News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-01-25
THE SPELLING CONTEST.

Inc iolloWingIeport of the Spelling
Contest is furnished us by Principal
browne of the Stowe High School =
The Hersey Spelling Contest was
heldjn the Auditorium, Stowe, Vt,
Friday evening, Jan. 20, 1905. The
cup again, for the third time, was
won by Stowe High School. We all
feel, considering the way it was con-
Quoted, that it was by no means a
satisfactory spelling contest.
Since there is some misunderstood
ing in regard to the objections made
to the terms OF the contest, we would
like to state the facts.
Unexpectedly, to US at Stowe,
about two weeks before the date of
the contest, we were informed that
the work would be partly written.
For several reasons, especially as it
would not be interesting to an audi
ence, the people of Stowe and all con.
cerned, decided that we would not en-
ter the contest under those cond'-
tions. We would thus leave it FRI g
for the other schools to compete. As
the management of the contest after.
ward decreed that all OF the spelling
should be oral, then the Stowe team
was req ~ to enter. With the under
staudtng that the conditions of the
contest should be nearly the same7as
the conditions Of last year, We secured
large house, the proceeds to 90 to
the one who donated the cup. At the
last moment it was announced that
the contestants must spell from the
dictionary each word on the page in
order, instead of from aspelling book
as in previous contests.
The Stowe team and friends object.
ed TO this method, as it would be
largely a guessing rather than
spelling contest Is was expected. AS
the dictionary contains every word
in the EGglish language, many of the
words would be very uncommon.
The Principal of the Stowe School
and the team were willing that any
book should be used. We bad no
preference as to what speller should
be used, but we objected to the die
tionary. To the use of the spelling
book the other parties would not
consent. Finally after some discus
sion the Stowe team consented to
spell even under the condition which
the others wished.
Very soon after the spelling began,
nearly the entire audience was
thoroughly disgusted with this meth
Cd Also at the end OF the first spell
ing period, the spoilers of all the
Teams earnestly asked that they be
al owed to spell from a spelling book.
TO this Mr.. Hersey agreed, but the
Principals of the Lamoille Central
Academy and Peoples Academy
would not consent. Then the audi.
ence, aroused to the highest pitch of
Indignation, demanded what all the
spoilers wanted, that they be allowed
tospell practical common words from
some book. lie then used the book
he intended to from the first. Hence
it is no more than just that those
who were present Friday evening
should know the facts. ...,
1t is really too bad that the schools
of three adjoining towns cannot come
together to contest in a friendly man.
ner. The members of the teams did
seem to be friendly, and much credit
is due to the young people of all the
schools. An evenings entertainment
which might have been very pleasant
and profitable was turned into a
meeting of almost disgraceful hostile
feelings. With all respect, we say
that it is a pity that two or three
should have stood out so against,
the wish of all the teams and the en-
tire audience and that which would
make the contest fair and interesting,
Stowe missed seven words and
HYDE Park and Morrisville each nine.
One word credited to Hyde Park as
spelled wrong was "surloin, it being
held the proper way of spelling it was
'sirloin." The dictionary gives it
both ways.
Tl,;, ,>o,or Opo upar G1 90