Evening star., 1946-05-12
Safety Patrols
0fAreaParade,
4,500 Strong
Thousands Witness
First Postwar March
Of SehooIboys

$500 strong, held their first post.
war parade down Constitution ave.
nue. yesterday, ending it with dra-
matte touch when the st. Gabriel.
parochial school float broke down
but was rushed to the reviewing
stand in a commandeered truck just
in time to take second prize.
A crowd of several thousand
gathered along Constitution avenue
between Fourth and Seventh streets
to watch them pass.
Dressed in colorful costumes with
predominantly naval touch, the
youngsters strutted past. the re-
viewing stand with white safety
felts cleaning, flags flying and bands
playing.
In Reviewing Stand.
They were reviewed by Maj Har-
vey G. Callahan, superintendent OF
police; Mrs. Henry Grafton Doyle
president of the Board of Educa-
ton; Mrs. Arthur c. Watkins, presi-
dent of the District Congress OF
Parents and Teachers, Henry J.
Brunnier, president of the American
Automobile Association, and John
L. Vandegrift, chairman of the Dis
trict Advisory Board of the AAA.
Washington and Montgomery
Prince Georges, Fairfax and Arling-
ton Counties, and Alexandria and
Richmond public, private and paro-
chial schools we're represented.
The patrol is Nationwide or
ganization sponsored by police de-
partments, school boards and the
AAA. Transportation and housing
difficulties prevented a national
parade as In prewar years.
1t was quick-thinking Mrs. Agnes
Simpson. of the 1900 block of New
Hampshire avenue NV, mother OF
one of the boys with the float who
saved the day for st. Gabriel's.
Float Loaded on Truck.
Mounted on bicycle wheels, the
float broke down near the Apex
Building shortly after the parade
started. Mrs. Simpson rushed to In
diana avenue where she found a
furniture truck being loaded. She
persuaded the driver to unload his
truck and talked her way with il
through the Gordon of policemen
who kept traffic away from Consti-
tuition avenue during the parade
The boys loaded the float on the
truck and rushed it to the review
ing stand on the south side of the
Ellipse. They arrived just as the
last units of the parade had passed
unloaded it and pushed it frantically
past the judges stand.
A total of $54O was divided UP
as prize money for best appearing
unit, best float, best baton twirler,
best slogan and best band.
Prize Winners Chosen.
Prize winners were as follows:
Bands. senior group-First, Ana
costa High School; second. st.
Johns College High School; third
Washington and Lee High School
Junior group--First, st. Cyprian's
(also known as the Junior Police
Bands; second, Montgomery Coun-
ty Junior High School.
Best appearing unit-First, Fair
lington Elementary School; second
j, Enos Ray Elementary School;
third, Shaw Junior High School.
Slogans-First place, st. Gabriel's
Parochial School with "Carlessness
Unfair. Join the Caretaker's Un.
ion. No Strikes. Longer Hours (O1
Life; second, darlington Elemen-
tary School with Fifth Freedom
Freedom from Danger; third, Johr
Marshall School, Arlington, with
Make Safety Your Hobby"
Floats-First, darlington Elemen.
tary School; second, st. Gabriel's
third, Annandale Elementary School
and four honorable mentions: Stu.
art Junior High School, Bancroft
Elementary School, John F.. Cook
Elementary School and Greenbelt
Elementary School.
Best baton twirler was not an.
nounced and will be named, together
with runners-up. probably tomor.
row.
Floats included four cofins, one
with two youngsters dressed as
mourners following after it.
Slogans Presented.
Some of the slogans read Safety
First, Not a Hearse," BE Safe To-
day and Insure Your Tomorrow, ;
"A Cat Has Nine Lives. You Have
One. Save 1t" and IF You Like
Your Body Without Any Flaws, Be
Wise. Obey the Safety Laws"
Some groups had drum majorettes
in colorful costumes. Others, like
the Shaw Elementary School, die
trick marching. Some 100 girls par.
ticipated in the parade.
Maj. Callahan and other officials
connected with the schoolboy patrol
organization lead the parade, &C.
companied by group of 10 motor.
cycle policemen.
Medal Winners Honored.
They were followed by the Navy
Band and four AAA Medal of Honor
winners who saved the life of 6
sclloolmate. These are: Lawrence
c. Soper, II, of 731 Tenth street
Sc; Alphonso Cephas, II, of III
Brown court S.W.: John Barnhard
IL, 1909 Warren street NV, ane
James Wise, II, 1909 North Capito
street.
Schools in the Tenth Precinct lee
the groups, which filed by in tht
following order:
Eleventh Precinct, Montgomery
County, 18th and 18th Precincts
Prince Georges County, 1st and Enc
Precincts, Fairfax County, 5th .ane
9Th Precincts, Arlington County, It'll
and 9th Precincts, Richmond, 9th
Precinct and last, a division of mis-.
cellaneous groups.
Persons prominent in official ane
civic circles were in the reviewing
stand along with traffic and highway
experts who attended the President.
Highway Safety Conference.