Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-15
HIGH SCHOOL CADETS
A Protest Against Their Proposed Trip
to Richmond on the Both Instant
Maj. Ross md DIR. Lane Explain the
Arrangements as Decided
Upon.

The Star received today the following
| letter from a corr espondent in reference
| TO the projected trip of the High School
| Cadets to Richmond June 30 to attend
the laying of the corner stone OF the JEFF
ferson Davis monument in that city, and
the announcement that Major Ross was
| preparing to take the High School bat
TALON to Richmond to take part in the
ceremonial the guests of the organ
izers of the celebration. The writer says:
las one who left this city to take part
| in the war for the restoration of the
Union and the defense of its capital whose
children graduated in the High School, /
earnestly protest against such participa-
ton by the pupils of the public schools Of
the national capital under the auspices
OF those who for years sought to destroy
the Union and lay waste it's capital
L understand that Major Rcss holds the
commission of the President OF the United
States in the National Guard of the Dis
trict; that he is paid out of the public
treasury by the Commissioners as nstruo-
| tor Of the High School battalion, and in
view of the efforts made by the school
trustees and the citizens of this city to
inculcate loyalty to the Union by way OF
RAG day and Memorial day celebra lions
In the public schools, / hope that the
Commissioners Will have the good taste
to instruct Major Ross that II is highly
inappropriate for a paid employe of the
puDilc schools 10 take a representative bat
TALON, with arms and accouterments fur
nished by the national government TO q
ceiebration avowedly in honor Of the late
rebellion against that government"
What Mai. Ross Says.
When the substance OF this commune
cation was announced by a Star reporter
today to the military Instructor OF tho
cadets he denied that IT was his inten-ion
to accompany the cadets TO Richmond as
or sb.ir
or. He said he should go, If at all, as an
Interested spectator. What he had done
was at the request of the military COM
mittee or the schools. 1t had been propos-
ed to organize a single company out of a.
certain few Of the cadets to 20 to the kir-
ginia capital, and the committee had de-
clded that If anything of this sort was 10
be done II would be better 20 send hattal-
ion, rather than company. According
~, Major Ross attended the Central school
today FOR the purpose OF seeing that the
organization of those cadets who mad de-
clded TO go was properly made. H. gave
the boys brief talk, and told them dis
tnctly that he had nothing to do win the
trip, except as their friend, who believed
that II they went at ali they should 90 in
military shape.
The volunteers numbered about two hum
dred. There were in the drill hail o: the
Central school enough to form two COM
panies, and there were also present the
officers of the I'd Battalion, representing
tne companies at the Eastern Business
ana W estern schools, many of the Menu
Ders OF which have agreed to go.
DIR. Lanes Explanation.
Dr. Lane, principal Of the Central school,
said TO the reporter that in no sense were
the cadets who plan to go to Richmond to
be organized and sent as the High School
regiment The invitation for the boys to
participate in the ceremonies at Richmond
he went on, came from the local commit
lee. ana was shown to the superin tendent
ana other school officials before 4 reply
Was mace. III was agreed that inasmuch
as the high School Regiment disbanded
June i, on the occasion of the nublic
parade, ii would be impossible to order any
part OF that organization out of town or
even to give an official permission for the
CADETS TO take part in the Richmond affair
Accordingly a polite note was sent to
the committee, continued Mr. Lane lin
forming them that the desired permission
could not be granted. At the same time n
WIS felt that if the boys SO desired it
Would be perfectly proper for them 10 90
10 richmond as individuals Just as any
pa,tS oi mem might organize tenting
party DOWN the river during vacation The
military committee concluded however
that II the boys should 60 ii were I,.trar
,hat some advice should be given them as
now TO organize their battalion and hon, 10
conduct themselves, and SO Mai Pose IN
ms individual capacity, volunteered to helm
them out. which he has done by giving
them short talk before they Proceeded re
organize the visiting party
There has been nothing official about tho
aHair. 1t Is TO be remembered that if tha
boys go 10 Richmond they Will not carry a
gun out of the High School armories rria,-
own their uniforms, of course, and they cam
i-ol De prevented from wearing them wher-
ever they desire. But not even the side
arms VIII be given TO them for this tap
n" Gums From the National Guard.
Major Ross said he understood that the
boys had made arrangements with some of
the officers of the National Guard 10 bor-
row guns enough 10 equip the battalion. n
is said, however, that this fact has been
ascertalned at Guard headquarters. and
that orders Will be issued peremptorilv pro-
nlbltlhg such a transaction. 1t is against
me law Tor any gun belonging TO the Ma
uonal Guard to be removed from the arm
ories except upon the business of the guard
or 10! the express permission of the general
coh.nlanuins the guard, and IL may be that
the high School battalion organized for The
Richmond trip Will have to go without arms