Evening star., 1942-10-11
D. T.. School Official!
Expect Increase in
Cadet Enrolment
Believe New Accredited
Course Will Prove on
Incentive for Youths

School officials are looking to-
ward the newly accredited status
OF military training as regular
high school course to increase cadet
enrolment this week, they an
nounced yesterday as figures COM
piled at the end of two weeks OF
cadet registration revealed an 8
per cent drop compared to last year.
Despite this, officials say the num-
ber of cadets really represents a
gain" in relative percentage, be-
cause the total number of high
school boys has dropped per cent.
Only two high schools, both COL
ored, report increase in actual num-
bers of cadets. Armstrong High
School rose from 300 cadets to 800,
and Dunbar High School from 178
cadets to 204 All the rest of the
high schools, though they reported
increases in the per cent of cadets
as compared to the total number of
boys, reported drops in actual num-
bers. Mckinley High School, for
example, has 243 cadets compared
to 352 last year, and Woodrow Wilson
High School has 260 instead of $50.
Regular Accredited Course.
Il would say that when the boys
understand that cadets is now
regular accredited course counting
toward graduation-which is a great
tribute to the corps" said Col.
Craigie, superintendent of cadets,
that it will be a powerful incentive
to join The Board of Education
ruled Wednesday that each year Of
cadet instruction will count one
credit toward graduation.
LAS matter of fact, considering
the increase in after-school en-
ployment and increase in the cost
of the cadet uniform" continued
Col. Craigie, II was agreeably sur
priced that enrolment did not drop
further" In contrast to 2,7l9 cadets
last year, total of 2,44O have been
enrolled this year. Numbers of boys
in the high schools have dropped
from 1880 last year to 6,616 this
year.
Col. Craigie added that officials
are counting on both this period
of intense patriotism" and certain
amount of common sense" about
the future to increase cadet enroll
ment.
Stresses Value Of Training.
when the boys are called to mill
tary service, as of course eventually
they will be-" he said, they will be
asked by their instructors to step
two PAGES to the front if they have
had military training
Those who are able to step for
ward he explained, will be in line
for the promotion that often follows
for those with enough military
training to be selected as sergeants
and section leaders"
Besides the actual lowering of
numbers of boys enrolled in the
schools, he continued, groups of
boys work after school, in the after
noon, when they previously would
have been able to drill. He also
cited the 81 rise in the cost of
privates' uniforms and 81 increase
in the cost of officers uniforms as
lowering enrollments in some cases.
Miss May Bradshaw, principal of
the Roosevelt High School, where
cadet enrolment dropped from Al
to 81 per cent of the students, con-
tended that the new compulsory
physical education instruction given
every day has probably cut down
the enrolment somewhat. Cadets
used to be excused from physical
education. At Anacostia High
School, Principal John ]. Collins is
attempting to solve the physical
activity problem by scheduling
cadets to attend their two weekly
health lectures on the two days
they drill. Exercise periods are
scheduled on non-drill days.
Miss Bradshaw added that some
of the Roosevelt cadets had gone
TO Coolidge High School to organize
the regiment at that school.
Cites Increased Percentages.
Cedric O. Reynolds, assistant su.
perintendent of Eastern High School
pointed to the increase in percent.
ages Of cadets in comparison to the
total number of boys as telling the
real story" of interest in cadets.
Though cadets have decreased ir
number, he said, at Eastern, for ex.
ample they have increased from a
to 28 per cent of the total number
Of boys. Armstrong and Dunbar, thu
two schools with actually more cadet.
than they had last year, report per.
centage increases Of from SO to *
per cent at Armstrong and Il to 8:
per cent at Dunbar.
At Anacostia the number Of cadets
increased from - per cent OF thu
enrolment to Is per cent and at
Central from 80 to 80 per cent
Western remained about even ct q
per cent.
! Despite the rise In enrolment q