The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-05-19

INOIuluS SuCCccuS llhS SuSSCoo anu
John H. Booth has been successful
in all his undertakings, he goes at
his work with a will and with a
courage that knows no defeat.
The following sketch of his life
was written by Professor Sherman
Kirk A. M. head of the department
of classical Greek in Drake University
after Mr.. Booth had won the Inter
state oratorical contest in 1906.
John Henry Booth was born Aug
uts 25, 1880, on farm near Wichita,
Kansas, where he spent the first five
years of his life. From there his par
ents moved to Wichita, where they
lived four years, and then removed to
Oklahoma, settling on farm where
they remained until 1907. at which
time they went to Colorado Springs,
Colorado, their present home.
During their stay in Oklahoma
there were very few educational adj
yantages. Mr.. Booth, at the age of
eighteen. was notable to enter high
|er than the seventh grade in the
public schools of Colorado Springs.
He completed his high school wos.s.
igraduated aftn. Lne class or 1868.
AS student in the high school;
This life was one Of unusual activity,
having been chosen by his teachers
and classmates to fill many import
ant offices because of his fitness,
both by nature and culture, for lead
ership. At various times he acted as
athletic business manager, and was
for two years treasurer of the ath-
letic board. In military drills he was
promoted from private to corporal,
from corporal to fifth sergeant, and
then by an unusual step in cadet
promotions, he was elected first lieu
tenant of his company. He finally
attained the rank of major, the high
est position filled by cadet.
AS an orator, Mr.. Booth began his
career as declaimer during the
first year of his high school work.
He failed to secure place on the
program. Though defeated at his
first attempt at public speaking, he
determined to try again, and in his
|sophmore year he won first place in
declaiming and second place in the
State Oratorical Contest with the
GRAFTON, "a Man of Character" In
his senior year in the high school he
carried off the honors in oratory at
home and also won first place in the
State Oratorical Contest at Boulder,
Colorado. The subject of his grafton
was THE Sublimity of a Great Con-
viction'
In September, 1908, Mr.. Booth
entered Drake University, and was
soon recognized as winner in ora
tory. In 1904 he won first place in
thought and composition and also in
delivery in the Home Contest, and
carried first honors in the state I'M
| der the auspices of the Prohibition
| O#atorical Association In the Inter
state Contest that was held in Spring
field, Illinois, he was given third
place. The subject of his Grafton or
these occasions was Triumph
Through National Prohibition.
| In 1906 Mr.. Booth wrote an ora
ton, The Power of Conviction" with
which he won his greatest triumph
in oratory, securing first place in The
Drake University contest, and il tn,
state, and capped the climax of hi
oratorical career by winning first
place in the Interstate oratorical con
test held May 4th at Topeka, Kas
The interstate contest was a eli
max of two series of oratorical con
tests, the first of which was held il
seventy-tive colleges and universitie
in the states of Illinois, Nebraska
Wisconsin, Missouri Kansas, In
diana, Ohio, Minnesota, Michigan
Iowa and Colorado, and participate
in by $50 college orators. The sec
ond was series of eleven state cor
tests held in each of the above mer
toned states in which seventy-fiv
, orators spoke for honors and fro1
, which eleven speakers were selecte
to be the orators of the interstat
contest which was won by the sui
J ject of this article. So it may
: said that Mr.. Booth is the survive
| of the fittest of $50 college orator
: in eleven of the middle-wester
) states. 1t is the highest honor of il
, kind to be won in America. This vi,
tory for Mr.. Booth is no accident, br
: came as a result and reward of yeal
: of arduous effort.
: His record in twelve contests
: most admirable. 1t shows one failur,
lone second, and one first place i