Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-28
ORAT0RY WINNERS
HAVE OWN SOCIETY
Seven Division Champions
Each Year Become Men,
bers Automatically.

Handsome gold pins. emblematic Of
membership in the constitution
Club" which comprises each years
seven tinalists in the national ora
torical contest. are now being worn
10y IA boys and girls in widely sepa-
rated sections of the United States, as
the nucleus for what promises to be
one of the most unusual orSaniza-
tons in the educational world.
The club, which is informally
known as the PleiadeS Club. or The
Seven Stars of the Constitution, was
formed last May by the finalists in
the 1925 national oratorical contest to
perpetuate the friendships and CON
facts formed in connection with the
contest The tinaIists in the 1924
contest were elected TO membership
with the provision that all future ma
tional tinalsts will automatically be
come eligible.
John Hays Hammond. who presided
at the 1925 finals. offered to provide
the pins for the present and future
members Of the organization. The
gold pins are shield shaped. sur
mounted 10y an eagle. In the center
are seven gold stars in a field of blue.
Honorary Members Elected.
In addition to the national finalists,
the winner of the California contest
OF 1928. which was the beginning OF
what has grown into Il national and
international movement, was elected Il
special member. Honorary members
were elected as follows: President
Coolidge, who has addressed both
final meetings; Chief Justice Taft,
who acted as chairman of the judges:
John Hays Hammond, who presided:
Frank b. Moves, chairman of the
publishers committee for the con-
test; Randolph Leigh. organizer and
director of the contest, and Harry
Chandler publisher of the Los An.
SeleS Times. which conducted the
original contest of 1923 in California.
The f1nalists of 1924 and 1925 are
planning to hold a big reunion here
next June at the time of the national
nnaiS of the 1926 contest. Practically
aII or them have already written 10
Robert Sessions. president of the
club. and Eugene 7. McElmeel, sec
rotary, stating that they expect 10
he here to welcome the 1926 finalis1s
OF the United States. These finalists
OF 1926 will be given as prizes a Eu-
f"nean tour, beginning July and
ending just in time for the opening
or the Fall school term. The one
designated as champion of the United
States will compete with representa-.
- thc PAL tiCiildllIS nations IN
'ar1s, Berlin and London during this
European tour. The American cham.
pion Will compete with the English.
FRENCH, German and Mexican cham
pionS in the grand final international
meeting OF the contest. which will be
held in Washington on October Is.
1926.
Twelve Now i'm College.
OF the IA finalists of 1924 and 1925.
IL are in college. Robert Sessions,
the champion of 1924. was only a
Junior last year, and now is a senior
in Phillips High School, Birmingham,
Ala.
Princeton is the only institution at
tended by two of the finalistS. In
most instances they are attending
colleges in or near the communities
in which they were attending high
school at the time that they won
cash awards large enough to make
II possible for almost any of them
without supplemental funds to have
the pick Of the colleges of America
The tinalists and their colleges
follow:
Robert Sessions, Southern champion
tstill in high SCHOOL,
Eugene F.. McElmeel. Pacific cham.
pion. st. Thomas College, ST. Paul,
MINI.
Max y. Kroloff. Midwestern cham.
pion. Morningside College. Sioux City.
Iowa.
Flora Longenecker. Northeastern
champion. Fassar College.
Asenath Graves, Southeastern
champion. Mount Holyoke College.
George Stansell. Central champion.
University of Illinois.
Philip Glatfelter. Eastern champion.
Princeton University.
1921.
Don Tyler, Pacific champion. Occi-
dental College. Los Angeles.
Ruth Newburn, Southeastern cham
pion, George Washington University.
John NJ. Dallam, Sd. Eastern cham
plon. SWarthmore College.
Eleanor Huber, Central champion
tnow teaching).
George Chumos, Midwestern cham
plon, University Of Kansas.
Jack Turner. Southern champion.
University of Alabama
Vail Barnes. Northeastern cham
pion, Princeton University.
1923.
Arthur Syvertson California con-
test. University of Southern Cali
fornia