The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-03-08
School Children of Westmin-
ster West Read and
Spell in Public
JUDGES AWARDED
INCOME OF 81, 1000
Competition Provided for by Will of
Former Resident, the Late Edwin
Wilcox of SomerviIle, Mass, at Sug-
gestion of His Wife
Especial to The Reformer.)
WESTMINSTER WEST, March s.


The first competitive exercises for
the Wilcox fund prizes by the public
school children was held in the town
hall Saturday evening and was largely
attended. This interesting event was
occasioned by boquest In the will of
the late Edwin Wilcox. Mr. Wilcox
who was a native OF Westminster West.
died about wear ago and his body was
brought here for burial, as was that of
his sister, who died few years pre-
vious. They had made their home in
Somerville. Mass, but had ALWAYS kept
in touch with their old home here
through relatives. The leaving of mon
cy to schools here in this way was Mrs
Wilcox S idea In his win he left So
600 to the church, Library and Gene
Itery associations of Westminster West.
and $1,000 to the schools, the interest
of 5000 each year TO he divided as
first and second prizes for the best
readers, and the interest of the other
5000 in the same manner to the best
spoilers, the exercises to be public and
the prizes to be awarded regardless of
the ages of the pupils. So the pupils
| OF all grades from > 70 : took part i'm
| the exercises Saturday evening
! The Library association. which has
the funds i'll charge, appointed com.
lnlttee to take charge of the exercises.
/ The committee consisted OF the district
superintendent of schools. Fred l..
Drew of TOwnshend. and tile two local
/ teachers, Miss Gladys Deal and Miss
/ lola Gleason. This committee selected
the Judges, who were Rev. Ida Lewis
!of Westminster West, Mrs Mary Wash
burn Of PutBey ana Mrs Carrie MT
, ting of Westminster, east village! 4thr
last two being former superintendents
of schools for this town.
The evening 5 program began with
introductory remarks by Harlan Good
hue, president of the Library associa-
tion. He spoke about Mr.. Wilcox and
his sister. both of whom had attended
these schools. Then Superintendent
Drew took charge of the exercises. lie
said he was pleased to inaugurate these
Icontests. He then announced that the
reading would be first; that the Judges
had chosen a different selection fol
each pupil from the reading books they
had used in school. He said the iudgcs
would consider three things i'm award
ing the prizes: First. general appear
ance of the child on the stage, posi-
tion, etc; second, pronunciation, enun
citation and quality of voice; third. ex
ipression.
After the reading came the spelling
, contest. All the children were arrane
ed in semicircle on the stage. Supt
Drew announced that the words woul,
be taken from the spelling book uset
in the schools; that two opportunitie
L would he given to spell each word i
spelled wrong the second time the pu
ipil must be seated.
AS the money has not yet been Il
interest year the prizes were not n
large this time as they will he later
The first prizes were $l0.67 and tn
second prizes were $5.33.
The decision Of the judges was an
Z nounced and the prizes presented b.
t Miss Lewis as follows:
J. For reading-First, George McElroy
t age y years, eighth grade; secont
f Doris Chapman, age 10 years, sixt
? grade.
e For spelling-First. Gilbert Holder
:. age IA years, eighth grade; SECOND
/ Bessie Bond, age is years, eight
d grade.
Is In closing the exercises, which wer
exceedingly interesting, Miss Nelli
1t Houghton, secretary of the Library a
le sociation. moved that q vote of thanl
m be extended to the committee in chare
le and to the judges, which was respont
ed to by 4 unanimous standing vote.