The Washington times., 1902-06-11
LARGE TIiRONG WITNESSES
HIGH SCHOOL CADETS Drill.

held by the cadets. Each of the com
panies put up a particularly fine drill
and the general impression Is that the
boys of the First Battalion will have tC
work very hard today to equal or surpass
il.
Mr.. Macfarland's Praise.
Commissioner Macfafland in discuss
ing the drill, said:
Il think the work of the boys today
is the best that has ever been done by
the cadets. Every year there is a no
| uccable improvement in the manner
| in which the maneuvers are executed,
! and this year the Improvement is mark
| ed. Every one of the companies is
| doing exceptionally we'll. | expect
there will be an exciting time here to-
morrow afternoon"
Mr.. mcfarland would express no di-
rect opinion as to the merits of the re-
| spective companies, but he took Occa-
sion to speak favorably of the work OF
Company F while that organization was
on the field.
Col. Burton R. Ross, the military in
structor of the cadet regiment, when
| interviewed by a representative of The
| Times, seemed much pleased over the
| showing made by the four companies
of the Second Battalion. lie said:
'Of course, you understand that | can
not make any sort of a statement which
would be regarded as a committal of my
personal opinion as to which company
| did the best today. AS to what conclu-
| sion the judges have arrived at, | am
| totally ignorant. No one outside of
| those three gentlemen will be able to
I IT. 1E. = ir-l,+
| panies will receive the prize until after
the last one has left the field and the
judges have held their meeting to COM
pare their marks.
Made Excellent Showing
Il can say, however, that the boys
ali made an excellent showing-quite an
| improvement, in fact, over the drill of
last year. And the lads of the Second
Battalion will have to wake up and put
forth the very best that is in them if
they hope to stand a show for the re-
ward
To merely say that the event is the
greatest event of the school year is to
but feebly express the high opinion with
which the affair is regarded
No one ever attended the annual
competitive drill of the high school ca
diets and was able to forget it; to close
his or her ears against the frightful
roar of roofing" and singing. the rattle
Of musketry. or to dispel the wonder
fully animated picture of tens of thou
sands of dancing, bowling, frantic stu
dents, waving aloft bright-colored flags
and streamers. No one ever forgets that
din or loses sight of that vast multi
tude. Washington sees few such events.
and the town turned out in force to wit
ness this one.
Weeks of Preparation.
For weeks, and even months, the stu
dents of the FIVE high schools have been
preparing and praCticing their school
songs and yells. Hundreds OF copies OF
them have been printed for distribution
among their supporters in the graded
schools and from the outside. Every
institution is fully equipped to enter the
great contest today, where vocal powers
and endurance invariably win the day.
Who will win the drill?'
This question is OF vital Importance
to every young person in the National
Capital who attends the public school. |
or ever has attended them. II has been
the thorn in the flesh OF teachers and
pupils alike for two or three months.
Speculations and comparisons there have
been in abundance as to which of the
eight companies will pass the fiery or
deal with greatest precision and win
that greatest of all prizes, the pennant
for the competitive drill. Seers and |
prophets there have been and still are
in abundance in each Of the high schools |
Each Of these young men already has |
the battle fought out, and the hon
each KIM al III u.ba will
happen, what company is the best drill |
ed, and upon the breast of which captain
the Allison Nailor gold medal Will be
pinned. And invariably these prophets
have predicted victory for their own
hosts.
The students of the five high schools
were seated in as many separate por-
lions of the grandstand, with innumera-
BILE other supporters holding forth on
the bleachers. Each of the sections was
profusely decorated with the flags and
colors OF the school whose pupils were
seated there. The railings, posts, raft
ers. and even the roof had been com
rletely covered with bunting and flags
Of all sizes and descriptions by ener-
getic committees from each of the in
situations.
In most cases the students were under
the general supervision of "Joss root
ar," whose duty it was to make his fol-
lowers root" at the tops OF their lungs
These popular and highly honored in
viduals were completely wrapped up :
n ribbons and streamers of their school I
colors and proceeded to prance about ;
with all the nimbleness. if not grace, ,
1f the French dancing master of ancient >,
They were each armed with
/ huge megaphone. Their command over
heir thousands of followers was COM
1lete. a mere gesture brought forth
storm of bowling or some topical school ,
iong as the boss saw fit
Yeils and Songs. t
From all sides came the deafening !
yells and songs, blending in terrible /,
oar that fairly shook the stands Each
'Clool beloved forth its slogans at is
opponents, while the latter shouted
,ack with no lack of avidty g
Ran! Rah! Rah,
Sis boom ba.
Hip 200! Ra 200, I
Jimmy blow your bazoo!
Business.
So sang the Business High School fans |
Gated in the center section on the south g
de of the grandstand. The yell was ac- p
ompanied with an immense amount of u
ancing, waving Of flags and beating
me On the floor with canes.
"Techs" Chime In.
Hardly had the last words of the howl 0
led from the lips OF the Business when c