The Washington times., 1921-10-16
F|REST0NE
PRIZE WON
BY GIRL 4
Garland Johnson. of Bridgeport,
w. Va, Awarded College Edu-
cation for Roads Essay.

BRIDGEPORT, w. Va, Oct. 15.
"A college education, with all her
expenses paid, is the reward earned
by Miss Garland Johnson, four
teen-year-old student at the Bridge
port High School, whose essay on
"Good Roads" won the prize Of
fered by Harvey s. Firestone, Of
Akron, Ohio.
Miss Johnson's essay was Sc
lected rs the best among 300, 900
submitted by boy and girl students
in high schools throughout the
United States. The contest was
Announced last May by United
States Commissioners Of ,Educs-
tinn p. p. Clsxton And this judges
who made the award to Miss John
son were: Dean A. N. johnson, of
the University of Maryland; As
sistant Secretary of Commerce c.
L. Huston, and Hartford Powell,
jr., editor of Golfers.
Judges Upanimous.
In an article. announcing the award
ing of the prize, published in its issue
for this week. Golfers says:
I'm the opinion of the final Judges.
every essay had merit. Decision was
difficult But the judges have agreed
that Garland Johnson's essay Is Just
enough better than the others 20 make
II their unanimous choice"
The Harvey s. Firestone University
Scholarship Is offered annually. The
winner last year was Miss Katherine
+. Butterfield. sixteen years old. Of
Weiser. Idaho. The competitions are
be Afranttnn Of DrAfaggax ~ II
Tilden and II is estimated that more
than two million American boys and
girls are eligible each year. The
essays are submitted to the principals
of the various high schools by the
pupils desiring to enter the contests.
The principals select the best efforts
by their pupils and submit them to
their State commissioners of education
who. in turn, transmit their selec-
tions to Washington for final judg-
ment.
Passed All Tests.
The essay composed by Miss John
son this year passed triumphantly
through all these tests and so, when
will assume the expense OF her educa-
tion at any such institution she may
select.
In writing her biography for publi-
cation in connection with the an
of the awarding Of the
prize, Miss johnson has shown the
same clear, concise style that won
her the award. She wrote:
81 am fourteen years old. was
horn I'm Newport News, and have
lived for seven years I'm West vir.
ginia and attended public school.
When I wrote the essay I was a
Of the freshman class Of the
High School. My father,
Leake NJ. johnson, Is employed by
the Clarksburg Daily Telegram. Il
live with my parents on small
Miss Johnson's Essay.
Miss Johnson's essay, which was
raptioned, Good Roads and Highway
follows;
This morning the clank OF chains
and tramp OF horses hoofs called ME |
10 the window where the road scraper |
was smoothing the highway before |
he house. This afternoon a sudden |
undid the work. leaving |
motor cars plowing axle |
leep in clayey West Virginia mud.
Last March the upkeep OF the Air; |
-oads in the county cost s22 900, be. |
'ides which the muddy roads caused |
expensive damages and delays. This
s the mud tax which everyone must
>ay directly or indirectly. Permanent |
highways will mean higher taxes, but
hey will be more than repaid by in.
'reased real estate values and low.
red transportation costs.
The invention OF the railroad, du-.
ns the early development of this
made II possible for the nu.
ion TO spread over vast territories In
few decades. A historian tells ua
hat $4,000 wagons passed between
Philadelphia and Balti.
more in 1917. This would make
weeks traffic over the Pennsylvania
now. The railroad situation
3 a vital proSlem today. for when
breaks down, civiliza.
Ion cannot stand.
''The country's needs have out.
rown the railroads, and the motor
Continued on Page 2. Column g. "