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

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History of the Washington High School , Cadet Corps By Colonel Daniel HIS year the Washington High School Ca- det Corps celebrates its Forty-Eighth Anni- versary. For forty-eight years this organization has flourished and grown, benefiting the thousands of boys that have served in its ranks. Every year at the close of the last school term a company competitive drill is held. This is the greatest crisis of the school year, the cul- mination of a year's hard and faithful work. With this final decision, the spirit of the Cadet Corps is revealed. The rejoicing victors are happy in the thought that they have brought honor to their school and corps. The many losers who gave their best, but lose to those who put forth a shade better than their best, resolve to try harder next year and outdo their former efforts. The Cadets are men-they win and lose like men. Above all this dominates the spirit of service, self-sacrifice and loyalty, ideals handed down these forty-eight years by those who have served in the ranks. Through the years to come, this honorable and distinguished organization, the Washington High School Ca- det Corps, will preserve the best of the old, un- dertake new and better projects. and carry on the splendid traditions of the past. The Washington High School Cadets Were first ,organized in the fall of 1882, when two companies were formed and drilled under Mr. George Israel, a teacher of Central High School. Fifty old Austrian rifles comprised the equip- ment of the organization. The companies al- ternated in their use. ln May, 1883, the Ca- dets participated in their first real parade, that of the Grand Army of the Republic. In this same year, Lieutenant Colonel Burton R. Ross. of the District Militia, was appointed as In- structor of the Corps. On March 4, 1885, the Cadet Corps marched in its first inaugural pa- rade. The Cadets were present at the dedication ceremonies of the'Washington Monument. A short time afterward the Corps received a dis- tressing blow in the death of its helpful instruc- tor, Colonel Ross. Major McCathren was then appointed to fill the vacancy, in which position he served efficiently and well until he responded to duty's call in 1916. Under Major Mc- Cathren's instruction. proficiency of drill and sincerity of spirit took a decided step forward. ln 1888 the first Competitive Drill was held, the winning company being Company A, Cen- tral. The year 1892 was marked by the ap- pointment of the first Cadet Colonel. The honor was won by Dr. Luther Reichelderfer, now one C. Pollock, H. S. C. of the Commissioners of the District of Colum- bia. With established ideals and principles, a corps with a real purpose was now rapidly being developed. Increasing enlistments soon made it necessary to consolidate the various units. Therefore, under the supervision of Lieutenant N. B. Bris- coe, U. S. A., the Cadet Brigade was organized. When in the autumn of 1917 Lieutenant Bris- coe was called into active service overseas, Wallace M. Yater, his assistant and former Ca- det Colonel, took charge of the Corps. The Cadets were of great service to their country during the World War. They either entered into the actual Conflict or assisted the War De- partment in draft work or in other administra- tive fields. Colonel Yater was succeeded by a former cadet, Major Shoults, and he in turn, by Lieutenant Richard R. Day, U. S. M. C. It was under Lieutenant Day that extended drill was introduced to the cadet training. During this period the Cadets participated in many different ceremonies and were showered with favorable comments and words of commendation. Through the years of drilling and cooper- ation, the bonds of comradeship and fellow- ship, among the various institutions forming the Corps, were cemented, and time only made the Cadet spirit more outstanding and raised the ideals to higher levels. The War Games were introduced in 1920. This activity has since grown to become very popular. In the latter part of 1921 our own Colonel Craigie became Professor of Military Science and Tactics. Captains Strecker and Johnson became his assistants. Doctor Yates was placed in charge of the Medical Unit of the Second Regiment. Another activity introduced this year was the Brigade Rifle Team. Throughout the year the Cadets participated in many important ceremonies. As one exam- ple, they were selected guard of honor in the inauguration of President Harding. Captain A. J. O'Keefe and Major B. O. Kennedy were made assistant instructors in the fall of 1922, under whom the corps continued to flourish. In the spring of this year the important Battalion Competitive was introduced. The following year another important drill was introduced, that of the Regimental Competitive. In this year also the Brigade Band was formed under the supervision of Master Sergeant P. E. Hess. fContinued on Page 315 181

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'tene ftnjyttmnt Volume XII May 25 and 26, 1931 Number 1 An Interview with Dr. Frank W Ballon, Superintendent of Schools By First Lieutenant Henry Bragg, H. S. C. U UR form of military training includes many factors that tend to produce useful citi- zens, young men of vision who by patience and perseverance, by clarity of thought and firmness of character, may lead the way to higher ap- preciation of the real meaning of life with its manifold activities of mind and body. After the World War, the mental outlook of youth changed in many respects. However, the tradition of the Washington High School Cadet Corps has remained, unchanged. Half a century of honorable service, accompanied by high ideals of honor and truth, stand as' a strong defense against any possible destructive tendencies. The spirit of the Corps rests on the foundation whose worth has been demon- strated by the leadership attained by hundreds of former members. The high school boys of today will be the men of tomorrow. In the tomorrow, some will step up to fill in the breaks in the ranks left by the dropping out of the men of this gener- ation. They will step forward and proudly salute, as life hands out its commissions of lead- ership and honor to those who will replace the ones who have responded to the last roll call and relinquished their commissions to the prepared men of the younger generation. Thus spoke Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superin- tendent of the Washington high schools. Dr. Ballou became affiliated with the Washington Public Schools and the High School Cadets in 1920, and during his'eleven years of observation of the corps he has felt a growing interest in their work and an increasing confidence in the results obtained by the organization in the de- velopment of those qualities of leadership, re- spect for constituted authority and other char- acteristics of good citizens, which the high school cadets annually inculcate in the young men who make up the corps. Drill Day By Margaret Bell Merrill Long ranks of blue cut sharp across the green 5 A waiting stillness fills the sunlit air. Close-packed in serrzed rows the watchers there, Like dim-wrought shapes in pattern Damascene-- So far, so color-blurred, so mute-are seen U nconsciously by straining eyes whose care Is all for that brief message which must bear A poignant sorrow, or a joy as keen. Hard lessons of life to be thus early learned! To win reward with rare humility, Or yield to others glory fairly earned : To toil through weary hours patiently, To suffer Ioss then, with high hope returned, Out of defeat to wrest a victory. THE ADJUTANT, 1923 l7l

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N N W A H ,Q ,I ,Ar t Y, kb? H -wif-we 1 f '- e l . f e 1 K s , , .f A v - , . The 119311 Short Story Contest By Rosemary Arnold, Chairman of Judges HIS year there were more entrants in the short story contest than usual, and the stories submittedwere of such variety of theme and style, even though all on a military subject, that the decision as to the best was difficult. The judges, Miss Rosemary Arnold, Miss Ruth M. Denham and Miss Miriam Selah, differed in their opinions as to the story to be given first place, but by the point system the prize, four dollars' worth of books to be selected by the author, was awarded to Virginia Hoffman, of Eastern, for her story, Brass Buttorfs or Red Ribbons? This bright little tale is printed elsewhere in THE ADJUTANT. Very close to first prize comes The Real Competition, whose author, Elizabeth Whit- ney, Eastern, receives two dollars and fifty cents' worth of books of her own selection. This story is told in a truly realistic way. Why, by Joseph Moore, Eastern, and Reveries of a Rookie, by Roberta Young, Eastern, may be said to tie for honorable men- tion. The former is remarkable for its clever surprise ending, and the latter for its humor and good psychology. BrasscButtons, or Red Rilblbons? By Virginia Hoffman,- Betty Vay, E. H. S. First Prize Short Story ' ACK was a sophomore at the Northern High School. He was a corporal in Company F. He was, moreover, the ,best looking cadet in his company-or in several others, for that matter. Mary was also a sophomore. As you can prob- ably guess, she was the girl of his dreams. He was her hero, too-was, that is, until she met Bill. Bill was a mighty senior. He was captain of Company E. He was, too, a very popular young man about school. In spite of all this, he fell for Mary-Jack's Mary, with the enticing curls, the dancing eyes, and the roguish manner. Needless to say, he had no trouble cutting in on Jack. School idols do have a very great appeal, you know. This is enhanced, too, by handsome uniforms almost covered with brass buttons. Mary used to come and watch the cadets drill. Afterward, Bill would take her home. Jack would see them as they swung off together, the tall captain in his uniform. the lovely girl clinging to him worshipfully. Brass buttons, Jack would mutter bitterly, as he trudged home alone. This Went on all during the spring training. Finally the day came for which all cadets had waited, hopefully and fearfully. The Competi- tive Drill! The ball park was packed with a swarming' mass of excited humanity. Proud parents were there, looking in astonishment at their tall young sons, wondering how they had grown up so quickly, remembering what a short time seemed to have passed since they were 191 g babies. Girls were there, too, waving their arm-bands and pennants wildly, trying to find their cadets in the ever-moving lines, telling each other who was going to win. Non-cadets were there, looking enviously at the boys in uniform, trying in vain to get a little attention, wishing they hadn't been too lazy to join the regi- ment. Bill was therefvery proud of the com- pany that he had trained. Mary was there, very proud of her captain. Jack was there, trying to get a smile from Mary, envying Bill who got them without trying. Finally, the individual company drills were over. The brigade formed on the field. The quiet was intense. The immovable judges re- fused to be hurried. After an interminable wait. they sent the adjutant on his way-on that short walk that always seemed to take an eter- nity. He stopped. He actually appeared to be rooted to the spot. Mary felt that her heart would burst with suspense. Would he never move? Everyone was tense, eyes glued to that motionless figure in blue, trying to read the se- cret that it held. The hopes and fears of every- one in the park rested in the decision known only to that boy. He realized that. He knew the winner. Still he didn't move. Still his face and bearing revealed nothing. Was he absolutely inhuman? At last-he turned! A murmur swept the crowd. The cadets of two schools stood on that side toward which he was walk- ing. To which was he going. The Northern fContinued on Page 325