The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-17
LOCAL BOY
is WINNER
in ORATORY
Roaring Crowd Acclaims
Decision In Great
Age-Herald Event
JUDGES COMMEND
ALL CONTESTANTS
Justice Anderson Tells
Speakers They Are
Credit To South
CHAMPION GOES TO
| WASHINGTON NEXT
Distinguished Men OF Mississippi,
a Neutral State, Award
Laurel To Alabama
JUDGES COMMEND
ALL CONTESTANTS
CHAMPION GOES TO
WASHINGTON NEXT

Jack Turner Of Birmingham, IL
year-old student of Phillips High
school, Friday night won the Dixie
championship in The Age-Herald's
oratorical contest, together with the
right to go to Washington to COM
pete in the national finals over
which President Coolidge win pre-
side on June 6 and present checks
aggregating $4,000 to the winners.
The Dixie finals were held before
a roaring, cheering audience that
filled the big auditorium Of the
First Baptist church. There were
six contestants-five boys and one
girl, and each was a state champion.
Their laurels had been won in COM
petitions held in Alabama, Georgia,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee and Virginia. in which
thousands of high school students
contested.
Chief Justice John G. Anderson of
the Alabama supreme court, presided.
The judges were Gov. II. L. Whitfield,
Mississippi: Judge r. Fl. Thomps0n.
president of the Mississippi Bar associa-
ton, and DIR. w. f.. Bond, superintend-
ent Of education Of Mississippi, chosen
from 4 neutral state because MISSISSIPPI
pi was not Represented In the cons
test
Credit To Their States
The Constitution of the United States
was the subject chosen for the speak
ers, and Justice Anderson told them
just before adjournment that each of
them had reflected great credit on their
home states.
The judges, after completing their
delicate task, addressed the orators and
congratulated them. The Age-Herald
also came in for warm praise for its
part in promoting the contest, which,
for several week, had stirred intense
interest throughout the south and tn,
rest of the country. ~
Governor Whitfield, addressing the
state champions, said: IAN of you
did well. The judges are sorry they
couldn't vote each of you the first
place. All of you deserved it,
When the contest opened, DR.. G. B.
Glenn, superintendent of the Birming-
ham public schools, welcomed the ora
tors, Justice Anderson and the judges
of the city and said some generous
things about The Age-Herald for its
enterprise in promoting the contest.
Justice Anderson declared the con-
test had caused thousands of high
school students and grown-ups to be-
come more familiar with the greatest
of all human instruments the consti-
tuition of the United States.
I'VE owe our thanks to The Age
Herald, one of the south's greatest
for making the contest Dos
sible," he said.
Judges Get Ballots
Then the event of the evening was
on. The judges were handed ballots on
which to record their decisions and took
seats in widely separated parts of the
auditorium.
The six contestants, in addition to
Jack Turner, representing Alabama,
were Miss Clara Ginsburg, representing
South Carolina; Thomas Moore Craig.
representing North Carolina; David
Carson Stubs, representing Georgia !;
Thomas Goodrich, representing Tennes-
see, and John NJ. Turner, Jr., repre-
senting Virginia.
Ohio j. Sharpe, contest manager and
master of ceremonies, took the stage
and announced the rules of the contest
Each speaker was TO have IL minutes.
The entire program was broadcast by
Radio station "WSY," a microphone
having been placed on the platform.
The six hopefuls on the stage did
their best to look unconeerned. Dele
cations from their home states were in
the audience, wishing them lucI# Proud
and hopeful parents of seYerasof them
were on hand. They sat Id various
attitudes Of nonchalance during the
music that preceded the first GRAFTON
and all looked terribly serious. The
most composed Of all was Miss Gins
burg from South Carolina. She was
small and pretty and had her place at
the extreme right of the line, for by
lot she had been chosen to make the
first speech.
Miss Ginsburg introduced
A great cheer went up as Mr.. Sharp
introduced her. Her eyes were shining
CONTINUED on Page TwO)