The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-03-04
The Oratorical Contest as
Viewed by Another

Friday night recently the annual orator
ical contest was held at the Caldwell High
School The contestants among the boys,
representing The first. second, third and
fourth years classes, were respectively.
Frank Powell, chose for his subject an ex-
tract from Pstrick Henry's Revolutionary
speech; Wilcoe Scanlon, whose subject
was "TheaLittle Brown Boy" Gordon H.
Barnes, who chose for his THE Execu-
ton of Montrose," and G. c. Bradley who
decided to accept the patriotic selection
known as Rags
The first year girls were represented by
Miss Francis Wagers whose subject was
can Old Sweetheart of Nine" Miss Mar
garet Covington who chose "a Sweet Girl
Graduate" Miss Nancy Shearer, who de-
cided on Kiplins's "Gunga DIM" Miss
Elizabeth Blanton whose theme was
Cupid and Dickey."
Every member of this oratorical fra
ternity, or sorority, as the case may be,
did exceptionally well. Miss Margaret
Covington carried off the honors in the
girls contest, and Mr. Wilcoe Scanlon
nailed the colors to the masthead for the
boys. The judges were Mrs. Eugene
Walker, Mrs. R. F. Johnson, and Prof.
Ireland from Stanford. Though the feel
ing ran high no attempt was made to as
sault the judges. The High School or
chestra added much to the enjoyment of
the occasion, calming the rebellious by
their melodious selections, when it seemed
that the pent up fury of the assembled
multitudes could not much longer be re-
strained. At intervals, the bowls of the
spectators were uncorked, uncanned, un-
confined and unintelligible, or we would
commit them to writing. Babel was not
only let loose, but had can tied to its
tail. Under the pandemonium the ears of
the enlisted were pounded to pulp. AS
no bones were broken, there is nc reason
to complain.
The girls did so we'll that the judges had
some difficulty in deciding to whom the
palm should be awarded. They were a
beautiful quartette, and we were led to
suspect that they were chosen because OF
eraces of figure rather as well as their
graces of speech, all of which is not
figurative When we thus descant upon
the beauty of our girls, we do not speak
in Pickwickian or in paregorical sense
If these four should ever become militant
suffragettes, they will break down an,
buwark of bold, beefy, blunt, brutal, bel
ligerent bachelors, or any other body Of
lawmakers, or law-breakers. All opposi
ton will vanish when these appear.
AS for the boys they are the hope O
the race. Demosthenese and Cicero are
not as great as any of them; that is to sa,
we would not exchange place with these
immortals, if we were the boys. A livt
boy is better than dead Cicero. Blu
they did their work well. and it is too bat
| that all cannot be first in the race. Suci
a contest does much for the rising genera
ton. To be able to speak well on one
| feet, that is while standing on ones feet
is a greater accomplishment than to b.
able to take city. If any of these boy
break into politics, with training at tn
hands of the INSCRIPTIONS, they may b
able to take city. 1t is to be hoped tina
under the guidance of Prof. Bridges ant
his helpers the boys and girls alike will b
encouraged to begin their preparation
every year for these contests, in the mos
painstaking way. A few more feats O
this sort and Madison county will hav
oratory for almost any occasion. Tim
forbids us to mention the work of tn
boys in detail, only if some benefactor c
the race could amputate boys hand
when he rises to speak. and put Their
back again when the speech is ended, h
would have monument planted on hi
chest by posterity that would play tenni
with the stars. But enough. The cor
| test is over for this year, and the best o
both sides won The nation will breath
easy another year, from this time on.
E. B. B.