The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-04-27
WACO,
Wherever That Obscure Place
is Located,
Comes Out Ahead in the Big
Spelling Match.
The Winner Comesto Canton in
Time to Have His Spelling
Ideas Brushed Up.
One of the Most Memorable
Contests in the History of
the County.


About 1900 People Enjoy the I'm terrain
ment, Which is Interspersed with a
Number of Pleasing and Meritorious
Diversions-An Bminently Successful
Affair.
First IL was Canton against Waco.
Then North Industry took 4 hand in the
shape of a brilliant representative, Later
IL was Canton against North Lawrence
and Waco. Then It was North l. Awrence
against Waco. Bus is isu'l that way any
more. 1t is now Waco Agaiust the world,
with nobouy posgessiug the tCInerliy ~
represent the latter.
or ali affairs which reached q successful
elimination, the spelling bee at the Tabs
ernacle Friday evening eclipBes any thing
vet underta sen. The immense nall
which is capable of Hccomm odating COM
fortably 1850 people was crowded TO the
doors. Seats were ali occupiad on the
lower floor and in the biz gallery at an
early hour In tho evening, and those who
were taidy had to stand But they
weren't alone in the stsudlJg buginess.
Those people frt III Waco wherever tnat
il, demoDsirzt' a faculty for standing
which wss Simply colossal. Nearly all OF
the Canton people, nos nccusiOLnod to this
kind OF business got tireu standing and
went down on purpose. Not so, however,
with the other side. Waco would be
standing yet If the pronouncsrs hadn't
run out OF voices.
Paul Field, VINO was invited to act as
chairman so that be would not enter the
contest and thus in advance preclude the
possibility OF Squire Reisuer winning u
prize, called the big crowd to order.
Without prehminaries the singing class
from the Waco schools. numbering about
NJ q Nrin r. an
showed careful training, under the
direction Of their abe instructor.
After this soUg the spellers were called
and q large number responded. The line
extended IOFes. fOurths Of the way around
the big building. Rsv. j, II. HaTpster
rules, which were about ,Ge same as usu-
ally govern such contests. Tneu the class
got down 20 bGsingsR, with RGndes |.
Gregory pronounctnc the words. The
Canton side took the initiative, ana worc's,
hard and esEy, were passed down tue line
The Waco side was The defendant in the
contest, Dut one country boy missed that
word, il being the fret misspelled word Of
the evening, Another country boy went
down on chaos. BY the time the words
we're passed around once the crowd had
settled down and the spellers we're all
in line. The L dies were grouped in the
centre ON an elevated platform and made
o very pretty picture. The best looking
teachers in the public schools, and some
OF the good looking Canton students were
nrrsyed on one side, aud u log of pretty
Waco girls with fsaJhers in their hats and
pretty flowers ou,thoir bonnets we're array
cd on tie other side. II may be truly said
that the feature OF the evening was the
features OF the young lsdiee.
Gregory went right along pronounciDg
and was doing nicely. Here and there in
the ranks q youth or an Old time spellsr
4
would 60, o tho amusement OF the crowd.
But the serenity of the occasion was soon
mArrsd. 1t vas not surprising that
il was msrred sidc9 IL be-
came apparent that one John Ellis, whom
somebody who ought to know better had
appointed school examiner, vas in the
house. ELLIS has u peculiar faculty for
making big, SANDY Completed
ass of himself whenever occasion
presents. He rose TO object. He
wanted Gregory to proEouncs straight
along and lot skip around. The object
of the dassillon fire brands kick was
apparent. The country spelier9 know the
book by heart and when words are pro-
nounced in succession, listed just al they
are in the book, you couldn't spell
country BOY or girl down in week.
Ellis wanted them pronounced in regular
order. A little tilt occurred but the crowd
WAS clearly of MsjDr Baird's expressed
opinion that "Gregory knew his business"
Ellis subsidized for minute but finally
wanted some information. Chairman
Field shut him up, however. Paul
oughtn't TO have done that. IL any body
needs information, especially on the point
of show 70 be q gentleman in public" il
The SpelIing continued after this inter.
ruption for some time without incident.
Parallax took two country bcyH down.
Finally Allen Cook was reached on the
city side. ".Surtout'' SAID the pronouncer.
"What kind of a ''toot?" queried Allen.
And then ne attsmpted il but didn't come
close.
"Chirurgeryr knocked four sweet girls
from Waco clear off tbs platform, and
''turmsric" also made CONSERVATION in
the country ranks. The city was doing
better than their rural brethren and It
looked like a victory for the town boys
and girls. One of the city girls who had
been doing good spelling, had high
soprano voice. She didn't know any
thing about q cultural sound SO che
couldn't spell that adjective and was
called down.
Every thjng went smoothly until a
country girl with eyes that shone like
Biele'a heavenly wonder, got the word
comet, She couidn't spell IL and conse-
quently shose who thought her quite
heavenly had to change their minds.
There was controversy about "Merry"
called down. He was very properly rein
stated by Referee Harpster.
DIVERSION.
At this juncture II was decided that the
spelling snould cease for time as there
were some other exercises on the pro-
Rramme. There were some little people
who had performances to- give and as IL
WAS evident that the spelling contest
would be long drawn out, u was deemed
expsdient to allow the little folks to
perform.
The first called was Sta 1ley VandersaII,
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Wesley Il. Wander
sail, of No. 2o2 East Seventh street. This
youth who Is about 8 years OF age, ,is born
actor and orator. The little man, who
sound asleep and had TO be awakened from
his peaceful slumbers. But his eyes were
not dreamy nor was the big brain In that
little head dormant. A chair was fixed
for pulpit, big book laid upon il and
Stanley started In to preach "The Model
Sermon" taking for his text.
Old Mother Hubbard went to the cup
board,
To get her poor dog bone.
When she got there, the cupboard was
bare,
And so the poor dog got none.
The young preacher dissected his sub.
ject very adroitly, and presented II in all
its scientific aud theological phases. He
more 2han once convulsed the audience
with laughter and the applause
at the conclusion of his effort
was SO great that he had 70
come out and make an acknowledgment,
This yoang man's parents have reason TO
be proud Of such son. He gives evidence
OF that precocity which distinguishes un.
common genius.
Master Lang and Miss Lang, pupils Of
the Industrial school, sang = duet very
nratfiIu and Muster Roy Eoater dis