The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-22

Special Dispatch to Tho Intcll'Sencer
Morgantown, ". Va, Nov. 21.-At
least seveuty-five OF the first class high
schools of West Virginia are PREPARING
to compete in the state literary and ora
turical contest, which ~ To- hv held for
tho second time next spring under the
direction Of the newly ":EaniG"I stat"
High School Princpa Association ana
! the State University. At meeting OF
PRINCIPALS during the State Eduratl"h;t
Associat' ons session at ParKrrSours' i
committee Of principals was appointed.
, of which Walter Riddle, Eri!g"p"rt
High School. is chairman. L. "o-"p"rai"
with Ross +. Johnston, Of the puhlirItN
department of the University. IN W"rh-
ing out the final arrangements for IN"
contest.
This committee has given particular
attention to the matter or selecting Il
topic for debate that would be I'll IN"
greatest possible instructive Nalu" among
the state high school boys and Elr!E
The committee narrowed its choice down
TO five subjects and has mailed this list
out to each first class high school TOT Il
vote as to preference. This list follows;
THAT Il commission form OF gov
eminent be adopted for the counties oil
West Virginia.
THAT the primary system nt NOM
Mating candidates for public offices be
abolished in West Virginia.
3-That the state superintendent or
public instruction in West Virginia be
appointed by the state board or educa-
ton.
4.-That student self government be
encouraged in the public schools oil West
Virginia as training for citizenship.
5,-That a constitutional convention
br called to revise the constitution or
West Virginia
These lists are to be returned prompt
~, as the final announcement o. INC
selected subject Is 10 be made November
25. This early date has been set IN
! order to give the schools more time in
preparing for the contests. rms Is alSo
aimed to help the debating leagues that
are already furCtionnG in two or three
! sections Of the state, as they have lndi-
Gated q desire To use the same subject az
may BE- selected for the general state
contest.
from each school as an Indication OF
good faith In their declaration OF going
ahead with the contest, when they nave
once entered. This is of particular I'M
portance in arranging for the district
There will bc four events for comre-
titlon. the same as last year. when the
nrst contest was held. These contests
will be debate. essay. Grafton and eN-
twcnty-seven high schools that tried out
, this combination last year and II was :"
generally satisfactory that no effort has
been m:tdc to change L In any way.
The date for tho final contest at the
state university, MorEantown, Is April
l6. 1921. This Is more than month
earlier than last year. but was moved up
in order not To conflict with commence
mcnt preparation In any of the schools
and also not TO interfere with the state
high school track and field meet which
is held in May each year at the tnirer-
sity.
While the final contest at the Cnver-
Sity will be under the entire control OF
that school. tho high schools and their
officers have complete control of the
district arrangements. The University
has made every effort to deccntlTlli2e me
contests as much as possible, and the
/ PRINCIPALS Of the schools going into the
different districts will max" their own
local arrangements. following only the
list Of events named fer the final con-
test Each school may nave but one
, contestant in each district event 70 be
selected by local contests in the school
by lot or in any other manner desired by
the individual school, or school might
enter Il contest in only ono or more Of
the events. Each district will eliminate
the contestants down to on" in each of
the four events to enter III" nnalS at
Morrantdwn. Tho University will pro-
vide entertainment for tn" contestants
after reaching MorEantown and has Of
ferred cups and medals. Cold medals
have boon provided for rrst place In
each event, silver medals Tor SECOND
place. and bronze medals for All the
others who have fought their way int"
tn. finals. Handsome silver loving cups
arc gwen 70 the schools whose represent
tatlvcS win first prize. the cups being
put up from year 10 year until one
/ school has won Il cup three times. when
II becomes its permanent ISOSS" SSlun.
II il proposed to orEan'z" nine dis
| tricts this wear. instead of eight as last
year, and the following eight cities have
! been definitely decided upon as places
| for tho district contests: ParkerShurg