The Mena weekly star., 1919-03-27
ENTHUSIASTIC IN
 SCHOOL CONTESTS
Big Auditorium of Baptist Church Wholly Inadequate to Hold the Crowd That Sought to See and
 Hear-The Winners.

well Tn the lead of the material de- velopment of the county was forcibly demonstrated Friday night on the oc- casion of the Third Annual County School Contest, held at the auditori- um of the First Baptist church. Early in the afternoon delegations came in from the rural schools, and when the afternoon trains arrived, it seemed that the teachers, patrons and pupils of the schools of Potter, Hat field, Cove, Vandervoort, Grannis and Wiekes had turned out en masse. Long before the hour for the begin ming of the program arrived, stand ing room was at premium in the large alditorium of the church, and there were several hundred people who were unable to get a place in the windows. It was variously esti- mated that between 1900 and 15OO people were assembled to attest their interest in things educational.
 The contest Friday night consisted in readings, declamations and vocal and instrumental music. In reading the contestants were divided into three classes according to grades, there being seven contestants in Class A, seven in Class B, and four in Class c. In declamation there were but two classes, three contest ants taking part in Class A, and four in Class B. The contests in music were less spirited, so far as numbers were concerned. there being but awo entrants in each class of vocal music, and but five in the two classes of in strumental music, but the animation and earnestness of the contestants was no less tense than in the readings and declamations.
 In spite of the large crowd, the au- dience gave splendid attention from the time the program was begun with the reading, "Your Flag and My Flag" by Miss Lois Lane of Old Pot ter, until the medals were presented at the close by Judge Wright Prickett. Naturally enough the intensity of the interest was sustained until the final award was made.
 The judges were Prof. L. E. Quinn, county superintendent of Sevier coun-' ty; Mrs. Lee o. Shull, teacher of DeQueen; and Mrs. Fred Wigstrand of this city. The average of their ratings gave awards as follows:
 Reading, Class A-First, Miss Ethel McWilliam, Acorn, "The Night Wind"; second, Miss Lois Lane, Old Potter, "Your Flag and My Flag
 Reading, Class B.-First, Miss Helen Baker, Mena Central School, Angelina; second, Miss Lucille Hen derson, Hatfield, "The Wrong Train"
 Reading, Class C.-First, Miss Elizabeth Barnett, Mena High school, "The Bear Story" second, Miss Toka Hale, Acorn, "The West Wind.p
 Defamation, Class A.-First, Rob- ert Louis Rork, Hatfield, "The Trials of Twin;" second, Lano Barron, Acorn, "Lincoln's Gettysburg Ad- dress"
 Defamation, Class B.-First, Elm bry Randolph, Mena Central school, Extracts from Wilson's War Mes sage;" second, Brent Barron, Acorn, Wilson's War Message"
 Piano, Class A.-Fomby Dickson, Mena Central school, "Narcissus," B. Ethelbert Nevin, Op. 13, No. IA; sec ond, Miss Eunice Littlepage, Hatfield, Farewell to the Pianoforte," Beet koven.
 Piano, Class B.-First, Miss 0uida Riding, Mena Central school, "Sex- tette from Lucia" Donizetti; second, Miss Exie Kessler, Hatfield, La Grace" Chas. Bohm.
 In vocal music, Class A, the con- testants, Master Leland Henderson of Hatfield, and Miss Mary Bales of. the Mena Central school, tied for honors, and the final contest between them was decided at the session on Saturday, when Miss Mary Bales of the Central school was given first place on her song, "The Brownie Set" with Master Leland Henderson of Hatfield again a close second with his song, How You Como Keep Them Down on the Farm
 In vocal music, Class B, there were only two contestants, and Miss Mildred Holt of the Mena Central school, with her song, "Mammy's Lit tie Chocolate Soldier" was given first place, second honors going to Miss Gladys Clinton of Grannis, who sang Kentucky Babe"
 The program turnout was well-bal- anced, the readings ranging from the The Trials of Twin" and "Old Mother Hubbard" to such classics as Lincoln's Gettysburg address and President Wilson's War Message, and as each number was rendered there were hundreds in that great au- dlence who were thankful that it was not up to them to pass judgment on the respective merits of the produc tions.
 The contests in spelling, rapid cal eulation, art and map drawing held at the High school building on Sat urday, while not as brilliant and showy as the contests of the evening before, were better demonstra- tion of real mental discipline and the more solid part of the educational work of the schools of the county. The contests were held privately, and yet the auditorium of the High school was filled with interested pupils and patrons who remained until the final decision of the judges was announced O.nn AL