The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-01
SOUTH DAKOTA IS
VICTORIOUS IN
CONTEST
M. Warren Winner of Inter
state Oratorical Contest
Last Evening.

The interstate oratorical contest
which took place last night in the First
Baptist church, resulted in victory
for South Dakota. NJ. Warren of Yank-
ton college who spoke on The New
Orient" taking first place, and J. F. T.
O'Connor of the North Dakota univer-
sity, who spoke on The Passing PERIL
taking second place.
From the standpoint of true ora
tory, probably no contest held by the
Western League of Oratory has ever
been more successful. The four ora
They showed that the Dakotas can
furnish young men capable Of think
ing deeply on questions of the day.
The church was we'll filled. The
pipe organ rendition of "Tannhauser"
by Miss Jane Smith is deserving of
praise. The same comment is also
due the vocal solo by Mr.. Smell and
the two numbers by the University
Glee club.
"Joan of Are.
George Norwell the first speaker for
South Dakota took for his theme, that
famous character, Joan of Arc. His
opening paragraph was brief eulogy
on freedom: THE conception of free
dom is the most important idea in his
tory" In the early years of Joan a
vision of freedom filled her mind-a
vision of freedom for France. He
then pictured conditions as they were
in France in Joan of Arcs time, show
ing how $50 years Of defeats in war;
fare had impoverished the nation.
How are the mighty fallen!" But
Joan of Arc, to whom the angels had
spoken, departed from her peasant
home, placed herself before the dis
spirited Franch army and turned de-
feat into victory for France. Truly,
the work Of Joan of Arc has been one
of the miacles of history!
The speaker then showed how the
work OF Joan of Arc had made posi-
BILE later the French revolution. and
how her work had served to mould
the fortunes even of our own United
States, for this nation might never
have been born had it not been for
the timely help OF France.
But Joan's greatest legacy to civili-
cation is her character. She could
have chosen a life of ease and free
dom from serious cares, but she chose
to heed the heavenly vision that urged
her on to life of heroic endeavor.
Washington" said the speaker, lis in
this respect the one parallel in our
country's history"
Joan combined all that is most
beautiful and tender in woman with
all that is most admirable in man.
In comparing Joan with Napoleon
the speaker said: Eternal justice
brought Napoleon to st. Helena. His
work was banished in night, but
Joan's work will continue to influence
the ages"
Lastly, he described wildly the
pathetic scene of Joan burning on the
funeral pyre. She was deserted in
the last fatal moment by those very
persons whom she had suffered much
to befriend. The speaker closed by
showing the analogy in many ways
between the death of Joan and of the
Savior himself.
Don Ford.
The second speaker of the evening
was Don Ford of North Dakota. He
had for his subject Dakota" and
treated it mastery. Going back fifty
years he gave a vivid description OF
the rapid development of the Dakotas.
Fifty years ago the vast stretch Of
land from the Missouri river to Penn
bina was. but wilderness. The only
evidence Of the white man was
scattering fur trader, representing the
Hudson's Bay company. He then
showed the character of the popula-
ton which first settled here. They
were mostly of German and Scan
dinavian nationality, with mixture Of
Irish and Yankees. They were wise,
brave, and God fearing men. The in
situations they established are found
ed upon rock. yet, said the speaker,
Dakota never would have been Da-
kota, had it not been for the noble
women who followed their husbands,
the pioneers" 1T is the duty of the
present generation to preserve the in
situations of their fathers" He show
ed further that it was the duty of Da-
kota to preserve the freedom of the
prairies. ''lt was the duty of our
fathers to conquer the wilds of the
wilderness. 1t is our duty to conquer
man" 49,. sxs
Mr.. Ford'sH grafton was given third
place. His GRAFTON was extremely
original; and one of which he may
we'll feel proud.
Frank O'Connor.
The last speaker of the evening was
Frank O'Connor, but he was not least,
as was shown by the decision of the
judges. He was given second place
on the subject THE Passing PERIL"
Nations" he said, ARE generated in