The morning call., 1893-11-12
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Newspapsrs are, or should be, educators
of the people, and in many ways can the
periodicallwhich is daily left on your door
step serve its mission. Recently THE
CALL offered three prizes for descriptive
manuscripts. 1t was believed that the
young men and young women of Califor-
MIA, vyEig with one another to see who
should make the best appearance before
the pIblic, would take greater pains with
theirwoTk than if the same was Intended
only for teachers eye or for read
ing before a limited audience. Few
school or college essays are ever heard of
byInore than Two or three thousand per-
sons, while the descriptive articles which
appear in these columns to-day will be pc
rhsed by at least 100000.
The belief that great care would be taken
with the sketches has been fully borne out
and the result will be gratifying to readers
of this newspaper. for it shows high or
der of talent in the coming generation of
CahfOrnians.
1t was three weeks ago that the descrip-
tive contest was started. the same to be
enen for fortnight. The only restric-
tions were that the contestant be under %
years of age. and that sketch should not
exceed 2CO0 ords. Three prizes we're Of
feEed; one Of S25. second of SIS, aud a
third of SIC. and it was announced that
such additional manuscripts as were mPri-
torious would be published if space could
be found for them.
Within one week from the time the an
nouncement was made the competitive ar
ticles began coming in, and by last Sunday
evening large mail sack was filled with
them. Hundreds had been received. and
when they were perused it was found
that at least $50 were excellent. To pick
the prize-winners from these and to
select which ones should be used
took much time. After all it was
found that several sketches for which
there was no room, and which were we'll
worthy of publication. would have to be
cast aside. II was with regret that this
was done, and it was only because of the
demands of advertising and news matter.
In order TO show appreciation for num-
Der of pen pictures that lack of space pre-
vents being used mention OF them and of
their author is made in another column.
To select the prlze-winners five persons
were appointed-four members of the
editorial staff and one outsider. The best
of the stories were read by them separ-
ately, with the following result: All five
pronounced John London's sketch as wOr-
thy of the first prize. Three voted for Jes-
sic a. Ryan's pen picture for second prize.
and two believed Edward Higby's story
of mountain ride should be rewarded.
Three favored giving the third prize to
Beatrice Reynolds, while one believed
it should go to Ida A. Alexander for her
streetcar sketch and one thought Jessie
Lynne Gordon should have it. The ma
iorty ruled. of course, and SO the prize
winners stand:
First Prize-John London Of Oakland.
Second PriZe-Jessie A. Ryan, Stanford
University
Third prize Beatrice Reynolds,
Berkeley.
The pen picture by Nj. London is an
excellent piece of work. In his letter to
the editor he writes:
This is neither an imagln airy sketch nor a
copy from travellers notebook, but an actual
storm through which the sealing schooner
Sophie Sutherland passed off the coast of
Japan, 1 being before the mast as boat puller.
John London is II years and months
of age. He lives at 1921 Tweniy-second
avenue. Oakland. His, mother brought
his story to the editorial rooms during the
last week of the contest, and as she
handed it to tho editor she said: John
has often wished he could write about
what he has seen"
But little attention was paid to the
manuscript at the time. 1t was not well
written, there was no thing attractive about
its appearance and it was placed away in
the mailbag. But when John London's
story of "a Typhoon off the Coast of
Japan" was carefully read there was only
one comment and that was Excellent"
The writer made one mistake. He used
the present tense. This. it will be noticed,
has been changed to the past. In a story
which covers different periods of time the
past tense is the better and the stronger.
For the writer of the Second-best story,
Miss Jessie A. Ryan of Stanford Uni
versitY. there is also much praise. Mr.
London had the advantage. inasmuch as ne
described something he had seen, whereas
Miss Ryan's pen was prompted only by
imagination. The strongest passages in
Dickens works are those describing what
he had seen, and so it is with other
writers. But little criticism can be offered
regarding Miss Rvan's pen-picture and 1t
reflects credit not only upon herself but
upon the university where she is student.
Regarding the third prize story but
little need be said. 1t speaks for itself.
is an unaffected tale, a pen picture tnat
one who has seen these rambling old
towns can recognize in an instant.
And now, reader. you have an interest
ing hour before you reading the pen pic
lures contributed by the young women
and young men. They speak well for Cali
tornia. TIE CALL is proud of them and
believes You will be when you have fin
ished.