Evening star., 1897-05-28
THE PRIZE CONTEST
Annual Drill for Honors by the High
School Cadets.
MOST EXCITING EVENT OF fHE YEAR
Four Companies viii Take the
Field This Afternoon. :
DECISION EAGERLY AWAITED

The most. notable. the most important.
the most eagerly anticipated and by far
the most exciting event of the school year
for that model among military organiza-
tions. the High School Cadets, began amid
a veritable blaze of glory, yesterday af-
ternoon, and will be concluded this even
ing by an announcement that cannot fail
to cause sorrow to the members of seven
companies and thousands Of their sup
porters, while unbounded and unalloyed joy
is to be the portion of the young soldiers
who comprise the eighth company and
their legions Of friends.
In other words. the annual company
competitive drill of the cadets is in pro-
gress. and shortly after o'clock this
evening a mighty shout will rend the air
about and above the National Base Ball
Park. Then a much disputed question will
have been settled. and the population Of
Washington will know what section of the
city can beast of being the. home of the
prize company of the regiment Of cadets.
1t is en- honor much coveted, and tonight
the welkin will ring OIL Capitol Hill or
Gee rgetown. or the north central section,
or in the vicinity of 1st and c streets.
Gaiety and festivity will mark one of the
localities mentioned. The others may ex-
cusably be mistaken for so many ceme-
teries so far as the lack of enthusiasm is
concerned.
Months of Waiting.
The drill of the companies yesterday and
today marks the culmi1.ation of constant
honest, nsst enGeavor, extending through
period of almost eight months. Since the
1st of last October the boys have been hard
at work two afternoons each week, with
the High School prize flag and the Allison
Nailor diamond medal as their goal. or
course 1t is possible for but one company
IN, Nyfn md arh nf fhn Sohf thp
judges speak, will feel morally certain that
it outranks its colleagues. The shock to
seven. when all is ever, will resemble that
of bolt of lightning. This program has
been demonstrated correct in the past and
history. In the present instance. is sure to
repeat itself.
The first division of the drill began a few
minutes after o'clock yesterday afternoon,
when Company B entered the field amid
the plaudits of majority of the 5000 spec
tators present. The gathering was charac-
teristic of the High School, eliminating for
moment the generous sprinkling Of nota-
bies. Perhaps two-thirdS Of those within
the inclosure were typical High School
girls the fairest of the fair, and sweet of
course. They were the sweethearts of the
cadets and, yes. some few were classmates,
friends and sisters. Naturally, they were
dressed just as becomirgly as lay in their
power. The occasion was of great impor-
tance and the girls were surely not found
wanting. Every hue of the rainbow was
called into service in the aggregation of
waists; gowns and hats. and the whole
formed panorama as picturesque and
pleasing as pen could depict. ..,+ya.:-,
Parents Were There
The proud parents of every soldier boy
were in the 4grandst&nd, or-they should
have been. 1t goes without saying that the
paters and matters Of High School pupils
are proud. Everybody almost was be-
decked with ribbons, some being in the
form of elaborate badges, stamped in gilt,
While others were merely the original, un-
decorated streamers Equally distributed
we're the pink and white of Company A.,
tie white and yellow Of Company B. the
salmon and white of Company C.and tho
red and white Of Company, ID. Far or 10
the right were prominently displayed the
celors of Company H, the only branch
school standard in evidence When this
mass of color became animated as il did at
intervals, the scene was one to- be appre-
ciated.
The Invited Guests.
invitations to attend the drill were Ell
tended to the Secretary of War, the as
sistaS. secretary of war, Chief Clerk Twee-
dale OF the War Department, Major Seat
man, General Wilson, General Ruggies.
General Breckenridge, General Lieber.
General Weeks. General Sullivan. General
Sternberg, General Flagier General Creely
Colonel Ainsworth, Mr.. Allison Nailor. the
D1strict Commissioners, the board of school
National Guard, members uf the Dostal
congress and the Turkish, Chinese and
Corean legations, and nearly all mentioned
accepted. The ladies with the Chinese and
Corean parties were centers of interest tie
entire time they were in the grand stand,
companies A. B. c and D. COMPRISING
the 1st Battalion Of the regiment. all To-
Gated at the Central High School passed
through the ordeal yesterday Company
was the first to face the Judges, Company
{, Company A and Company D following
| In the order named, the captains having
drawn for places. A feature of the drill Of
Company A was the participation of Sec
ond Lieut.. Sci. native of China, who has
nearly completed four years course at
the High School. He fulfilled his duties as
chief of the second platoon in a manner
Tar above criticism, and earned apprcba-
ton thereby. The captain of every COM
pany, as he marched his command from
the field. was presented with an enormous
and handsome bunch Of flowers, with the
! compliments OF the young ladies of the
| school.
| A Striking Feature.
| The most striking feature OF the gather
| Ing yesterday. particularly to those who
attended the drills in former years, was
the marked lack of enthusiasm. To be
| sure, there was an outburst of applause US
| each company put in an appearance, and it
| was repeated as each completed its pro-
| gram. The firings with blank cartridges
when particularly good, evoked a slight
demonstration, while ragged fire was
| condoned with ong-drawn-out and some-
| what reproachful 'Oh-h-h." Once in g.
while faint 'Breky coax, coax, coax"
i a nd hn Htfh Seh