The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-02-25
CLOSE CONTEST.
twenty-five Take Part in the
DeClamatory Contest.
The Medal Winners Are Enid Soaring,
Alta R0mack, R0bt. Thew and
Andrew Jameson.

The third annual county declama-
tory contest, open to scholars in the
district schools of the county, was
held at Normal hall Friday, and
was great success, The large hall
was filled by an audience numbering
fully six hundred, mostly from the
country districts and friends of this
or that contestant. The contest was
spirited, twenty-five having entered
the strife for the gold and silver
medals. The declaiming was uniform
ly OF high order, and those who did
not have prizes awarded them need
feel no encouragement on that ac-
count. Every one taking part de-
serves creditable mention.
The meeting was presided over by
County Superintendent Scherer, who
originated these contests and has
taken a great deal of interest in
carrying them to successful issue.
The program was opened with an
instrumental duet by Misses Wagon
and Jache, which was very well rem
dered.
Mr.. Scherer said that at the school
officers meeting in the afternoon
every man had been asked to remove
his rubbers, and that he would now
ask every lady to remove her hat, in
order that those sitting behind them
might be able to better see the
speakers. This was gracefully and
unanimously complied with. amid ap-
plause, and as result everybody had
a much better view.
Mr.. Scherer also asked the audience
not to applaud the speakers, as some
of these had come from long dis
tance and had fewer friends in the
audience than some others might
have. This request was also complied
with, and thus no speaker received
more or less demonstration than an
other.
The boys came first on the program,
and the following was the order of
the speaking:
Stephen Thorstensen, dist. 40, "Cen-
tennial Grafton"
. Andrew Jameson, dist. 66, liking
Bruce and the SPIDER
Rodney Stevens, dist. 8, Barbara
Fritsche."
Delbert Edwards, dist. $50, Med
dies Thanksgiving"
Arno Schroeder, dist. 81, 1.-THE En-
gineer's Story"
Robert Thew, dist. "a, "Indepen-
dence Bell"
Allen Merrell, dist. 26, "How the
Parson Broke the Sabbeth."
Lester G. Davies, dist. IL, Sparta
Gus Address,"
Jay Kerns, dist. II, Douglass and
Marmion."
Almeda Mccall, dist. II, "The
Black-Eyed Rebel"
Eta B. Griffith, dist. IL "Wreck
OIL Uue deSperuS.
Bessie Weller, dist 100, "How Mrs.
Smart Learned to Skate"
Lille Weber, dist. $50. ga Doll
Talk"
Lulu Reisenbigler, dist. so, every
Peculiar Neighbor."
Myrtle Mills, dist. II, 1.-THE Swan
Song"
Myrtle Force, dist. "a, "Polish
Boy"
Maud Louer, dist. 40, "The Light
From Over the Range"
Ethel Davidson, dist. it. 80, "Guilty
or Not Guilty"
Nellie Houk, dist. 81, "One of the
Heroes"
Enid Soaring, dist. $50, ''Old Ace"
Alta Romack, dist. 3, "Scotland's
Maiden Martyrs"
Bessie Mastin, dist. 26, "The Last
Hymn"
At the conclusion of the program
President Soaring proposed that the
audience applaud all the speakers at
once, which was done with will.
The judges, County Superintendent
J. M. Nye, of Wells, Prof. G. F..
Koehler and Miss Clara Kelly, of
MankaJo, then retired. Shortly af-
forwards they returned, and Supt.
Nv. announced that the girls first
piz n gold medal, had been award
~ l. Erid Soaring, the girls second
prl2' a yer medal, to Alta Romack,
IL bo>'s irst prize, gold medal, to
RubtIL ! h, v, and the boys second
Il. ~ YER medal, to Andrew
} u,l,un County SUPP. Scherer pre-
toti, ntaols, and asked the four
@iuhtIs lt meet him in the afternoon
to ha,t a,Icup photograph taken.
Vim. Hol Snn b, a humorous lee
tul'I, II = f.tr ~ gagged to lecture
btt,r, -. 500 h u MinnesotaTe
er>' A,,ul, ~ March 18th. The
>uciotn NJ, n Mankato March
Is halo 10 Nj. Sn it'll is the au-
bnor Of "Eyo,u,iu Dodd."