Evening star., 1949-06-01


its future. an undermined
Washington High School Cadet
brigade marshaled itself for its
top show OF the year today-the
brigade review and award Of prizes
in the 62d annual competitive
drill in Griffith Stadium.
Sixteen companies-the small
est number in years-were to line
up at 2;;30 this afternoon after
two mornings Of individual drill
ing. An exhibition platoon drill
at 1880 and a battalion parade at
2 were to precede the final review.
Actually only 13 companies are
In the running for the Allison
Nailor Medal and other prizes.
Two OF the city's 10 white high
schools have been taken out Of
the competition by last-minute
personnel shortages and another
was ruled out of the contest.
Mckinley Dropped.
Mckinley High School was
dropped yesterday because it was
unable to muster the minimum
25 men for its single company.
This Is the first drill Mckinley
has missed since 1t Joined the
corps in 1890.
Also seriously shorthanded, Bell
Vocational School was forced to
merge Its two companies just be-
fore they went on the field yes
terday and officials have ruled
Bell out Of the contest.
Another high school, Central.
today also entered a combined
company in the competition. in
stead of the two originally sched-
uled. and Central's band dropped
out entirely.
Meanwhile, the Cadet Corps
manpower crisis brought from
school officials an admission that
urgent recruiting efforts during
the current school year have so
far failed to bolster the hard
pressed brigade effectively. They
said that redoubled efforts are
planned tor next year and denied
that there Is any plan to scrap
the corps.
Rife Recall Doubtful.
They also said they feel sure
the Army, which last fall severely
criticized the corps. has no in
tention at present Of carrying out
its threat to recall its rifles from
schools with below w-standard cadet
enrolment. The cadets use Army
M-1903 Springfields.
Key Army officials would not
comment on the question. but 1t
was learned that a report on the
latest Army inspection Of the
corps, made in April, now is under
study by the Military District and
soon will be forwarded to the
schools.
A similar inspection last year
was the basis for the Army criti-
cism, which cited low enrolment,
inadequate instruction periods and
slipshod property maintenance.
Chief problem of the white bri-
gade is an enrolment drop from
nearly 1900 in 1910 to scarcely
725 now. Schools that once sup
ported seven companies now have
difficulty organizing one-and even
these few are almost all we'll below
the established strength Of So.
$40 In Colored Corps.
Cadets Of the four colored high
schools are more numerous, 1t.
Col. Howard o. Atwood, their
chief instructor, reports about $40
now enrolled. Eighteen companies
are scheduled to compete in the
57th annual -colored competitive
drill tomorrow and Friday.
School officials aren't sure just
what accounts for the difference.
Assistant Superintendent Gar
nett c. Wilkinson, in charge Of the
colored schools. and Col. Atwood
assert that their students regard
the cadet corps as an "opportu-
nifty" which serves them especially
well as preparation for Army SER
vice. Some now look forward to
attending Annapolis or West
Point. they point out-a prospect
once out of the question.
The white brigade conducted