Evening star., 1925-06-19
LOUISVILLE YOUTH
WINS SPELLING BEE
Frank Neuhauser Takes First
Prize, Tripping Rival on
Word "GIadioIus."

Although six girls We're arrayed
against only three boys in the first
national spelling bee finals in the audi
torium of the National Museum We'd
ueSday night, il remained for one of the
hoys-Frank Neuhauser, IL years old,
of Louisville. ky..-to out last all com
petitOrS and be crowned the champion
graded school speller of the United
States.
.'Gladiolus" was the word that final
ly tripped Edna Stover of Trenton, n.
j, the runner-up, after more than an
hours competition. Little Miss Edna
NkbStituted a ~" for the 81 and
Vat single letter proved the differ
ence, perhaps, between a girl cham
pion. for up TO that point Edna S
spelling had been perfect
As winner of the bee, Frank Neu-
hauSer received a gold medal from the
hands TO John J. Tigert. commits
Sioner of education, and $500 in gold
Edna StOver, of course, received the
second prize of $3.50. Third honorS.
with $3.50, went to Helen Fisher of
Akron, Ohio, and fourth, consisting of
500, TO Mary Daniel, of Hartford,
Conn. The others were repaid by
being given their trip to Washington
free.
Nine contestants, representing as
many States, faced the three judges
at the start, including besides the
four previously named, Almeda Pen
nington of Texas, Mary Coddens of
Indiana, Loren Mackey of Oklahoma
Patrick Kelly of Connecticut, and
Dorothy kerriCk of Michigan. They
had captured the championships for
their respective States and We're en-
titled to trial. in the national finals.
The first few words given the con-
fpSt4nTS ~ r.I
even for graded school pupils, but they
gradually increased in difficulty until
the test reached a point where more
than one word was spelled which it
appeared doubtful members of the
audience could have accomplished.
Twice Prof. Homer House, head of
the English department of the Uni
versity of Maryland, made errors him.
self.
Two of the girls spelled words that
Prof. House thought incorrect. He
waved them from the platform. but
when the judges consulted Mr. Noah
Webster'S bequest to civilization they
called the State champions back to
the platform with the explanation
that the dictionary gives two ways
of spelling the words. On one oCca-
sion the professor was also over
ruled because it was found he had
given an erroneous pronunciation to
the word 'clapboard." which is pro
nounced "clab bard
"Skittish" Trips Girl
Miss Pennington spelled "skittish"
with a &C" and was the first out. She
was soon followed by Mary Coddens.
who thought cosmos" should have
had an "a in it. Loren Mackey
spelled propeller with an ''or" and
Patrick Kelly made the mistake of
spelling ''blackguard" as it is pro-
nounced. ''blag gard" 'Statistician"
stumped Dorothy Kerrick, and Helen
Fischer dropped out when she put an
extra 20" in "moribund."
The spelling bee was originated by
the Louisville Courier-J Journal and its
national character was made possible
when leading newspapers from the
other eight States took up the idea
and succeeded in finding State cham
pionS.
All contestants are pupils in graded
schools. C. c. Calhoun, Mckenzie
Moss and John Elmer Morgan We're
the judges.
Young Neuhauser graduates from
his graded lessons in Louisville this
month. and will enter high school in
the Fall, shortly after his twelfth
birthday. He intends to keep the
money he won in this contest to start
him OF his career through college, a
work he is determined to take up.
Previous victories in spelling bees
netted him $500 additional, so that
his net college fund at present is
500.