what is 'Taps' ?

It doesn't stand for anything. The movie was named for the 2nd to last bugle call of the day for the Army. Orginally named Extinguish Lights, it was officially renamed Taps in 1891 because that was what most soldiers called it. The name Taps was more than likely borrowed from a drummer's beat. The beating of Tattoo by the drum corps would be followed by the Drummer of the Guard beating three distinct drum taps at four count intervals for the military evolution Extinguish Lights. During the American Civil War, Extinguish Lights was the bugle call used as the final call of the day and as the name implies, it was a signal to extinguish all fires and lights. Following the call, three single drum strokes were beat at four-count intervals. This was known as the "Drum Taps" or in common usage of soldiers "The Taps" or "Taps." Nowadays, at least on Fort Huachuca and Fort Dix, Taps is played at 2200 hours (10:00pm)an hour before Tattoo. The current bugle call Tattoo is the second version of that call. Taps is a re-worked edition of the first version of Tattoo. Union Army General Butterfield re-worked it during the Civil War in July 1862, following the Seven Days Battle. He wanted something a little less formal to end the day. A short time later a Union Artillery Battery Commander used it at the first military funeral because he was afraid the traditional 3 rifle volleys would alert the CSA to their position. There is a myth that Taps was written by a Confederate soldier who was KIA and found by his Union soldier father. After pulling his son from the battlefield he supposedly found the bugle call in his son's unifom pocket. Out of respect for the father (Allegedly CPT Robert Ellicombe) a military burial was allowed for the son, disregarding his enemy status. CPT Ellicombe asked the bugler to play the call found with his son. Touching, definately more heartbreaking than the truth, but definately not the truth. General Butterfield revised it. SGT Norton (Butterfield's Brigade Bugler) was the first bugler to play it. Nowadays, most people associate Taps with military funerals. However, I remember listening to it in basic training ending another day of training. Later, I used to listen to it overseas, and feel a little closer to home. Now, though, I've heard it at too many funerals.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

One use of 'taps' in the military is playing it on a bugle during a funeral. In this movie, during the opening scenes, names of dead former cadets were read with their date of 'taps', meaning their end. In the movie, the Bunker Hill academy was being closed down, so it too was approaching its 'taps'. So both meanings apply to the name of the movie. A soldier's death and the academy's death.

TxMike
Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.