Evening star., 1924-10-26
AWARDS OFFERED
TO SCHOOL PUPILS
Prize Essays Sought in Ma.
tionaI Campaign for Safety
on Highways.

Can children solve the traffic
problem?
In connection with the fourth ma
tional safety educational campaign
announced today by the highway
education board, American school
children are to be given an oppor-
tunity to answer the vexing ques-
tion that now engages the attention
of the best engineering minds of the
country.
The announcement offers more than
$500 in cash prizes and medals to
elementary school pupils and elemen-
tary school teachers who submit the
best essays and the best lessons in
the 1924 national essay and national
lesson contests. Officials of the board
arc not optimistic enough to believe,
1t is said, that any final solution will
come from the essays by children,
nut 1t is believed that a nation w ide
consideration of the traffic problem
VIII have Il beneficial effect in re-
ducing the number of accidents and
fatalities on streets and highways.
The basic principle of the contest
Is to train children in careful con-
duct on streets and highways and to
impress upon them a sense of per-
sonal responsibility This contest is
the fourth consecutive competition
board, approximately 100000 pupils,
an average of at least 100000 an
nually, having participated in the
three preceding contests.
Four Grades Eligible.
All pupils of the fifth. sixth,
seventh and eighth grades are eligible
to compete, whether attending public,
private or parochial schools. Four
hundred and eighty eight checks and
as many medals will be given for
the best State essays while three
national prizes will be awarded for
the three essays chosen as the best
ol an those to be written through
out the Nation.
All State and national prizes in
the pupils contest are given by the
National Automobile Chamber of
commerce, which has Incorporated in
us safety program a plank calling
Tor safety educat ton in the schools
in addition to the prizes and medals
Tor pupils. this organization offers
10 the teacher writing the best prac-
ti'al safety lesson check for $500.
As second and third prizes, check
Tor 5000 and 5000 will be given to the
successful teachers.
Subject for Essays.
Pupils are requested to write es-
'a'' oh lht SUBJECT. MY conduct on
streets and Highways" while each
crs are invited to prepare practical
lessons for use in the classroom
ESSAYS are not to exceed 500 words
IN length, while lessons by teach
ers may vary between 1000 and
5000 words, according to the incli-
nation of the teacher.
Each State is entitled to one first
prIze gold medal and a check for
sl", and to one second prize, a silver
medal and a check for $40. The
number of third prizes, bronze med
ais and checks for So, varies in pro-
portion to the elementary school en-
rolIment.
The board announces that the CO.
opera ton of educators, the women's
clubs. chambers of commerce, civil
organizations, automobile clubs and
others, that has marked these con-
tests In the past, is pledged for this
year Many communities, it is re-
ported. add strictly local prizes to
the State and national awards Of
fered
Posters and folders containing de-
tailed information concerning the
contests are being sent to all schools
throughout the country, as well as to
Alaska, Hawaii! Porto Rico, the
Philippines and the Canal Zone. In
dividual requests will be promptly
answered if addressed to the High
way Education Board, Willard Build
ing, Washington.