The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21
THE HISTORY MEDAL CONTEST.
sIX HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WROTE
ESSAYS.

Jefferson Davis, the President OF
the COnfedracy," the Subject
Chosen by Confederate Daughters
for the Contest-Its Conduct Char
ncterized by Absolute Fairness
and ImpartiaIfty-The Name of the
Medal Winner May Not Be known
Before the Middle of This Week
The Public Exercises on June list.
Daughters Of the Confederacy to the stu
| dent of the High School writing the best
essay upon an historical subject relating
to the civil war took place at the Chatham
Academy yesterday. The contest was con-
Quoted under rules devised by the com
put every possibility of Partially or I'M
fairness out of the question.
The subject selected for the contest was
Jefferson Davis. the President of the Con-
federacy," and for several hours six High
School students labored, each seeking to
produce a creditab.e essay which would be
likely to meet with the favor of the judges.
The small number who took part in the
contest was a surprise as wen as cause
for regret to those having the matter in
hand as they had reason to expect much
larger number of participants. Some of
those who had announced their intention
of taking part failed to appear and others
gave various excuses for not doing so. If
any failed 10 take part for fear of any I'M
fairness their fears were entirely unwar-
rante1.
AS previously announced, there were
four topics from which a subject for the
essays was to be chosen by the five mem
bers of the committee, each voting by
means of a sealed envelope. When the
envelopes were opened at the academy
yesterday morning it was found that
there was a tie, Jefferson Davis" and
The Valley Campaign" having two votes
each, and Naval Engagements of the
Civil War" having one vote. The choice
between the two first named subjects was
made by drawing slips out of hat the
result being that Jefferson Davis, the
President of the Confederacy," was the
topic for the essay writer's.
The contestants were allowed no aid in
the way of books or notes, but were com
PEELED to rely entirely upon their memo
ries of what they had read and heard of
the subject For several hours they la
bored faithfully, and if every essay is
not worthy of a medal, it will not be be-
cause of the lack of earnest work on the
part of the contestants. 1t was after
o'clock when the last one had finished.
Mrs. Marie /. Branch president of the
Daughters of the Confederacy. was pres
ent for a time during the morning, and
Miss Addie NJ. Barnard remained IN
charge of the contest during the entire
time. Each contestant chose a number
which was written with the name upon
a card. the cards being dropped into a
sealed box. Only the numbers were plac-
ed upon the essays, so that the judges
will have no means of knowing who are
the authors of the six essays submitted
to them. The judges. who will pass upon
the merits Of these essays, are Prof. =.
s. Lucas of the Anderson Street school,
Capt H. c. Cunningham and Capt. U. II.
McLaws. The essays were turned over
to them in the afternoon, and it is ex-
pected that they will reach a decision By
the middle OF this week. It is intended
to present the medal to the successful con-
testant ON June l.
The six students who participated in
the medal contest are Caroline Miller.
Fannie Phillips. Gordon Haines Frederick
Doy4e, Walter Norton and Charlie Powers
In determining the successful contestant
the judges will each read the several es-
says separa tely, each judge noting his es-
innate of the percentage attained by each
writer according 10 the number of the
essay. After all three have passed judg-
ment uopn the papers a general average
will be struck, and the one obtaining the
highest percentage will be declared the
winner.