The Washington times., 1895-06-02
CADETS FULL OF AMBITION
Want to Send a Drill Company to
the G. A. R. Convention.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
Objection of Trustees and Parents,
Lack of Preparation and the Item of
Expcnse-Friendso ofthe High school
Soldiers Counsel Patience and Work
for Future Events.

for Future Events.
The success achieved by the Morton
Cadets drill team and the degree of ex-
ceilence attainedby the whole company in
their recent competitive company con-
test has given birth TO longings for greater
laurels in the hearts of the High School
Cadets, and prompted them to seek con-
quests in fields where they hitherto have
thought themselves outclassed. They have
stiffened their necks, or in street parlauce,
have become "stuck on themselves"
One of the things they now want to do
is TO send a representative company to
the St Louis G. A R. convention to COM
pete with the cracks OF the world, and
another project, which the National Fen
cibleSand Morton Cadets etsconsiderevenmore
pTeposterous and absurd than the former,
is TO institute a competitive drill with
these two champion organizations.
The latter proposition was nlpped In
the bud by the Mortons, who consider
the High School Regiment as a kinder
garten, and the Fencibles sat on the whole
affair when they stated that they were
a company of national reputation and they
did not propose to enter into any contest
with those they outclassed.
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY
This fondly cherished hope was allowed
TO die a natural death, but the sweet
siren had sung too sweetly into their ears,
and although the impracticability and al
most impossibiltty OF the st. Louis trip
is evident. yet they still cherish in their
bosoms the hope that il may be realized.
The great overwhelming obstacle which
stands in the way is the diSapproval and
even the opposition of the board of trustees
That body, whose word is Inalterable and
changeth not, has always difcOuntenanced
the participation of public school children
as such il exhibitions, entertainments, or
contests of any foIn or fashion and rules
and regulations to that effect are in force
to-day. This foTbids the cadets to go as
High School represent atiyes and denies
them tie uEe of their arms. The former
hindrance may be removed by the organiZa-
ton OF body separate and distinct from the
school aud the latter by borrowing guns
for the occasion from one of the military
bodies in the city.
Then there is the consent OF parents TO be
considered and the all-absorbilg item of
expense The Morton Cadets being a we'll
known company were able to raise the money
for their Mehpis trip by soliciting sub
scriptions from merchants and by entertain
Rlents ard performances, but it is doubtful
if the body which the High School boys
woulG have to organize would become in
such a short time sufficiently well known
that their requests would meet with ready
response from the representative business
men OF Washington
WOULD INJURE THEMSELVES.
Even If these objections were overcome,
however, the going of the High School
Cadets to st. Louis. it is said, would be iH-
furious to themselves, aud the spectacle
that they would present could not but
cause them to be objects of ridicule. This
is the eleventh hour; and in order to put up
creditable drill years preparation would
be necessary The majority of the pri-
Yates Of the school regiment have been
members only since last October, but re-
ducing some of the officers, who have had
two or three years experience, to the
ranks, and including the thirteen ST u
dents that now belong 10 the Mortons, a
company. each member of which would be
Individually well drilled, could be secured
Months and months of constant practice
would be- needed to bring their united
movements anywhere near the required
standard, and the idea that this could be
accomplished in the six weeks or so which
ermaiu before the G A. K. convention is
regarded as absurd. The showing they
would make it is ontended, would injure
the High School Cadets reputation, and
their most ardent admirers and friends
have used every argument to point out the
folly OF such a proceeding The ominous
silence in regard to the matter which was
observed at the school yesterday would
lead Que TO suppose that they had sue
ceeded.
Recently there has been revival of in
terest in the cadet system in educational
institutions. and some of The Times read
ers may be desirous of knowing some
thing about the history of the movement in
the Washington public schools and the
results that have been obtained In
1888 a company was organized and a
lot of old army muskets purchased, for
which an eXorbitant price was paid. From
time to time the accoutrements were in
creased and the drilling made better, but
it was not until some time after the
matter had received the sanction OF Con-
gress, and when Major Ross was detailed
to take charge of military instruction at
the school, that the real battalion work
began, and the cadets work became some
thing more than calisthenics.
CONGRESS TO THE RESCUE.
Soon after q bill was passed by Congress
making provision for all that was needed,
and by this time the original company
had been augmented by three others.
Then battalion was formed, with full
line of staff officers and a major in COM
mand. As the branch schools were estab-
Hshed more companies were necessary,
and the four finally grew into eight, out
of which were made two battalions. There
are now nine companies in the regiment
Almost from the start, competitive
company drills have been held each year
In May AT first they took place in the
hall Of the central school and the prizes were
a silk flag made by the girls of the school,
which was awarded to the victorious COM
pany, and badge OF red ribbon to be
pinned on the breast OF the individual mem
bers. Money prizes are forbidden by the
rules. The assembly room did not long
continue to accommodate the people and it
was found necessary To secure a hall and
afterwards the theaters were resorted to-
Up to this time the manual of arms only
was gone through in the contests, but in
order TO include the foot movements
the baseball park was used aud the time
heightened TO two days. This was the
case at the recent company drill in which
Company III Of the Georgetown school
carried off the honors and wereespeciaIly
compllmented by the army experts who
acted as judges. The high esteem in
which the Washington High School Cadets
are held by men high in the regular service
is shown by the interest which so many Of
our generals take in their contests. Gen.
ordway regards 1t as the nursery for the
great soldiers of the future and no officer
has yet spoken of their drilling, save In
praise.
The roster of the District National Guard
has but few bright names that are not
those OF old High School Cadets, and the
staff or line officer who did not attend
this institution is an exception and rarely
met with. The effect of the military