The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-06-18
AWARDING THE MEDALS
In the McMahan--Sexon Prize
Offer to the Pupils Of the
Public School
FOR ESSAYS ON CHOSEN TEXTS
The Successful Contestants Read
their Productions Before a
Large Audience.

Mention was made some weeks ago
of the public spirited action of Z. A.
McMahan and w. B. Sexon in Offering
medals annually to the pupils of the
public school for the best essays upon
subjects selected by the donators, and
full particulars where then given of
the manner of the contest and the OBJ
ject of the originators. OF course that
object was to awaken spirit of friend
ly emulation among the scholars, an
emulation that could not fail to prove
beneficial to all contestants, whether
they succeeded or failed in carrying
off the honors. 1t has been the custom
to have committee go over and ex-
anime the essays submitted, and select
what were considered to be the three
best, thus naming winners for first,
second and third prize medals. The
manuscript is turned in without iden
tifying marks, hence there can be no
favortism shown in making the selec-
tion. When the decision is rendered
the three prize winners are required
to read their several productions in
public.
1t was the intention this year to have
the award made and the essays read
the last day of school, but owing to the
multiplicity of school duties, and the
field meet that was to follow at River
side the next day after the end of the
term the reading of the essays and the
and award of prizes had to be post
poned a week, and took place in Sigrst
hall last Friday evening. There was
not as large an attendance as was to
be expected upon an occasion of the
warded by the excellency of the pro-
gramme, not the least interesting be-
ing the reading of the essays upon the
subject selected for text. That sub
ject was Opportunities of Washing
ton" The committee appointed to
pass Judgment upon the merits of the
contributions were Rev. H. Nj. Course,
Prof. w. NJ. Savage and A. Parker
Murray. A number of contestants
entered the lists, and from the docu-
ments submitted three were sfted out.
The first prize fell to Miss Alice Hor
rigan, the second to Miss Blance Bis
SELL and the third to Miss Marguerite
Williams. The efforts of this trium-
verite of young ladies' were very cred
table, and each of the prize winners
given a hearty and tlattering ovation.
The subject was one of large poSsi-
bilities in the way of expansion and
elaboration, and the young authors
well written and equally as well de-
livered, and were all so good that the
audience realized that the Judges had
no easy task in arriving at a conclu-
sion. However, the choice, so far as
those present have been heard to ex-
press themselves, gave general salts
faction. The readings were inter-
spersed with vocal and instrumental
music. Mrs. |. w. Follis, Miss Jessie
Mae Sigrist and Glenn Mitchell sang
solos, and were compelled to respond
to encores. The orchestra, made w
of Prof. Remington, viOlinist, Frank
Bartell, cornetist, and Mrs. Jas. Irving,
pianist, rendered choice music through
out the evening. At the close of the
exercises the hall was cleared and dane
ing indulged in until a late hour.