The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-20
HIGH SCHOOL ORATORS.
Mr.. Leo s. Harvey Won the
Medal In the 0ratorical
Contest Yesterday.
HIS SUBJECT FIN De Steele"
Forensic Society Celebrated
Its Quarter of a Century.
w. D. Edwards
Address.

The opening meeting of the Forensic
Society of High School, which has been
in existence for a quarter of a century,
was held yesterday afternoon in the school
on Bay street. 1t may be very tr~uthfully
said that the orations delivered were
bright and interesting. The participants
in the contest for the medal, which was
given by Mr.. w. S. Baker and F.. w.
Klein, handled their subjects in a mastery
manner. Their delivery, too, was adj
mirable. The winner of the medal was
Mr.. Leo S. Harvey, whose subject was
Fin De Steele" He also won the medal
last year. In delivering his Grafton, he
walked up and down the platform like a
thoroughly experienced speaker. His
speech was rather slow. There were man
present who were inclined to hin that
Mr.. Samuel Heyman, who spoke on Uni
versal Peace should have been the
recipient of the prize. AS Mr.. w. E.
Drake said when he announced the win
ner. The contest was exceedingly close
Principal Hopkins awarded the medal
with a few appropriate words. Then the
classmates of the successful orator got
in their fine work. with a dozen kinds of
yells, suggestive of Indians on the war
path. For a time there was a battle royal
between the Forensic and the Pierian
Societies. and their yells ~resounded
throughout the whole building.
The school rooms on the top floor were
crowded when the exercises. which were
to celebrate the twenty-ffth anniversary
Of the society, which occurs on January
p, began. The programme was lengthy,
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did very well. The instrumental solos
were especially fine. The feature. how
ever, was the address of ex-senator w.
D. Edwards, who began in a most anus
ing strain. He said in part;-"I have
just learned that the members of the
Forensic Society. are like Rip Van
Wrinkles children of the hills. all boys.
As came up the palpitating stairs, they
seemed to me like Jacobs ladder. l
thought | would never reach the top.
1t does not seem strange that the mem
Der of the Forensic Society, are all boys.
for the ladies, you know, need little
practice in an oratorical line. We live
in a day when oratory is thought ITO be
dead. NThe orator of today instead OF
swaying the mind of those before him,
| speaks to thousands whom it would be
impossible to bring them within hearing
one Who intends to address an audience
must be informed. No man can convince
men, unless he is convinced himself. A
good form of cratory, is to say something,
stop and sit down. But be sure you
say something Opportunity makes the
orator, and occasion has brought out
| great speeches."
He then referred to the famous adj
dress of Mark Antony at Caesars burial,
and to the. speeches delivered by Abraham
| Lincoln and Patrick Henry.
ITO the young men who think to leave
High School and follow oratery as a pro-
fessioh through life,' he added. my adj
vice is, don't, don't. Anyone who expects
to succeed in Forensic work must expect
battles with theworld and to have struggles
in the face of adversely. There are count
less disappointments to be met and many
a hard opponent to stand up and do battle
with. If there is a city that needs ora
tory, and where it can be put to good use
it is the one in which you reside To be
an orator, you must have confidence Ga
dies do not need it,, be bold, but not too
bold"
Mr.. Edwards address was duly apreci-
ated.
There were present members from the
Delphian, Pierian, Forensic and Alpha
Sigma Societies.. On the committee in
charge were:-J. Merritt Lane Chairman;
Samuel Heyman. Ernest w. Leland, Fred
erick Stephens and A. Vincent Rochester.