The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-26
HOME LIGHTING
 CONTEST CLOSES Z ON NOVEMBER z 2
Limit Extended To Care
 For Hundreds Of Participants

B;rminghams better home lighting contest will close November ZS instead of November 15, as heretofore an- nounced Decision to extend the time eiven to contestants to complete the bet ter home lighting primers and prepare the home lighting essays was reached by the local committee at meeting late this week. So great has been the de- napd from public school children for primers that Birmingham's original sup I,ly based on the number of primers 1s- sued in other Localities was exhausted and additional primers were ordered from national headquarters.
 Officials of the Birmingham better lighting committee are gratltled over the response which the campaign mas mel here. According to reports received from other cities Birmingham is run ming way ahead in the number of con- testants enrolled in proportion to pop ulation. A check made late this week revealed that approximately l2,OO0 primers had been distributed among od cities and county schools. Included III fhis number are 30 city schools, 5 prl- yate schools and 12 county schools. The Henley school is reported to be leading in the number of contestants enrolled nearly 90 per cent of the students eilgi' ble having signed registration cards.
 To Make Showing
 Officials realize that all the contest Ants who have asked for primers and eignified their intention of participating in the contest, will not carry tnelr task through to completion, but they feel, in view of the widespread interest and great demand for primers, that Dir mingham will make a credltable show ing at the finish.
 Between the date the contest closes on November 9 and the time the winning essays and primers in the local contest must be submitted to national headquar ters for a chance at the international prizes, there is an interval of three weeks:- During this time the judges ant their assistants must pass upon al primers turned in and read and grade the several thousand essays which have been prepared
 In eaddition to the internationa prizes, the $15,000 electric home and 1C scholarships, for which Birmingham contestants are eligible there is list oi A handsome local prizes.
 Nationwide Interest
 
 Reports received by the local commit tee from the lighting educational head quarters reveals the nationwide interest which the better home lighting contest has aroused. In cities large and small throughout the country thousands of school children are participating. Vol untary endorsements from hundreds oi school and health authorities have been received. In Birmingham, it is estimat ed that about 5 per cent of the public school children who are eligible are at work, j.
 In it's national aspects, the better home lighting campaign is exceeding ex' pectati0ns in practically every quarter T according to reports reaching Birming hamli Newspaper clippings revealing the widespread interest in towns ant cities throughout the country, are sait be pouring in at the rate of fifty to ; huhdred a day into national headquar Eers. However, Birmingham is reported to be maintaining the lead which sht took early in the campaign and to have practically 5 per cent of eligible schoO ehildren enrolled to date.