The Washington herald., 1920-02-20
ESSAY CONTEST
BEGINS TODAY
Washington School Child
rem Will Compete for
War Dept. Prizes.

Today children In 100000 schools
in the United States will write an
essay on What Are the Benefits or
Enlistment in the United States
Army?" in, the children's national
essay contest held under the au-
spices of the recruiting service. II
is estimated that 100000 of the
20. 100000 school children in the
country will compete.
In Washington, by proclamation
Of the Commissioners. the day has
been set aside as Army Essay Con-
test Day" and more than 1000 pu-
pills are eligible. The majority OF
the 7,045 high school pupils and
6.5s6 pupils in the seventh and
eighth grades of the local schools
will write on the topic assigned by
the War Department.
are girls and, the War Department
has emphasized that girls as well
as boys should enter.
Rules of Contest.
The essays to be written by the
children in school today should be
only 400 words In length. written
in pen and ink or pencil upon one
side OF the sheet only and handed
to the teachers who will take them
in charge. A board of teachers In
each school selects the best.
Age does not affect eligibility to
enter the competition. In WASH
ington the contestants eligible are
pupils in the high schools and In
the seventh and eighth grades.
Elsewhere children entering the
contest range in age from z
to 19 years. and the contest en-
braces all schools below college
grade. whether public graded or
high schools. private, sectarian or
nonsectarian schools.
The school children are requested
to observe the contest rules care
fully and not send in the essays
written for the contest to the re-
cruiting officer. Such essays will
be returned to the writer's and IL
not submitted to a school teacher
will be eliminated from the con-
test.
Judges in the local contest will be
named before February %, the date
upon which Capt. Hunter Harris,
the recruiting officer, will receive
the winning essays in the District.
The essays will be read by three
teachers in each school, and the
best composition sent to a board of
judges in each school division. For
convenience in awarding the prizes,
the public grade schools have been
assigned to thirteen divisions, the
high schools into seven, and the pri-
vate parochial schools into three
divisions. The best essay written
in each school and division will be
forwarded to Capt. Harris. recruit
ing officer, by the division judges
The winning essay in the District
will be submitted to the final board
of judges. together with the win
ming essays from the fifty-five other
recruiting districts in the United
States.
Newton d. Baker. Gen. John J.
Pershing and Gen. Peyton C. March
will read them. and the announce
ment of the national prize winners
will be made April &c. The presen-
tation of a gold. silver and bronze
medal will be made personally by
| the Secretary of War May ) in
Washington. A silver loving cup
will be presented to each school
which the winners represent. All
expenses incurred by the trip of the
expenses incurred by the trip to the
children who write the winning es-
says will be paid: also. the expenses
of the parent or guardian, who will
be invited to accompany each one.