The Butler weekly times., 1896-12-31
A BRILLIANT SUCCESS
Was the Evolutionary and Ora
toricaI Contest at the Opera
House.

given at the opera house thlS season
none are more worthy of comment
and praise from the TINES than those
given Friday and Saturday nights.
The occasion being the first state
slecutionary and oratorical contest
of students of academies and high
schools.
For the FIRST night the contest was
in elocution. and there were FIVE con
testants, viz: Miss Reta holland,
representing the Rich Hill high
schools, subject, "Dead-name un
known" Miss Edna Doane, Butler
high school, subject, "Buzzard's
Point" Miss Bessie Claxton, Adrian
high school, subject, The Fate OF
Virginia Miss Mabel Richardson,
Butler Academy, subject, The Am
ateur" Guy Lewis. Kansas City
high school. The Soul of the Vic
lin
Hon. W. w. Graves. VIM. E. Wal
ton and Rev Clark, of Bolton, Pre-
siding Elder of this district of the
N E church south, were selected as
judges and Rev. Inflow, of the Baptist
church, presented the prize to the
winner,-$25 in new silver quarters.
Each of the contestants appeared
at their best, and the manner in
which they handled their subject
challenged the admiration of the
large audience present. But to be
frank and do all concerned justice, it
was readily to be seen that the con.
test lay between Miss Mable Rich.
ardson, of the Butler Academy and
Mr.. Lewis, of the Kansas City high
schools.
Mr.. Lewis is a young man with
rare talent as an elocutionist and bis
easy and graceful manner on the
stage and voice culture showed that
he had received the very best OF
training.
While this is true, Miss Richard.
son has had equal advantages and
when it was known that the students
of the Academy had selected her to
represent that school it was fore
gone conclusion that the person that
carried off the prize over her would
have to be something more than a
novice in elocutionary attainments
The judges were furnished blanks
for grading the contestants and Mr..
Lewis lost few points by his mem
ory failing him during the delivery
OF his piece, which gave Miss Rich
ardson the prize. $25 in bright new
quarters. MIR. Lewis was awarded
the second prize, q gold medal.
oRAToRICAL CONTEST.
In the oratorical contest which
came off Saturday night, there were
three contestants: Miss Mary Requa,
of Butler Academy, subject "The
Republic" Ralph Parker, of Kansas
City Central nigh school, subject,
"The New Birth of Japan" and Jack
Reavely of Rich Hill high school,
subject, The Gladiator" Mr.. Jack
son misunderstood the program and
delivered a defamation. This of
course cut him out of the oratorical
contest, and only the orations of
Miss Requa and Mr.. Parker were
considered
The decision of the judges was in
favor of Mr.. Parker. and the prize, a
purse containg $50 in silver was
to him by Prof. Starr, of
the Butler public schools. The sec
ond prize, a gold medal, was given
Miss Requa.
The judges in this contest were
Hons. c. A. Denton. Z. W. Silvers
and H. c. Clark. In the selection
of judges for these contests Prof.
was very careful to Eame
men in whom the public had the
utmost confidence, and VINO would
do what they believed to be right
and just in making the awards
A mention of this entertainment
would not be complete if TINES did
not returns the thanks of those pres
ent to Mrs ". E. Walton. who de.
entertained the audience
with a vocal solo.