Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-11-07
The oratorioal Contest.

Last Saturday night occurred the
county oratorical contest, the object
being to select representative for
the annual teachers meeting, to be
held at Hill City during the Thanks
giving holidays 1t was the SUPPOSE
tion that five of the Phillips county
schools would be represented, but at
the last minute, two withdrew, thus
leaving the judges the difficult task
of deciding between three meritorious
contestants. The judges were Mrs,
VIM, Granger, Prof. Axllne OF Kr-
win, and MIR. y. A. Lewis. II their
judgment was not in entire accord
with that Of the audience, il is only
what is liable to occur IN any large
assemblage, for they were certainly
conscientious in performing their
part, Mr.. Tadlock opened the meet
ing with a few words explaining that
the young ladies would appear in al
phabetical order, this being decided
upon before the preliminary contests,
Thus, Miss Lolita Hood of Glenwood
township was the first to come before
the audience. Her selection was "phe
Last Hymn" and was probably the
most difficult of the three. Her voice
was sympathetic, her enunciation
good, and her gestures graceful and
almost beyond criticism. Her audi
ence paid her the high compliment Of
perfect silence, she, holding their
closest attention to the end Miss
Hoods recitation showed careful
training and in the opinion Of a large
portion of the audience she was
awarded first place. 1t is to be hoped
that her failure to attain it, will not
prove so discouraging to her that a
Phillipsburg audience may not again
have the pleasure of hearing her.
Miss Elba Nipps was the second
claimant for honors and her subject,
"Archie Dean," that we'll known tale
Of love and pique. Her rendition OF
it, the week before, had prepared the
audience for treat, nor were they
disappointed Her naivete and spright-
illness IN picturing the punishment TO
be melted out to the recreant lover,
gave rise to suspicion in the minds
of her friends, that should the occas.
ion warrant, Miss Elba would be
equal to the emergency and would
soon have him suppliant at her feet
She showed a well trained memory
and talent which merits further cul
tivation, in the pursuance of which
her friends hope for frequent oppor
, tunities of hearing her.
Miss Allie Wheaton Of Kirwin, wal
the third and last Of the contestants
Her subject "How She Raved," Miss
, Wheaton is possessed of dramatic
ability far above the average and bel
selection gave wide scope to thil
, talent. She portrayed the horrors Of
the drundard's home with force anC
viyidness, lacking in many temper
, ance lecture and brought to the
death-bed scence a pathos, not otter
excelled in an amateur. In pro
nouncing her the successful contes
tant, the judges had evidently strucl
a popular chord, for the decision WA
received with prolonged applause
The orchestra, which has become I
necessity to every gathering, wa
+ present aud dlscoursed their very
sweetest music, In truth, they have
} become public benefactors, 80 fire.
: quently have we received favors Of {
/ like nature from their hands
Prof, Riste, with characteristic en-
ergY, WAS general overseer, and t.
: him, belongs large share Of credit
for 80 successful contest.
1t is to be deplored that a church
was not available, as the court house
; was neither large enough to accomo
date the large crowd, nor suitable in
other respects for an entertainment Of
, that nature.