suddenly perceived that she was charming. He looked again at Evelyn. Whatfwas there in her that had formerly fascinated him? ' Excuse me, he murmured, and forced his way through the crowd to Ruth. - T 1 l l...J

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The Dub of' Company T By Katharine M. Scott, C. H. S. C'Mark Leigh J SECOND PRIZE STORY, 1927 CONTEST Long before he entered Lincoln High, when he was only a grammar school boy in knick- ers, David Kingsley liked to watch the squads of Cadets drilling before the big building. The rhythm of the marching feet, the straightness and precision of each separate unit fascinated him. And it all looked so easy! David al- ready saw himself one of them, as straight and as neat as a tin soldier, as unerring as a ma- chine, swinging his long legs in time with the steady, Left-right-1eft-right-left-rightl At last the day came when he was actually marching in one of those squads before Lincoln High. Then the process of disillusionment be- gan. David, who had dreamed of himself as the perfect Cadet, found himself the dub of Company T. He discovered that he had every fault a Cadet could have, a fact which his ser- geant did not allow him to forget. On every drill day, David's clumsy hands would fumble his gun, and his awkward feet would fall out of step. A big fellow like you oughtta do better than these little guys, the sergeant would rave, exasperated, whereupon, David, instinc- tively, would try to contract, twisting his long body into knots in the attempt. But again the sergeant would be upon him. Straighten up there ! These reproofs were always painful, but the most humiliating came one day when David was drilling with his company near the school, feeling rather proud of himself in his new uni- form. Hearing a familiar laugh, he turned his head and saw Evelyn Carey walking up the sidewalk abreast of him. Evelyn Carey! His heart began to beat more quickly, and he for- got everything in gazing at her. Kingsley ! came the sergeant's voice, vi- brating with anger. David started, and real- ized that he was out of step again, and falling behind. He hastily corrected himself, but the sergeant moved up beside him, his jaw omi- nous, his mouth sarcastic. You seem to think you're taking a stroll- stop when you please, and start when you please. If you want to flirt with the girls, why do it, but not here. We don't want any sheiks-straighten up there ! He forcibly pulled David's shoulders back, kicked his legs into step, and turned his head about. A laugh sounded again from the side- walk from the same voice which had turned David from the path of duty before-but, this time pointed, and too evidently caused by his predicament. He turned crimson and choked with chagrin. Why did he always have to seem such a dumb-bell before Evelyn Carey? XfVhenever he met her and talked to her, which happened infrequently because of his shyness and her indifference to him, he stammered over his words and stumbled over his feet, and in every way appeared ridiculous. David swung away with his company, feel- ing wretched, and during the remainder of the drill concentrated on the sergeant's orders. But, when he went home that day, he drowned his troubles, momentarily, in a delicious day- dream in which he was Captain of Company T, and Evelyn Carey was his humble admirer. He pictured himself in a glory of shoulder straps and medals and gleaming sword, strut- ting down the hall of Lincoln High, while she looked adoringly up at him. Oh, what a gorgeous medal you got for winning the Competitive Drill ! Yes, that was the proudest day of my life .... With a sigh David woke up, for the dream was too improbable to comfort him long. He remembered that his start as a Cadet was de- cidedly unpromising. Yet, three years from that day, half of his seemingly unlikely dream had come true. David was captain of Company T, having risen to that dizzy eminence from the dubbery of his rookie days by a long and strenuous process of drilling and training. The other half of the dream remained unfulfilled. Evelyn Carey still lacked the expected reverence to- wards him, and did not notice that he was no longer awkward and lanky and tongue-tied. David was obliged to look for adoration to the Cadets of his company, or to Ruth Darrell, who had been his confidante since grammar school days. Ruth was always ready to sym- pathize with his troubles, to praise him for his EIIICCCSSCS, and to laugh at his jokes, but not at im. Company T's gonna win the Competitive Drill ! David would exclaim to his company, and all the Cadets would chorus, Certainly ! Company T's gonna win the Competitive Drill ! David would exclaim to Ruth, and she would answer, Certainly ! VVith such confidence placed in him, David threw out his chest, and defied sceptics. He trained his company enthusiastically and pa- tiently for many weary months until the long- awaited day of the drill arrived. At two o'clock on that great day, Company T of Lincoln High marched on the drill field.

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Company B Central High School First Regiment First Battalion First Lieutenant Captain Second Lieutenant Frederick J. Haskin, Ir. Warren Price Frank W. Govern Sergeants Brakli, BV. C. Ehrislefisgn, E. greenhllld H gnhlig, AF F . . ttre . . reen e , . aw ms, . Cfosby- 5- D' Nllglddzell, S. CSOSS, E. Hammond, W. Roudeybush, Clssel' C' W' Martin G Curtis H Hooker A Sarge-:ant R Tyngley' C' O' y ' Davis,,M.. Light, i Sharpe, l iifiii' D. PMS Bf..3?sllf EE- k.i'eC.':.'..13-A iilXf52?aE I C I Rem, E. Eliivell. ' Mcsinmy, G. F. Wenzel. H. 0fP0fa S Berry. C. Gallun. L. Miller, H. l1Vilfpng. J. ShuFHe, E. Carter.. F. Garcia. P. Morris. K. NVil1iams. D Maurer. R. Chamberlain, C. Gnozh, A. Nash. H. Wright, W. Company H Central First Regiment High School First Lieutenant Captain Hymen Tash Ellis M. April Sergeants Hurd, D. L. Betts, J. M. C. Goldenberg, A. H. Moffett, H. L. Dre fuss D W ' Orleans, S. Bickford, I. M. Harrington, J. E. Rakusin, S. I. Lovlgless' M' ' Permut, J. Chiswell, E. B. Ioray, G. M. Richards, W. A. Schmidt 'W' T Rice, W. Collier, C. E. King, K. W. . Robinson, E. A. Fulton ' Simon, E. Crittenden, E. C. Kurland. M. C. Sacks, H. Parsmfs E' Woodward, H. L. Crochet, G. N. Lloyd. E. H. Schwartz, B. K. ' 'V ' Privates Crowell, R. Lappen, S. J. ' Sims, C. Corporals Elefslades, G. S. Mclntyre, R. V. Snyder, A. Altman, PI. L. Geddes, G. G. Miller, S. J. Stamszewskx,E.J. Cayton, H. Anderson. H. L. Glossbrenner, G. Milne, R. Suraci. A. I. 60 Third Battalion Second Lieutenant John Paul G1-ies Talbert, H. E Thomas, A. M Vecherey, F D Whalen, M. A Williams, I. H Zlotnick, S.