The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-01-29
THE RURAL SCHOOL CONTEST.
A Large Crowd Was Present and
Much Interest Taken in
the Contest.

Much Interest Taken i'll
the Contest.
1t was with considerable misgiv
ings that the postponed rural schoo
declamatOry contest was announced
to be held in the opera house in this
city. last Saturday afternoon, as il
was feared that the attendance
would be light on account OF the
postponement and the fact that many
town people could not attend on Sat
nrday afternoon, but to the surprise
of ali the opera house was filled.
nearly every seat being occupied.
There were fifteen entries in the
declamatory contest, but on account
of sickness and other causes four or
the contestants could not be pres
eHt All Of the contestants did we'll
and deserve praise for their efforts.
The judges Of the contest were Miss
Georgia Stewart, Of Humeston, Prof.
r. P. Reed, Of Osceola. and Prof. E.
W. Nevelin. of Lamont. They award
ed first place to Doyle Brown, Of
Center township. his selection being
''Bif Perkins Toboggan Slide and
the little chap cOnvulsed the big
audience by the inimicable manner
in which he told the story. He was
easily entitled to the first place. Sec
0nd place was awarded to Miss Dora
Manchester. of New Buda township,
her selection being Busy Body
and she did splendid with this selec-
ton. Although there were but two
prizes offered. the judges thought
that Miss Lois Smith, OF Franklin
township, was SO good with Bill
Smith, that she was awarded third
place, and the decision Of the judges
met with the approval of the big
audience. The winners were congrat
ulated by their friends and they nat
urally felt good over winning out.
The contest developed that the rural
schools were right up and coming in
declamatory contests as we'll as the
city schools, and while all the con-
testants could not be awarded prizes,
the experience and training they re-
teiyed will be OF much value to
them.
After the declamatory contest
tkere was a spelling match in which
more than twenty contestants were
entered from all parts of the county,
the words being given out by Miss
Frances Sears and Mrs. Ina Spring
er. Margaret Aten Of High Point, and
Miss Genevieve Fogleman, of Deca-
,ur township, and they were closely
matched, but finally Miss Fogleman
went down on an easy one and Miss
Aten was declared the winner, while
Miss Fogleman got second place.
There was but one contestant in
che rope tying contest, Raymond
Hazlet. of Eden. so he won easily.
In the essay contest for the prizes
offered by the Decatur County His
torical Society, Ward Stanford, of
Eden, won first and Nina Winner of
Fayette second for the best STORY
Of Pioneer Life" For the best His
Tory of Township School, Louie
Cannon, Of East Eden, won first |
and Susie Heasley. Of Fayette, sec
ond. For the best "History of De-
catur County Town Schools" there |
was but one contestant, Dewey Long,
IF Leon, who was awarded both first |
and second prizes.
After all the prizes were awarded |
20 the rural schools the final sum-
ming showed that Miss Maude Stov-
er. One by one the contestants
vent down until only two were left,
Margaret Aten Of High Point, and
Hhom teach in Eden township, were !
led for the prize offered to the
eacher whose school won the most
'rizes, while Miss Laura Hacker Of
Franklin township, was second
The Crown school furnished some
EXCELLENT music during the afternoon
which was greatly enjoyed.
Capt. J. d. Brown. president Of
he Leon school board, awarded the
arlous prizes to the contestants, in
few well chosen words, expressing
is appreciation and approval Of the
ontest and the splendid work done
y the rural school pupils.
During the day the Office of the
ounty superintendent was crowded
y persons who desired to examine
lie rural school exhibits which were t
n display and many were the words
praise heard from the visitors on l.
le excellent work shown, and the :
lterest which the rural teachers and |
upils had taken in the contest, 4
hich reflects great credit on coun d
: superintendent, Miss Mabel Horn [
:, who worked faithfully to make
Re contest a success.
I
The executive committee of the