Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-04-11
ORAIOR|CAL CONTEST
First HOnors Carried OF By George
Green Of 81. Louis
Defamation CONTEST NEXT
And Final HoRorS Awarded to Edwin warren
Of Fremont

The sub-district oratorical contest,
held last Thursday evening at the
high school, was won by George
Green of st. Louis, who spoke upon
the subject, international Justice"
Alma's representative, John Ludwick,
was given second place. Mr.. Ludwick
gave an Grafton entitled The Nor
mon Menace" The defamation con-
test was won by young farmer boy
from Fremont, Edwin Warren, while
second honors fell to Howard Lyle of
St. Louis. Both contests were of an
exceptionally high order and not a
one of the eight young men that
spoke failed to hold his audience
through his entire speech.
The winning Grafton written upon
international Justice" dealt with the
wastes of militarism as contracted
against the vast amount of benefit
that would be received from the same
amount of money should the expense
Of maintaining a navy and army be
turned into channels for building up
the nation. Mr. Greene asserted that
a nations greatness was not meas
ured by the power Of its gun but
rather by the happiness and pros
perity of its people. The thought and
composition of this oration was easily
first, while the delivery was smooth
and pleasing
In speaking of The Mormon Men
ace" Mr.. Ludwick pictured Norman
ism as it exists in the United States
today. He pointed out its great
political influence and the possibili
ties that lay in the future before the
characterized Mormon hierarchy. The
speaker pleaded for an aroused pub
lie opinion to blot out the great evil
The thought and composition of this
grafton was not as strong as its de-
livery. When il is remembered that
Mr.. Ludwick got up from sick bed
TO appear at the contest and that his
efforts brought him two firsts and one
second on delivery, the high school
and the citizens of Alma may well
feel proud of their representative.
Alvin Holen of Big Rapids and Cliff
ford Gamble of Fremont were the
other two contestants. Both had
good orations and in delivery were
earnest
The defamation work was fine.
Every speaker handled his piece in a
way that made him more than a mere
talking machine. Edwin Warren, the
winner, gave AN Appeal to Inde-
pendence." The possibilities of the
sketch were far greater than those of
any other rendered during the even
ing Mr.. Warren worked them all out
and never once did he fall down. He
is natural speaker with a command
ing presence. The second place was
won by Howard Lyle of st. Louis.
"A More Perfect Union" he gave well,
but over training had taken from him
the ease of naturalness to such de-
gree that his work appeared little
superficial. Mr. Lyles splendid voice
combined with his intense earnest
ness, secured for him the place he
got Alma's man, Charles Dutt, for
some reason was not at his best, still
his work merits much praise. His
subject The American Flag" has
not in it the possibilities of the others
used.
The evenings program was COM
pleted with number of musical
numbers. The Misses Helen and
Marie Doane played a very pretty
piano duet, Under the Banner of
Victory" Miss McGraham sang a
solo, "Four-Leaf Clover" while the
Boys Glee club sang couple of
NUM- . DUH MlSS MCNidHdiH anu
the young men were enchored. The
judges for the contest were, on
thought and composition, Prof. r. d.
T. Holliser, Ann Arbor; Prof. John p.
Everett, Ypsilanti, and Supt. J. w.
Kelder, Mt Pleasant. On Delivery
Supt. F. c. James, Belding; Prof. c. S.
Darzelere, Mt. Pleasant and Prof. j.
E. Mitchell, Alma college. Prof.
Mitchell was secured for the third
Judge at the last minute, as Comm. c.
T. Cameron of Mt. Pleasant was un-
able to attend for the Ann Arbor
train on which he was to arrive was
three hours late