A TRUE HERO.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XVI, 17 October 1896, Page 507

A TRUE HERO.

All Omaha is proud of one small public schoolboy just now (writes a correspondent). He is less than fourteen years old, and his name is Offie Downs. Until a few days ago he was just one boy among hundreds; but at present he is the one boy that every other boy would like to be. The ‘ fire-drill ’ is common in most Western schools, especially where the children are crowded iu large buildings, which it is desirable that they should be able to leave rapidly and in order. They are drilled frequently ; at a given signal every child is taught to take his place in the file, and moving in precise step and time, to vacate the schoolhouse without confusion or haste. In order to accustom the children to a sudden call, signals are given at unexpected times, and it is the boast of many schools that they can empty their buildings of five hundred children or more in a very few minutes. Such a training had been given to the children of the Dodge-street School in Omaha, and the position of drummer was held by Offie Downs. Principal Allen was proud of the fact that his five hundred children could be marched out of the big building in about two minutes. But everybody hoped there might never arise a serious occasion to test this. On the 23rd of January the occasion came. One of the teachers dashed into the principal’s room with the cry that the building was on fire. The principal rang his gong, and there was an immediate alarm, followed by a stampede of children from the rooms. No one remembered the fire drill or the drum, except the drummer. Without a word to anyone, and without waiting for an order, he ran down two flights of stairs into the principal’s room, seized the drum from its hook, slung the strap over his shoulder, and made his way to the post at the foot of the stairs. The smoke was dense in the hall, and upstairs the teachers were shouting to the children, trying to calm the panic. The fire-engines were at work outside. Just as the five hundred pupils appeared at the top of the stairs ready to rush down, to the certain death of many in such a crush, the first notes of the drum, pounded with all the drummer’s might, were heard above the confusion. The sound acted like a spell. The principal, pulling from under the feet of the rushing children some of the smaller ones who had already fallen, shouted for them to keep step to the music. Instantly the force of long habit asserted itselt; the feet fell in orderly succession, and the entire mob of children came down the stairs as calmly and evenly as if on parade, as they had done a thousand times before. The smoke was pouring about them, but in less time than it takes to tell it, the last child had passed safely out, keeping time to the music of the drum. The drummer remained at his post until informed by Mr Allen that every one was safe. Then he came down the steps greeted by a storm of cheers from the crowd outside. He had saved the lives of a very large number of the children and teachers by his coolness aud bravery, and to-day in many more than the five hundred homes he has saved from possible loss and death he ranks as a genuine hero, though he ‘ only did as he was told.’