The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-02-26
A Drummer Boy Hero,

Offie Downs, the drummer boy in the
Dodge street school at Omaha, Gained
panic and prevented terrible calam-
ity among 500 children. He is less than
fourteen years old, but the moment he
heard the hall gong sound the alarm of
fire he did not forget he had important
business. 1t was the crisis for which
his little head had been trained and his
courage in the presence of a ratified
principal and excited teachers saved q
dead and injured list.
This young chap has been the mill
tary band of the school. 1t was his
duty twice day to stand at the bottom
OF the stairs and march out the schol-
ars to the step of an army rattle. This
exercise was called the fire drill, and
the pupils, from the infant class up,
were told they must never hesitate
when the drum should sound. Each
tot knew his place in the line, and so
accurately and thoroughly were the
rooms trained that Principal Allen
boasted the big building could be
emptied in two minutes. He had a
chance to practically test his boast. He
had hoped, despite the good discipline,
that the expected catastrophe would
never happen.
He was quietly seated in his room
about two O'clock when Miss Hughes,
pale and excited from fright, daehod in
with the cry that the building was on
fire. She fastened back to her charges
and Professor Allen ran to the gong.
They heard the rush of children up
stairs, and the alarm from other teach
ers. There was a stampede, and in the
excitement no one remembered the fire
rules or the drummer boy.
Offie Downs kept his head. He saw
the smoke coming through the register
He did not think it was necessary to
ask permission to leave the room. He
rapidly passed up the aisles, went down
the two flights of stairs on the run and
passed the instructors without word.
He wanted the drum, and he got it.
Principal Allen was not in his room,
but the young hero did not hesitate to
enter. He pulled the instrument down
from the hook, slung the strap over his
shoulder and plunged into the hall.
The smoke was now 30 dense he could
barely see his way, and on the floor
above he heard the teachers shouting
to the children to remain in order.
There were fire engines rafting out
side, but, like soldier in battle, Offie
Downs stood at his post. He picked
his way to the bottom of the stairs Just
as the 500 pupils appeared in herd at
the stop. He pounded the drum for
dear life. The very first sound from it
acted like magic.
Mr.. Allen pulled three little girls and
one boy from under the feet of the
rushing children and commanded them
to keep step 10 the music. The little
ones then remembered their lessons
and, to the steady tap of the drum,
calmly came down the long flight as
they had done a thousand times before.
Smoke filed the entire building, but in
a minute from the time the "band be.
gan to play" there was not child
in it.
The boy remained steadfast. He
stood cool and defiant, with the smoke
binding him. He waited until Mr..
Allen told him everybody was safe,
and then he came down the front steps,
still rafting away at his fire call.
The crowd cheered, the teachers
Rugged him, and last night 500 fam
lilies sang the praises of his courage.
He was the sole cause of the rescue of
the children, several having tainted
during the first moments of the STAN
pede.
The fire started from an overheated
furnace stack. 1t was easily extin.
guished by the department, despite the
fact that the flames had consumed one
hoor.-St. Louis Post-Dispatch.