The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-23
PRIVATE BOONE'S MEDAL.
BEST IN THE MANUAL OF ARMS OF
ALL THE BAPTIST BOYS.
ne Wore Down n Hundred or His Fellows In
the Competitive Drill In the scventy-nrst
Regiment Armory Yesterday Afternoon
The Prizes for the Hest Drilled Companies.

the Competitive Drill In the scvebty-nrst
Regiment Armory Yesterday Afternoon
The Prizes for the Hest Drilled Companies.
Arthur Boone, private of Company ID OF tho
Tenth Regiment, Boys Baptist Brigade, won the
competitive drill In tho manual OF arms yestcr-
day, and carried of the gold medal inscribed
with tho record Of that triumph. When the
drill started there were 100 privates and non.
commissioned officers competing with him, and
IL took him Just % minutes TO wear them down.
The competitive drill was tho climax of a day OF
triumph and glory for tho Boys Baptist Bril-
gadc. Tho place Of the celebration was the mr.
mory OF the soventy.frst Regiment. n. G. n. Y,
at Park avenue and Thirty-fourth street.
AT IL o'clock there were scattering delegations
OF small boys diminishing about the streets In
the neighborhood OF the armory. Some imagina-
tive young person had told IL abroad that there
was to BIO a parade OF Baptist orphans, which
would start from tho armory some time during
tho afternoon. The tribes confided TO n Sun ro-
porter that they were gathering with the intent
to give the orphans a good time. The Baptist
Boys Brigade Is by no means an orphaned insti-
tuition. It was formed by It's present General,
A. c. Kenyon, about flvo years ago. lie was ut
that time u Sunday school teacher In a Baptist
church In this city. Ho found that instead OF
treading the paths of righteousness tho youth
A"a hSSt y ha'NH So w tNff
by the wayside or TO seek the byways and the
hedges, and determined that the method adopted
by certain canny Scotchmon many years ago OF
forming drill companies OF Sunday school boys
was very well fitted for his purposes. He organ
lied n company In his own Sunday school. Since
then the idea has spread and developed until
the boys brigade Is represented In more than
thirty States In the Union.
1t was about 2 o'clock when the uniformed
youngsters who had assembled at the entrances
to the armory saw the last Of the so-cauod or
phans pass through tho grim portal. The
armory was quite filled with spectators. They
wcro seated ten and fifteen deep all around the
great drill floor. For threo-quarters OF an hour
after Q o'clock, tho hour set for assembling, a
military band played selections for tho purpose
Of keeping tho boys quiet until tho actual COM
petition should begin. Then the entire brigade
was reviewed by Major Francis Of the Seventy
first Regiment. The march past showed exam
Piles OF every possible variety OF the American
small boy. There were black and white, and
there were those whose true color could not pos
sibly have been distingnished without me nc,
tive use of soap and water. There were tall and
short. The shortest were go very short that
they. would have had TO stand ON n chair to
wore uniforms, some wore only uniform coats,
and others wore simply tho fatigue cap OF the
alignment and With great military dignity.
\ competitive drill for a bnglc as a prize be-
tween Company A OF the Fifth Regiment OF
Mount Olivct Church and Company X OF tho
Second Regiment OF Concord Church, Brooklyn,
followed the review. The Judges OF the drilling
were Capt. Frank Kcck and Lieut.. w. Rockwell
OF the Seventy-first. These companies were both
| composed Of colored boys. They drilled with
great spirit, and to the spectator IMMERSED IN
military lore they seemed very closely matched.
Then there was n competitive drill between
Company A OF the Third Regiment OF Mount
Morris Baptist Church and Company OF tho
Sixth Regiment. Company A drilled with much
more spirit and accuracy, and there was a IRE,
mendous storm OF applause when they marched
back to their places.
Then came the great event OF tho afternoon.
the competitive drill in the manual OF arms for
gold and silver medals. There were three rep
100 in all. They were formed in a double line,
facing each other. Lieut.. Rockwell gave com
mands and Capt. keck criticised the execution.
| Soldier after soldier was ordered TO fall back
until only three were left. The companies
ranged around the side OF the room
as Capt Keok. ordered the different men
to fall out OF line. When the number
was reduced to three the entire body broke
ranks and formed "A ring about the contestants.
The third man was caught In n faulty present
arms" Boone and simmons, the latter OF Com
twoleft. Simmons finally made u mistake and
had TO DO contented with tho second prize. a
silver medal.
President Macarthur awarded the prize for
the culorod companies to Company X, and for
the white companies TO Company a OF the Third
Regiment. The colored boys prize Was Pre-
scented by DIR: Macarthur, but the Rev, Dr.
Biting OF tho Mount Morris Baptist Church In
sisted upon making the presentation speech 10
the boys from his own church.