Evening star., 1948-10-06
Cadets at Eastern HiSh

To the Editor OF The Star:
have served in the Cadet Corps for two and
a half years and am tentatively captain of
Eastern's only company. Seeing my friends
who should be crack commissioned officers re-
main sergeants due to the low enrolment in
the corps this year is not easy to take. 1 would
like to present some of our ideas concerning the
situation.
The reasons for the low enlistments are
simple and much discussed-lack of support by
some of the faculty members, mistaken ideas of
some parents and prospective Cadets, failure
OF all schools but Western to win the drills, the
fact that Cadets are looked down upon by nom
Cadets, and so on. All these things must be
eliminated before a successful Cadet Corps
can be realized.
Faculty support is most important. 1t seems
to me that teachers ought to back their Cadets
in their proposals.
We wish to have Cadet assemblies and en-
hstment campaigns like Anacostia and Wilson,
send platoons to neighboring junior high
schools, have pep assembly for the competi-
tive drills be able to march for the school in
the streets so that people see U.s. We wish to
make it known that we have social activities
and a lot of fun as we'll as drill and study. We
would like to have the school out for our pa
rades as it is for sports. But we receive no
If we could do these things, parents and
doubtful students alike could see that we not
only get wonderful deal in the Corps, but
that we still are trying though we are fewer
every semester Also, people would be enlight-
ened about other things. We are drill Cadets,
not instruments of war, as some mothers think,
and we are boys that find fellowship in tradi-
tional organized activity, not sissies and teach
ers pets.
In my opinion any boy who will march
through cold winter drill with his hands
numb on nine pound rifle to win for his unit
and his school, not for himself. drill that is
six months away, is no chicken. Nor does any,
thing but excellence in drill win recognition
The proposal to have drill instead of gym
three or four times week during school hours
might involve a number of complications, the
only good point being that it would get more
recruits-which could be a questionable ad-
vantage
First, q recruit who has been forced into join-
Ing against his will Is worse than no recruit at
all. He drags down the other recruits, who
laugh at his tactics, and he takes extra time
from noncoms and officers who are helping with
training. Not only is he hindering himself, but
he Is hurting his units chances for winning
Second all Cadets would have to drill at the
same time. This would foul up programming
which is already planned for the year.
Third the period is not long enough for drill.
BY the time the Cadets reported to the arm
ory, fell in with rifles, took the roll and were
on the drill field, they would have little time to
get started before the next period resulting in
interrupted instruction and insufficient time to
go through the preparation for the competitive
drill the necessary two or three times
Using the system now in effect. if we can
get the school behind us, we, the last of the
Sd Regiment, believe that we will not only give
Western some competition 1--WE will do that any
way. but in the years to come the Corps will
grow to its former stature in size and respect.
BOB RUCKMAN
In agreement: Bill Hargrove, George Mullins,
Edward Morrison, Edward Gray.