The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-03-18
The Smelling Bee

The Spelling Bee
In his examination of some witnesses
on the methods employed by a Boarl
OF Education, Judge Lippincott sale
j the situation reminded him of condi
lions of forty years ago, intimating
that those conditions had become 8
thing of the past never to be resur
rected. But if his honor had been al
the high school auditorium, Saturday,
and had witnessed the spelling bee, a
revival of practice of at least forty
years since, he would probably have
changed his decision in that one re-
spect. The auditorium was filed with
teachers, friends and scholars from the
various school districts in the county,
the children being prepared and anx-
ious to show their ability in the spell
ing line.
The rules of the contest allowed one
representative for every two hundred
scholars, with the proviso that every
w " h6l4lR was W NC AllOWC1 az lCa6t OAC
representative. The response was good.
OF the thirty-five townships, all had
agreed to send some one, but Bass
River, Tabernacle, Washington and
Westampton did not have any repre-
sentatives, owing probably to the very
stormy weather. Chester township
and Burlington city had the largest
number-six-and four of the former
carried prizes home with them. North
ampton and Florence had FIVE, River
side had four, Bordentown city and
Palmyra, three each, Beverly city,
Beverly township and Mount Laurel,
two each, the others one each-a total
of fifty-eight. and q happier lot of
youngsters was never seen when the
word came for them to take the plat
form for the contest. The spelling be-
gan at three o'clock and lasted until
nearly six and the contestants gave
evidence of their ability to master the
words that were presented to them.
The pronouncer was Hon. q. E.
Scott, assistant Commissioner of Edu-
cation Of New Jersey. The judges
were Mrs. Walter H. Thompson, of
Woodbourne, Pa; Miss Charlotte Will
son, OF Port Monmouth, N. T.; and
John r. Summerfelt, of Trenton, all of
whom kindly volunteered their services
for the occasion.
After selection by the Mount Holly
high school orchestra and some physi-
cal Exercises by students of the school,
the contestants in the spelling bee were
called, alphabetically, and took their
places on the platform.
Then the work of the afternoon be-
gan and Mr.. Scott was taxed to the
limit in trying to have the pupils step
1own and out. For over two hours the
spoilers showed that they were alert to
give the correct spelling of each word |
and at the conclusion Mr. Scott said |
ne had done more talking and working
han he had done on Saturday for a |
ong while. One by one, however, the
dropped out until fourteen
we're left. This was the number to
whom prizes were to be given and the
interest was intense. After short
,eriod the contest settled down to two
"a girl from Riverton and boy from
Palmyra. This little fellow, twelve
7ears of age, was the last to enter his
lame and was just in time to get into
he contest. Consequently he was
Iuite nervous at the start but he soon
aimed confidence and stood up to
econd best.
The winners were as follows: Cathar-
ne Steedle, Riverton, S.; Nelson Nc
Juen, Palmyra; $3.50; Maude Albury,
Burlington township Ruth Latta,
Burlington city Margaret Brown,
3ordentown city, 81 each.
Ruby Lauinger, Beverly city; Emily
'arker, Mount Laurel, Helen Chal-
ender, Pemberton borough; Madel-
ne Mitsch, Riverside; Marie Conroy,
frances Wells, Elizabeth Hewlings,
Alberto Gillespie. Moorestown; John
smith, Burlington city, so cents each.
This contest was one of series sug-
ested and adopted by the Burlington
,ounty Board of Education at its
nnual meeting in December, and the
'rizes were given out of the funds for
Iues and contributions by the several
ownships. There will probably be
mother spelling bee during the year.
here will also be an oratorical contest
DON.
That this entertainment was enjoyed
" all-contestants as well as audience
was evidenced by the way in which
IL remained until the last word was
,iven out. In fact the interest in
reased as the number Of contestants
windled down to The last fourteen.
since the County Board of Education
proposed the revival of the spelling bee
here have been several held in differ
mt places and it is probable that near
y 5000 have been given out in prizes.
Eastman's lodaks and sunnlies T.,