Evening star., 1926-05-28

Warning that holders of tickets for
the national finals of the third annual
National Oratorical Contest. to be held
at the Wa ashington Auditorium next
Friday night. must be in their seats
promptly at 8 o'clock or forfeit their
reservations. was sounded today by
Randolph Leigh, national director Of
the contest.
Mr.. Leigh explains that there are
two reason why he must insist
upon punctuality in attendance Fri
day night and refuse to hold single
seat after 8 o'clock. The first is that
the program must start precisely at
s o'clock to accommodate WCAP.
which is broadca sting the Orations.
md the second is that il is eminently
unfair to the early speakers to have
late arrivals filing through the aisies.
Disposition Uf Seats.
Ina smIch as all tickets for the ma
tional finals have been taken. MIR.
Leigh added that percentage Of per
sons who have no reservations cal
be accommodated in the seats of those
who fail to arrive on time. Only in
this manner. he empha sizes. however.
can he take care Of additional guests
on the occas sion.
The seventh and last district finalist
will be chosen tonight in Phila delphia
OF the six district finalists already
chosen four are girls and two are boys
If the law OF averages prevails a boy
will be the victor tonight. inasmuch
as six of the eight contestants in
Phila delphia are boys; but the girls
have overcome similar odds 10 win in
other districts, and 1t would not be
surprising to have q NTH girl selected
this evening in Philadelphia.
Indianarls to Attend.
Randolph Leigh. national director
Of the oraturical contest received word
today that J. a. Van Osdol. chair
man of the committee on constitu-
tional education OF the Indiana State
Par Association Is coming to attend
the finals. accompanied by 26 prom
inent Indianans. Judge Van Osdol
and the delegation are coming despite
the fact that their State has no repre-
sentative In the finals.
MIR. Leigh states that due to the
efforts Of Judge Van Osdol the ora
torical contest was thoroughly organ
lied i'm each county In Indiana by the
state Bar Association and that more
than $4,000 was distributed I'm county
prizes for oratiOns on the Constitution.
Announcement also Ia made that
Walter A. Strong. publisher Nof the
Chicago Daily News, will he a speaker
on the night Of the finals. Mr.. Strong
will talk on The Newspaper and Citi.
Zenship." He win represent the Amer
lean Publishers committee, which il
composed of the following: Frank r.
Moves. Washington Star. chairman;
Adolph s. Ochs. New York Times;
William l.. Mclean. jr.. Philadelphia
Bulletin: Frederick Il. Thompson,
Birmingham Aae-Herald; r. F.. Stout.
Kansas City Star. and Harry Chan.
dler. Los Angeles Times.
Impressed by the sport sma nship to
he displayed by Eastern High School
in equalizing the cheering for the
seven district finalists on the night Of
June 4. the Wadleigh High School Of
New York City has notified MIR. Leigh
they will send twice the number Of
Ivoters they had originally planned.
Miss Helen Bylund. the winner in
her district, is president Of the
general organization at Wadleigh
and director Of courts there, which
is equal to being ''chief justice" in
asmuch as she decided all disputes
among the students. She declares
that her outstanding life ambition is
to be an artist and she Is looking
forward to her trip abroad as an aid
in deciding where she can best 60
to study her intended profession.