Idaho County free press., 1924-02-14
JUDGES MAKE
AWARDS FROM
241 LETTERS
Miss Josephine Crooks, High
School Girl, Gets Second.
Billie Telcher Wins Third
Minly Busick, Boles, Fourth;
Many Communications Ex-
ceed the Specified Length


d. A. Jourdan, of Grangeville, wrote
the best letter on "Why / Prefer to
Live in Idaho County," according to
the opinion of the three judges, and
is awarded first prize of $5 In the
Free Press letter-writing contest.
Miss Josephine Crooks, of Whitebird,
student in Grangeville high school,
was given second place, with a prize
won by Billie Telcher, 12 years old.
pupil in the Sunnyside school, and
fourth prize, 81, was awarded Minly
Busick, an 11-year-old school girl, of
Boles.
Comment by Judges
Judges of the contest sent the fol-
lowing letter to the Free Press when
they had completed their labors:
| Editor Free Press:
After carefully considering the let
ters written on the subject. ''Why 1
Prefer to Live in Idaho County," we
have concluded that the prizes Of
fered by the Idaho County Free Press
should be awarded as follows:
First: Letter marked "Y;" second:
"B-16;' third: "A;' and fourth:
"F."
Letters "C-14" (Neva Rhoades) and
"B-5o Orchard Derrig) were regard
ed as among the best letters submitted
but were not eligible for prizes as
their length is beyond the specified
limit of $50 words. Failure to re-
strict the length was common fault,
and at once eliminated from consider
alton large portion Of the 241 letters.
Practical Point of View
The two letters just mentioned were
regarded as especially meritorious be-
cause of their practical viewpoint, for
after all the chief object of life is not
to enjoy the scenery, nor to indulge in
the delights of vacationing, hunting
and fishing. We all admire Rip Van
Wrinkle as a lovable old vagabond,
but hardly approve the lack of COM
mon, everyday practicability in his
makeup 1t seems that living and
progress is a quite necessary part OF
life, and one owes it to oneself and
often to others as well, to prefer to
live" where there is an abundance of
useful opportunities.
And so, we might add, considerable
number of otherwise splendid letters
were eliminated because of their fail
ure to recognize in any degree the
fact that the undeveloped resources
of Idaho county in mining, in lumber
ing. in electrical development and its
accompanying manufacturing possibil-
tiles. were almost limitless, and of
fhnrt h
ly any other county or section In the
United States. And that with the
development of these opportunities,
parallel development is possible along
the lines of agriculture and livestock.
Climate Is Emphasized
Very few Of the letters failed to
dwell fondly upon our climate, and
affectionately upon the wonderful sum-
mers and falls
And when it came to scenery 1t was
lust a case of dumping in the whole
dictionary. That was a point upon
which there was complete unanimity
our mountains. streams, canyons,
craigs and woods. 1t Is obviously
these that the people of Idaho county
love best of all. And, fitting their
words to their topic, several OF the
writer's succeeded in getting rhetorical
effects that closely rivalled the majes-
ty of our mountains in magnificent and
gorgeous perturbation. But, as rhe-
torical splendor was not to be regard
ed as an asset under the rules or
the contest, your judges preferred to
let the hills speak for themselves,
and inclined to the more simple ana
humble statements of appreciation.
Spelling writing, grammar and con-
struction were all disregarded in the
selections made, the ideas alone being
sought out and weighed, generally for
their soumdness and strength, and oc-
casionally for their sincerity.
Where Sentiment Rules
And SO we must explain that in
awarding the fourth prize to "F, - the
little girl from Boles, we let sentiment
get the better of the rigid tests TO
which we put all other letters, ana
decided that here was one little Pol
wanna who unquestionably and Tor
very splendid reasons loved Idaho
county. This simple little letter, for
sincerity. tops the list.
On the whole the letters were OF
an exceedingly high order, and we
CONTINUED on last page)