Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-22
INDIANA QUAKER WINS PRIZE
Levi 7. Pennington of Earlhsm Col
lege Takes 0ratorical Contest.
H. F. COLEMAN, IOWA, SECOND
winner t. Newspaper Man and
PreRcher-Subject was "PeRce"
Creighton University IL
Host for the Meet.


Levi 7. Pennington OF Earlham college,
Richmond, Ind, woa the first prize of 500
Friday at the Interstate Oratorlcal as
sociation's thirty-eighth annual contest,
held in the Brandeis theater under the aus
pieces Of Creighton university. Mr.. Penning
ton is Quaker preacher and a senior in
the college he represented in the contest.
The second prize of $50 was won by Henry
F. Coleman Of Cornell college, Mount Yer
non, la.
The speakers were greeted with a full
house and the boxes were decorated with
flags and pennants OF the various colleges
taking part. Music was furnished by the
Creighton university orchestra and Hale
O'Reilly made a big hit by singing The
Holy City" and Mr.. Kelly"
Mr.. Pennington is q man of varied ex-
perience, having been a school teacher,
newspaper reporter and editor and
preacher Born in Amo, Ind, he went north
to Michigan at an early age, and was grad
uated from Manton High school. After his
graduation he taught school for six years
in order that he might get money to COM
plete his education. He then went into
newspaper work as a reporter for the Tray
ers City Record and was city editor of the
paper at the time he severed his connection
with the company.
Being of the Quaker faith, Mr.. PennlnE-
ton decided that he had a call to preach to
his people and took charge Of a small
church at Westand. Later he took up
similar duties at Wabash and Knightstown.
Ind. AT the present time he Is pastor of
the South Eighth Street Friends church in
Richmond, Ind. and is a senior at Earl
ham college.
Evolution of Peace.
His subject was '-The Evolution Of World
Peace" and that he thoroughly believed in
what he said could be told by listening to
him speak last night at the theater. He
depicted the horrors OF war and the unreas-
onableness Of going to war to settle disputes
and advocated the disarmament of the
United States as an example to the world
In order that the world peace might be
brought about. During his college course
he has won $500 in prizes given at oratorical
contests.
Henry F. Coleman. the colored speaker
OF the evening, represented Cornell college
OF Mt. Vernon, Ia, and he delivered a
forcible appeal for the negro saying that
although his skin was black he had as
clean a heart as any white man, and that
although his hair was knky 1t covered a
brain that could reason as clearly as any
white enc. He was born in Boone, Ia, and
was graduated from the Boone High school
In 1906. He won a scholarship to Cornell
college and is now in his senior year. He
has quite a reputation as an orator and
has won a number of state prizes.
The states which belong to the assocla-
ton are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mime
sofa, Ohio Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin,
Missouri and Kansas. AS the number of
states desiring to join the central organiza-
ton grew in numbers it was decided that
the number of speakers in the annual con-
test should be limited to seven, necessitat-
ing the elimination of three states each
year from the contest
The man who is selected to represent his
state is chosen because he has won in
intercollegiate contests and has been judged
the best oratorically in the colleges of the
state. Each Of the ten winners is required
to prepare an original address, which is
submitted to board of judges.
| How Judges Work.
This board is made up of the judges on
thought and composition, which eliminates
the three representatives of their respcc-
tive states which show the least degree
of perfection in thought and composition.
Those dropped this year were Minnesota,
Illinois and Missouri. The members of the
board are;
John e. swanger, state bank examiner
Missouri.
Prof, Vernon p. squlres, University OF
North Dakota.
Chief Justice Horace E. Deemer. supreme
court of Iowa.
Edward f. Dunno, Chicago. Ill.
Prof; Guy M Maxwell, president state
normal, Winona, MINI.
The judges on delivery were Prof Vernon
p. Squires OF North Dakota, Judge Deeme,
Of Iowa and Prof. Maxwell of Minnesota.
No announcement was made of positions
secured other than first and second.
Following is the list of speeches and tn,
order in which they were given:
THE Moulding Power" Karl w. Becke,
OF iWttenberg college. Ohio.
THE philosophy Of the Race Problem,
Henry F, Coleman OF Cornell college. Iowa
Matthews OF Creighton university.
"Poland's Offering to the American" Lev
SSietS SKY Of belot sSlege Wisconsin
Albion college, Michigan.
Lincoln. tho Master Politician" John A
Shields OF Ottawa university. Kansas.
THE Evolution of the World Peace" Lev
T. Pennington Of Earlham college, Indiana
]. Willis Hamblin of Manchester college
ST. Paul, Mimi, the stirring president Of tn
interstate association. presided and at tn
close of the exercises read a set of reso
lutions from the delegates, in which the!
set forth their appreciation for the kim
tres tment they received in Omaha
The new officers of the association are
President. Karl Becker of Wittenberg col
lege, Springfield, o.; vice president. G. w
PGrrett of Morningside college, Sioux City
Ia; secretary and treasurer, Henry r
Pasma OF Holland college, Holland, Mich
The next meeting will be held in Siou.