When I went
to Boston Latin High School in the early 1950’s I was required to take military
drilling once a week. We marched in the gym if the weather was bad but
otherwise in the large courtyard outside. Originally as a freshman I was given
the rank of private but by the time I was a senior I became an officer. In May
there was a competition among all of the classes to determine which of the
officers would become majors and as a result lead a battalion. The purpose of
all this drilling and competition was to ready ourselves for the Annual
Schoolboy Parade.
The parade
was an annual event that drew thousands of people throughout the heart of
downtown Boston. The Governor, the Mayor and other city officials reviewed the
troops from all the schools and would present awards to the best regiments. The
event rivaled the opening day at Fenway Park, the Marathon and even the Fourth
of July in terms of importance.
After the
competition in May in the courtyard I found out I one of the officers who
excelled and I was awarded the rank of major and would lead one of Boston Latin’s
Battalions. I should tell you that I was not very tall, never exceeding 66
inches in height. So there I was in the front of the battalion followed by the
flag bearers and all of the captains in
a line behind me. Now everyone else was closer to six feet tall so the shortest
person (me) was out in front of the entire troop of schoolboy soldiers,… made
quite a sight for sure. Our school won the event that year and I couldn’t have
been prouder.
The parade
continued into the 1960’s but fell out of favor when the Vietnam War turned the
country against everything military.
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