Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-07-18
THE GRANGE
Conducted by
J. w. BARROW. Chatham. N. r..
Press Correspondent Neao York Stdte
Grange
PRIZE SPEAKING CONTESTS.
4 Suggestion Which Has Many Posi-
hilities In 1t.
[Special Correspondence. ]


The grange is training school for
public speakers. Many man can
trace his initial effort along that line
to the opportunity for debate. recita-
ton or extempore speaking offered in
and by the grange It may not have
developed many orators, but it has
given self poise and confidence to many
who have found themselves quite at
ease in public address.
This being so, should not the grange
endeavor to bring out its latent ability
and develop the talent for public speak
ing which it may not know 1t pos
sesses, and where such talent is al
ready evident should it not be en-
couraged in every legitimate way? To
this end suggestion.
At the next meeting Of the state
grange In every state let the executive
committee or special committee be
empowered to formulate plan where
by there shall be prize speaking con-
test at the following session Of the
state body in which the contestants
shall be chosen from Pomona oranges
where on a previous date like prize
speaking contest had been held, its
contestants being chosen from sub
ordinate oranges In which also such
contests had been before held, or, to
reverse the order, each subordinate
grange that cares to enter the contest
should first have competition among
It's own members to determine which
one should represent the grange at the
Pomona public speaking contest.
At some Pomona session, regular or
special, there should be a speaking
contest for representation at the state
grange. 1t is unlikely that every sub
ordinate grange would have contest
ant. At any rate, not more than ten
competitors should be allowed at the
Pomona contest, nor at the state
grange should more than ten speakers
be permitted to contest for 1lonors.
There might be more than ten Pomona
oranges to have representatives at the
state contest, but if there were the
others could be represented the follow
Ing year. The state grange should offer
either a cash prize or a medal or both
for the best three speakers. The Po-
mona grange should pay the expenses
Of its contestant to the state grange,
which will be a sufficient honor for any
winner in the Pomona contest.
The prizes should be awarded for
originality of thought as well as elocu-
tionary art, and therefore only original
essays or orations should be consid-
cred, not memorized selections. Sub
jects might be confined to any of the
great public reform questions of the
day, not necessarily pertaining to the
grange. however. A further step might
be taken in having national grange
speaking contest, the winning competi-
tors in each state grange contest being
representatives. Here would be an
honor, indeed, for the fortunate prize
winners, and an elaborate medal should
adorn the breast of the first honor man
or woman.
This is a crude plan briefly outlined,
but the idea is what we are after, and
this article may lead to development
of it. The highest good would accrue
to the several contestants in the train
ing they would receive in the perpara
ton and presentation of their literary
productions. ]. W. D.