The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-04-12
VICTORY FOR ABEL.
Ke1Osha Boy Wins the DecIamatory
Contest at Racine Thursday
Evening.
HoLDERNBss WINS HoNoRs.

at the Last Moment was Awarded Third
Place.-Abel had an Easy Victory and
was Received with Great Enthusiasm
by all-Wlss Ellen Sleeves Of Union Grove
Gets Second PIace-The State Contest.
One hundred and seventy-6ve loyal
rooters of the KeDosha High school
went to Racine last evening to attend
the dec1amatory contest for the first
district of Wisconsin and when they
returned toward midnight the town
resounded with their shouts of victory.
Kenosha has made her entrance into
the dec1an1atory world and won her
first victory, fer when the Judges an
nounced their decision at the end Of
the contest last evening Theodore Abel
was named as the winner But the
honor for Kenosha did not end here
as Arthur Ho1derness, who had been
invited to enter at the last moment,
also won third honors and we will have
two representatives at the state contest
at Madison next May.
The crowd that went up from this
city was a Jolly one. There were old
men and maidens, young men and
children, and all were rooters. On
every lapel was to be seen the black
and red of Kenosha and large banners
of the same co1ors announced their
presence. The members Of the Board
OF Education, by their presence, added
dignity to the crowd, but when the
glorious victory of our speakers was
announced, they forgot their dignity
and Joined in the terrific shout of joy
that followed the announcement of the
decision.
The entrance Of the Kenosha crowd
to the hall was the event which caused
the trouble to begin. The Racine and
Kenosha crowds had large blocks of
seats and from the minute the rivals
got together pandemonium relgned.
| Shouts of defiance were hurled back
and forth by the supporters of the two
cities and every once in a while the
small crowd of rooters which accom-
panied the Union Grove speakers made
their presence known by the slogans
of the little town.
1t was BIS before the cheering had
| subsidized and Prof. Wiswa11. who had
been chosen to preside at the contest,
opened the evenings entertainment.
The first number on the program was
a solo by Miss Leach, of Racine. This
was followed by the first speaker,
| Leslie Wadewe11, of Racine, who de-
claimed "The Reply of Regulus to the
IC arthagians" followed by Miss Grace
Ellis, of this city, who spoke '"The
Black Horse and His Rider. Miss
Ellis did exceedingly we'll and won a
great deal of admiration from the
! crowd. She was followed by Miss
Blanche Roberts, of Union Grove. who
told the story of ''Patsy" by Kate
Douglas Virgins, in a very pretty
way. George Mcfarland, who was
counted as the start of the Racine
speakers, came next with the famous
Chariot race from Ben Hur. AS soon
as Nc Far1and had spoken the Kenosha
crowd began to nudge themselves and
it was evident that they considered the
victory of Kenosha assured. After
music by the Mandolin club Arthur
Ho1derness, of this city, spoke. Al
| T0OuQu TIC LdO uOI lOOASO cLI A4AS pCNN4A
since the contest was held here, he
made an excellent effort and the famous
eu1ogy of Beecher on the life of Abra-
ham Lincoln was never better present
ed. Although it had been announced
that there should be no applause after
the speeches the crowd could not be
restrained and the entire company
arose and cheered the Kenosha boy.
Following came speakers from Ra-
cine and Union Grove but the KenOsha
crowd were waiting for Abel and when
he came he proved himself worthy of
their admiration. His '"Toussant
IrOverture'' was the best thing of the
evening and when he sat down he was
hailed as the winner by the entire
crowd. The enthusiasm of the Keno
sha crowd could not be restrained AID
they continued the applause for some
time.
The contest was closed by Miss Ellen
Sleeves, of Union Grove, who acclaimed
the Rugg1es story by Grace Douglas
Wiggin. Miss Sleeves did splendid1y
and was a close second to the Kenosha
champion.
The judges of the contest were
the officers OF the Southeastern
Teachers Association and while
they arranged the result of the contest
impromptu musical selections were
given by members of the audience.
The judges finally reached their YER
dict and announced the first three
places as follows: Abel, of Kenosha;
Miss Ellen Sleeves, Of Union Grove;
and Ho1derness, of Kenosha.
With the announcement of the vic
tory the Kenosha crowd seemed to go
wild and as they hurried from the hall
to catch the cars waiting for them they
gave Racine a good taste of how to
celebrate.
Abel and Ho1derness will both go to
the State contest at Madison and the
Kenosha high school will probably
prove its right to lead the State.