Evening star., 1939-05-07
2,7OO High School Cadets
To Take Part in Prize Drills
Competition at Griffith Stadium Will
Wind Up Tuesday Afternoon


It's a period of less than a minute
about $3.50 pm. Tuesday. but the
seconds tickling by are the tensest
of the year for 2,l00 blue-clad,
white -gloved cadets strung in pla-
toon front across the green outfield
at Griffith Stadium. The thousands
of students, sweethearts. parents,
sisters and others crowding the
stands are nearly hysterical with ex-
citement.
1t is the so seconds or SO that Maj
John N. Lyon of Roosevelt High
School, the bridgade adjutant,
stands motionless facing the COM
panies before facing toward the win
ming unit in the annual company
competitive drills.
If he faces left, the winner is a
Central, Mckinley or Eastern COM
pany. If he continues straight
ahead. the victorious unit is prob
ably at Western. Should he face
right, the cheers will be for Roose-
welt, Woodrow Wilson or Anacostia.
Stern orders have been issued as
usual to the cadet units warning
that tossing hats in the air or waving
rifles when the victor is identified
is both ''unmilitary and unseemly
and should not occur" officials ad-
mitted the stress of excitement is
generally great, but reminded that
the brigade is "at ease" during the
announcement and this position
does not permit talking or moving
about. Despite this warning, how
ever, the winning unit is generally
the scene of a wild demonstration,
either from its members or. from
other pupils of the same school.
Two Changes in Procedure.
At the same time principals were
asked by school officers to caution
their pupils about their conduct at
the ball park under stress of excite
ment and to assign a teacher to each
section of the grandstand occupied
by pupils. Other teachers, it was
suggested, should take seats where
they may best supervise" the pupils.
Two changes in drill procedure
from previous years have been an
nounced. A woman will be the re-
viewing officer-Mrs. Henry Grattan
Doyle, president of the Board of
Education. Mrs. Doyle has gener-
ally been on hand in the stands but
some school officials expressed the
opinion that this was the first time
a woman will have been the review
ing officer of the white cadet group
since the drills started in 1888.
The second change will be the
holding of the closing formation and
announcement of winners at $50
pm. This is perhaps an hour or an
hour and a half earlier than in pre-
vious years, but officials in charge
of the drills decided the closing time
should be. earlier.
For the first time this year, spec
tators will see companies from Ana
costa Senior High under the COM
mand of their own officers. The
group, which is the nucleus of the
7th Cadet Regiment, performed last
year after being trained by cadet
officers from Eastern.
Principal John Paul Collins pre-
dicted the performance of the COM
panies would be better this year for
being under their own men because
the officers and men know each
other better.
Suppers to Climax Review.
AS usual the drill and review on
Tuesday will be climaxed by cadet
suppers in the cafeterias of the vari-
GUS schools. In previous years the
members of the winning units have
received free admittance to certain
movie houses and to Glen Echo
Amusement Park that night, but as
yet no announcement has been
made to this effect.
District officials, members of
Congress, educators, former cap
tains of winning companies and
former cadet officers will be in the
stands Tuesday afternoon, accord
ing to acceptances received at the
Franklin Administration Building.
These include Justice Joseph w.
Cox of District Court, Isaac Cans
of the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board, Senator Ashurst of Arizona,
James G. Yaden Of the Civil Service
Commission, DR.. Percival Hall, pres
ident of Gallaudet College; Allan
Davis, former principal of Roosevelt
High School, and present and for
mer members Of the Board of Edu-
cation.
Commissioner David McCoac1
has sent in his acceptance, as has
Assistant Engineer Commissioner
Patrick Tansey.
Former Commissioner Luther
Reichelderfer, who was the first
colonel Of the Cadet Corps In 1893,
has indicated he win attend, as
have James Dulin, captain Of the