River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-05-24
The District DeclamatOry
Contest.

Contest.
Nearly six hundred people sat for
two hours listening TO the speakers OF
the District Contest last Friday even
ing, only to be treated at the end TO a
decision that was so manifestly out OF
harmony with the merits OF the case
as to render it almost impossible for
the audience to submit. Without in
the least attacking the intelligence
or honesty OF the judges, and after
giving all due credit TO the excellent
rendering of the selection which was
awarded first place, we must still voice
our firm conviction that the judges in
their decision were very, very wide of
the mark. And we are not alone.
There are others. Every town repre-
sented was up in arms, and the re-
markable thing about 1t is the una
nimity of opinion as TO what the de-
cision should have been. New Rich
mond could never be accused OF
prejudice in favor OF River Falls, yet
New Richmond was unit in con-
demning the judgment and Ellsworth
and Hammond were Go less outspokeD
than New Richmond.
The contest was an excellent one.
The audience was large and enthusl-
astic, and remarkably impartial in its
applause. There were present about
two hundred from out of town, so
that each speaker had friends at
court. In another column will be
found the report of the judges, fur
nished us by Prot. Ames. 1t will not
be necessary, therefore, for US to take
up the speakers in their order. That
report shows the order in which the
judges placed them, and as to most OF
them no one will make serious obiec-
tion. While every piece was well
| delivered. some were pTe-eminently
so. 1.-THE Polish Boy and 1.-THE Light
from over the Range we're given in a
way to call forth the enthusiastic adj
miration of the audience, and, with all
due Difference to the judges, we fail
TO see where any of the other girls
could be placed ahead of the ones who
spoke these selections. Certainly
both girls showed a high degree OF
| dramatic and Evolutionary art, and
were deserving OF high place in the
markings. Our local speakers, Messrs.
| Reed and Weld, were exceptionally
strong in delivery. Their selections
were alike only in being orations.
| Otherwise, they were very diSsimilar,
and the speakers were dissimilar in
| their manner of speaking, but alike
| In their excellence. 1t was the opin-
| ion of the great majority of the audi
ence that Mr. Reed delivery of Wen
| dell Phillips great GRAFTON on Tous-
saint L'Ouverture easily placed him
at the head of the contest. We dc
not say this for. ourselves, but for the
| visitors who were here to cheer their
own pupils and friends, but who have
come to us and said it for US. With
out diSparaging in the least Miss
| Scott's speaking, which was certainly
| excellent, il seems to US that there
was neither the oratory nor the elocu-
tion in her selections that there was
| in several of the others, that the rem
dering of such pieces does not call for
| anything like the ability displayed in
the others. Yet the judges judged,
and that settled it. Had the audience
judged or even that portion of them
only who were visitors here, there
would have been different number
| placed at the head After all, the
| contest was worth all that il cost and
more. 1t is the first of its kind. Let
more follow. We are proud Of our
school and the other communities
have reason to be proud of theirs.
The result of the District contest
last Friday evening is good example
of how radically people may differ on
question and yet be perfectly honest
in their judgment. 1t is probably
true that so per cent of the audience.
no matter what their home, expected
the decision TO be given TO River Falls.
Yet the judges gave it to Miss Scott
of Hudson, and nothing could be fair
or than their method of making a
decision. The three judges were Supt
Stewart and Rev. Appelman of Still.
water, and Prin. MacLean of Prescott,
all disinterested parties. They sat in
different parts of the audience They
prepared their reports as the program
was being carried out, each judge
marking each speaker on basis OF
300 credits as perfect. They made
their final report without consulta.
ton, and their com bined judgment
gave the decision to Miss Scott.
The following is the final table OF
results as furnished by the judges,
| showing the rank of each of the con-
teStantS