Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-14
Elementary Students
Sing Anthem Calmly
During Mock Attack
By jones 6. Deone


Thomson Elementary Schools
273 we'll drilled pupils took the
Districts mock air attack today
with calm and music. The chill
dren sang MY Country IT'S Of
Thee" and 1.-The Star Spangled
Banner"
District public schools were
all key points in today's air.
attack drill. In all of them chill.
dren and teachers went to shell
ter areas or ducked under desks.
At Thomson. Twelfth and L
streets NV, the drill went like
clockwork.
When the first siren wall was
heard, Mrs. Frances S. Haas, the
principal, standing outside her
first-floor Office, signaled Gus
todian George F. Fox nearby.
Mr.. Cox began pulling the chain
on an old hand f1rebell on the
corridor wall. At the same time
Mrs. Frances Shay, clerk, started
the schools electric bell system
ringing.
File Into Basement.
Almost at the same moment
lines of youngsters began stream
ing in single file from several
classroom doors. Mrs. Winifred
Coleman's 80 kindergarten pu-
pills who had been country-danc-
ing a moment before, came first.
They were followed by Miss M. E.
Steele's fourth and fifth graders
and then lines of children from
upstairs.
The children, accompanied by
their teachers, filed quickly and
quietly to a large basement audi
forum. There they were
marshaled into ranks along six
yellow lines painted on the floor.
The youngsters crounched on ell
bows and knees, with their faces
to the f1oorboardS. Some rested
their faces on their arms. others
elapsed their hands behind their
neckS.
About 20 adults from third
floor home economics class
showed the only uncertainty.
Some went to the basement, but
another group stopped in the
stairwell and Mrs. Haas had to
suggest that they go to a safer
spot.
Teachers stood among the
ranks of children to maintain
order, but their supervision was
unnecessary. Only a few young
sters even murmured. Mrs. Haas
cautioned them, however. saying:
"This is one time you do not
talk"
Besides the six ranks on the
main floor, there we're two other
ranks of children on the small
stage. The children crouched
near the inside of the building.
away from the six big windows
at one end of the room. A janitor
had drawn down black shades
over these windows to stop flying
glass if the windows should be
broken.
For several minutes there was
almost complete silence. There
were a couple of suppressed
giggleS.
Begin Singing.
Then Mrs. Haas invited the
children to stand UP, which they
did with relief.
Since this is Flag Day let's
sing My Country IT'S Of Thee
and the Star Spangled Banner.
she said. Lets sing My Coun-
try IT'S of The first"
The children did, two StanzaS.
Then the young voices swelled
into 'Oh. say can you see, oy
the dawn'S early light" Almost
every child knew the words.
AS the final line began Mr..
Cox came in to tell Mrs. Haas
the all-clear was sounding. When
the anthem finished Mrs. Haas
said they could all go back to
classes now and the children
quietly filed out. One boy was
twirling a pencil and girl kim
dergartner grasped teddy bear.
Mrs. Haas said all Thomson's
air-raid drills have been perfect.
After the children were back
in their rooms Mrs. Shay phoned
into a civil defense reporting
point that it took two minutes
and five seconds to clear the
building and get everyone to