Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-19

| correct answers remarked on the
paucity of errors There were many
| right behind the lucky fifty who won
prizes whose work In the contest was
excellent. Their names would be
| printed and an honorable men
ton" appended were it not for the
fact that In the judgment of the
proverb editor 1t would be scant
consolation for them to know that
they had come SO near to winning q
prize without actually succeeding.
One thing was noticed in going over
the answers. 1t was noticed particu-
larly because sorters, proverb editor
and Judges were looking for 1t. Thai
was the absolute necessity Of con-
testants arming themselves with
proverb books. Without the hand
books success in the contest was i'm
possible. Many, many contestants
displayed their ingenuity and the
fact that they had puzzled and
studied over the proverb pictures by
the closeness with which they came
to solving the proverb pictures cor
reetly. But no solutions We're con-
sidered unless worded in the identi-
manner In which the proverb book
gave Them
It must also be remarked, however,
that in many cases the proverbs APP
reared twice in the book, although
worded differently. ~There was moth
ing for contestants to do with regard
TO these proverbs except send in both
answers.
Possibly the most common error
that contestants fell into was sub
hitting more answers than the rules
permitted Each contestant was per-
mitted to send in only 100 answers,
and those who forwarded more than
that to this office were ruled out of
the contest Immediately According
TO the sorters, however, the ruling
out of those who broke this particular
law had scarcely any effect on the
final result of the contest.
Other contestants fell into the pc
culiar error of sending in duplicate
answers. That is, when their inten-
ton was to send in, say, three an
swers they made mistakes in tran
scribing them from their first drafts
and submitted the same answer IN
duplicate or triplicate. This did not
necessarily rule the contectant out.
The evident error in copying his an
swers, however, destroyed his chance
of striking the correct answer in the
three tries that were given.
OF mistakes in spelling and pune
tuation little need be said. Most of
these mistakes were due to careless
ness. Whatever the cause, faulty
spelling and punctuation caused the !
downfall of many contestants. There |
was so little knowledge of English |
needed to carry out the provisions OF |
the contest that it would seem almost !
impossible for any person of ordinary |
education to fail to succeed after ar |
irving at the proper answers to the
proverb puzzles. Many did. however,
and their glaring errors caused their
answers to be marked incorrect as
soon as they came into the sorters'
hands.
Many Failed on Wording.
Many persons, on. the other hand,
submitted neat answers with SPELL
ing. punctuation and grammar cor
rect. but fell down on the wording
of the proverbs. The following were
the most frequent errors noticed:
Proverb Ito hit the nail on the
head. A common error was to omit
the first word to
Proverb 26-He that always com,
plains is never pitied. The use OF
"who" instead Of that" destroyed
the chances of many contestants.
Proverb 2S-Kill two birds with one
stone. just the converse of the mis-
take made in answ ering Proverb 10
was made in this one That is. many
contestants worded their answer, ITO
kill two birds" etc.
Proverb S2-Man gives nothing so
willingly as advice. The solutions
submitted to this proverb were divers
and many
Proverb 34-If you play with boys
you must take boys play. The use
of the singular possessive spoiled this
answer for many.
Proverb 3S-He that has no charity
merits no mercy. A great number
who competed used the old-fashioned
hath for "has' in this proverb.
Proverb 40-Old men for counsel,
young men for war. A mistake that
ness marred the otherwise correct an
swers many submitted to this. In.
stead of counsel" many used the
word council"
Proverb 41-Married in haste, we
may repent in leisure. The use of
the word marry spoiled many a
correct answer to this proverb
Proverb 4S-Nothing comes out OF
the sack but what was in it, Many
contestants started their answer to
this: There came out of the sack moth
ing.
Proverb 44-He is a good friend that
speaks well of us behind our backs.
A common mistake was the use of
who for that"
| Proverb 50-Be sure you're right.
then go ahead. Many said: Be sure
your right.
1t Was a Grand Success
Now that the contest is over there
are many things that one might say
of It, OF course. it was a grand sue
cess. Then nobody who entered the
contest has any right to feel
disappointed with failure to win
a prize. Above have been given
the principal reasons for fail
ure. and fair-minded persons who
read them cannot but agree that
whoever stumbled in his or her at
tempt TO solve the proverb pictures
did so because of careIessness or some
other reason If. the proverb contest
does nothing else 1t will teach many
thousand persons who entered it the
value of accuracy and care. a lesson