High School drill team, 1916-17
This came in over the transom yesterday. I lived in this Ohio town (Springfield) a few years growing up. Not a great photo but you can tell they were using Krag rifles. This is the caption:
"When school opened at Springfield High School for the 1916-1917 term the Cadet Corps recruited about one hundred and twenty five boys. Of that number only about ninety five remained because the boys had to drop out to work after school. They were used as policemen on three instances and had taken part in one competitive parade and one exhibition drill that school year. The first parade participated in by the Cadets was the first Preparedness Parade held in Springfield. The boys had neither uniforms nor rifles at this time. The next event was the Mardi Gras Parade In which the Cadets were put first in line to break a way through the crowd. Prizes were offered for different events. The cadets carried away first prize for the largest military turnout, the prize amounting to $25.00. The money was put into the Cadet treasury and the Major was made the treasurer with the power to take out money only on the vote of the Cadets. There were eighty Cadets in line in this parade. They also used to look after the egg rolling contest at Snyder Park acting as guards and policemen and to see that no one fell into the lake or was injured. When the city wanted another Preparedness Parade, they thought the police may need more assistance and the High School Soldiers were called upon again and did their work so well that they received letters of commendation from the City Manager at the time, Charles E. Ashburner and from the Chief of Police. The Cadets turned out for a very sad occasion one day in late winter. They acted as military escort for the funeral of the one of boys of Company B, Third Regiment, Ohio National Guard. The four Captains of the Cadets were stationed as guards of honor over the body, and their bearing during the ceremony was praised by a great many. The Senior Cadets shown are Standing is Captain Lester Boggs, Lieutenant Robert Eastman, Lieutenant Gerald Hodge. Kneeling is Harold Smith, Robert Todd , Harold Kyle, and Harold Young"
I liked the part about how they were called in for the Easter egg-rolling event in Snyder Park.
springfield_HS_drill_team_1917.jpg
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Originally Posted by kj47
