The Washington times., 1921-05-01

September has arrived.
Regardless Of the actions of the.
master minds" which will govern.
the path to be made over the base
ball field at American League Park
by said Pat Murphy on May "a, some
1000 eyes will be strained from 'at-
tention" on the leisurely military
stroll of the fman of the hour" MUIR
ply will take the order OF the judges,
walk straight to a point facing the
companies. hesitate, count a hundred
or 80. and will turn to the right or
left and designate the winning COM
pany of the thirty-fourth annual
cadet drill.
WILL DESIGNATE WINNER.
Thus will the intense rivalry among
the twenty-one cadet companies
reach it's climax. and the duties of
the high school regiment will be stle-
pended for 1921. At once Pat Muir
ply, who is quite a character at Con-
trail, will be the most admired and
disiiked figure on the field. Since the
institution of the Washington high
school cadets, in 1882, il has been the
duty OF the brigade adjutant to desig-
nate the winner of the annual drill.
From an organization OF two COM
panies of nifty boys each, the High
School Regiment has grown to Its
present strength.
George Israel, a teacher in Central
High School, drilled the original COM
panies. They were equipped with a
set of Austrian rifies, which each
company took turns In using. Fol-
lowing the Spanish-American war the
cadets were provided with Krag-Jor-
genson model rifles of 1898. These
In
lost much of their quality. The ma
jority are in such a condition that
the cadets cannot use them as the
regular soldiers do.
In May 1888, the cadets made their
arst public appearance, when a select
ed company marched in a G.. A. X.
parade. Then Capt. Burton r. Ross
was appointed instructor, which posi-
ton he held until his death, when
Major McCathran took the place.
When the major went to Mexico for
service, Major K. Y. Steever vo1un-
teered to continue the instruction. He
Instituted the elementary training in
milit airy science, which the cadets
must learn for the competitive drill.
The War Department later appointed
Lieut.. N. b. Briscoe as instructor, and
he served until the declaration of war
with Germany. Wallace NJ. Yater and
Worth Shouts drilled the cadets dur
ing the war, both having been officers
of the regiment.
DIG EVENT OF YEAR.
For years the competitive drill has
been recognized as the biggest event
Of the school year. The Washington
organization has been cited as the
most efficient of its kind in the
country.
The drill program, which is kept by
every high school student as a souvc-
mir of the drill, has often read: THE
drill Is the greatest psychological
crisis of the school year, the occasion
Of breathless suspense. All eyes,
minds and hearts are for a few Mo-
ments riveted on the man Of the
hour the brigade adjutant, who des-
ignates the victorious company.
His footsteps are predetermined by
the incorporating decision OF the
three wise men, the judges. Their
verdict is awaited with nervous
anxiety. while fervent hopes are soar
ing high for each ones favorite COM
pany"
Central High School has taken the
flag from the drill field thirteen times,
and the nine captains of Central this
year hope to break the "thirteen"
jinx which has awarded victory TO
Mckinley Manual Training School for
the past two years. The fechites have
scored nine times, Eastern has won
six times Western three times aud
Business twice.
Rivalry Is Increasing each day st
the high schools, and every cadet,
from the Junior High men to the
rookie Company NJ. of Central, and
even the austere senior officers are
hoping to draw blood on May % aud
"a. The alumni, "old grads" who
served in the regiment during the
past 80 years, are watching the prog
ress of their favorite companies anx-
iously.