Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-06-22
LOCAL NEWS.

SPELLING MATcH.-A trial of proficiency in
spelling between Washington School white
male) aud Lee white female) took place at
Peabody Hail. yesterday afternoon. Promptly
at 4 clock, forty boys aud thirty-seven girls
presented themselves, as competitors, and, as
soon as the preliminarIes could be arranged,
Superintendent Carne began the examination
Each grade, except the 9Th, 9th, and 7th was
examined separately, words, in that part Of
McGufey's Speller, which they had passed
over, only, being given out. lu the fist grade,
Eva Cook, of Miss Walsh room, spelled TWEEN
tyfve words, and Matte Aitohesou, of the
same room, twenty-tbree, against twenty-five
by Charles Thompson of Mrs. Young's.
10 the second grade, Mollie Sampson. of
Miss Mills room, spelled thir,y-oue, Jennie
D.vis. eighteen, and Lulu Crump, niue, against
four. each by James Wright, of Mrs Bsggett's,
and Michael Geuz5erger of Miss Wilson's.
In the third, Ella Fisher. also of Miss
Als's room. spelled twenty-seven, Jennie Bell
aud Louisa Smith, fourteen each, and Ada
Syann. nine, against Harrie Tucker, of Miss
Wilson's room, who spelled but niue 10 the
oral spelling, the advantage was, decidedly,
with the girls, who showed much more cooti-
deuce, land spoke out louder and more promptly
than the boys. This contest ended about 5: 80
The examination Of the upper classes then
began, the scene of operations being transfer.
red to the school rooms on the fourth floor. 10
order that the competitors light have desks
to write upon.
Four girls. of the fourth, from Miss Clark
sons room, and three boys from Miss Yates's,
We're then examined 10 writing, twenty-five of
the hardest words, which could be found, be-
ing dictated to them. All did WE'LL but only
Maggie Sinclair and Cora L. Tatsapaugh, we're
perfect.
Eight boys from Mr.. Ficklin's room and
seven from Mr.. Harper 8 then competed with
twelve girls from Miss Laws's, aud twenty-five
words having been dictated, only Lulu John
sou, Ella Tatsapaugh, and VIM A. Merchant,
were found to have made no errors. These
three, with the TWO from Miss Clarksons room,
we're then matched and long contest ensued.
The two contestants from Miss Clarkson' s
room, being three grades lower than the rest,
succumbed first, one by mistakug word
which Was given out; the other by emitting a
final e. Towards seven O'clock Miss Tatsa-
paugh was found to have miSspeed word,
aud the contest was narrowed down to Miss
johnson and young Merchant, who spelled
everything that was dictated. until the Super
in;eudeot was 10 despair OF closing the match
u, all, and declared that he believed they knew
the whole book by heart. At last, it was
agreed to have recourse to the dictation exer.
cises, Involving words similarly pronounced,
tu, of different spelling, when, at IT'S p. M,
Mis-. johnson misspeIliog raJLet, carpenters
technical word, William A. Merchant, OF MIR.
Ficklln's room, was declared entitled to the
medal.
MIR, Ficklin then awarded medal, given by
himself, to Miss Mollie Sampson, of Miss
Mills's room, as the victor 10 the oral contest.
The match caused great excitement among
both children and teachers.