Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-01-20
LESTER c. DOERR
WINS GOLD MEDAL
Alma College Annual Local
Oratorical Contest a
Big Success.
OLD GLORY DEC CREATIONS
Ray +. Cheney Wins Second,
Morton G.. Ault, Third
Music Special Feature.

every way manly SiciltnlS tilItI lilJo
making such an occasion either pro-
nounced success or failure. In this
particular instance, however, all the
details connected with the event seem
TO have been we'll provided for. The
setting of this little oratorical drama
could not have been better conceived,
for more appropriate scenery would
be difficult to contrive than the i'm
mense American flag serving as a
gigantic, harmonious back ground for
the outpourings of true American elo-
quence. Indeed all the accessories so
necessary TO the ardent American
spell-binder were very much in eyi-
dence, for was not the speakers stand
draped with Old Glory, and was not
the huge pitcher of ice water and
glass also there TO add sign
ificance TO the occasion? How could
these future notables of America falt-
er in their eloquence with such a
background, and with an approaching
audience before them. Indeed the oc-
casion will go down in the history of
Alma College as a most notable event,
since never before has such a large
and representative collection of loyal
college men taken part in this annual
preliminary contest. Never before
has the spirit Of loyalty TO a college
activity been so noticeable These
men entered the contest not primar-
lily to win the gold medal, but to aid
in putting the college which they love
on firmer basis in this most inn
portant of activities. And well did
they succeed. for the impetus gained
by such successful event will
greatly stimulate all the other forensic
activities of the present college year
and the years to come.
Reference should also be made to
other details of the program such as
the musical numbers and the effective
way in which the presiding officer of
the evening contributed his share to
an evening of entertainment and real
profit. Prof. c. A. Nancy who opened
and concluded the program of the eve
ming with exhibitions of real genius at
the piano, greatly pleased his audience
which called time and again for en-
cores. Prof. Veatch as usual won his
audience with an especially we'll
chosen vocal selection, and in his I'M
usually sympathetic rendering of the
Invictus by Hum, made one feel that
the remarkably effective climax of
that song ought to be indefinitely pro-
longed Rev. w. II. Mason as the pre-
siding officer of the evening showed
his intimate knowledge of various de-
tails of procedure appropriate for such
an accession. He, however, refrained
with his characteristic modesty from
to the audience that it was
he who was offering the valuable gold
medal to the winner of the contest.
And this is surely the proper place to
show appreciation of his invaluable
aid and interest i'm affairs oratorical
at Alma College.
The audience also was an ideal one
in the receptive way that it
to the speakers. AT no time
was it restless, as is often the case
at contests Of this nature. And it is
true, as one in the audience we'll said,
that when the last of the ten speakers
had finished his grafton, the crowd was
as attentive and eager TO hear as at
the beginning of the contest This
speaks well for the orators, as the
style of delivery was not the gushing,
high-flowing and bombastic form of
expression which always disgusts an
audience. Rather it was more CONVEX
sational, natural, and we'll adapted to
the audience and place of delivery.
The men spoke as though they had a
real message and did not produce the
effect sometimes noticeable when col
lege orators in parrot-like manner con-
vey to the audience the impression
that a premium has been placed on
and that the delivering
of a message has been made a sec
cndary matter. The effectiveness
with which an audience is impressed
by a message is the real test of eff
fective public speaking and to all APP
pearances the audience on this oc-
casion rendered a most favorable de-
cision.
The following is list of the speak
ers as they appeared on the pregnant
The Cry of the Spanish American
Fluid Sanchez.
Americas Greatest Curse--Merrill
J. Hyde.
Plea for a Conservative Press
Homer NJ. Durham.
The Golden Rule in Business
Robert f. McAllister.
A Young Mans ProbIem-Ray +.
Cheney.
Revolt Against Mars-Verne l..
VanDuzen.
The College Mans Mission-Melvin
Vender.
Our Nations Creed-Morton G..
Ault.
The Future Of the American Negro
A. Warner.