Evening star., 1926-02-14

approx !. Any
project that Stimu- DR.. BALLOU
lates d serious
study of our Nations history, and par
ticularly of it's Constitution. Is IN
herently desirable. This project has
an added value because il IS given the
zest OF competition with many en-
trants in a fair field. In this contest
pupils are thereby confronted with a
challenge to study from an angle diff
fering from the routine requirements
of the classroom. They find them
selves leagued in a contest on a com
mon and an appealing theme with
other high school students, with pupils
In private secondary institutions, In
fellowship that now approXlnateS
million participants.
Our teachers of civics and OF Eng
lish and public speaking are gladly
cooperating in the plans by oHerlns
guidance in the reading and research
work of their pupils and for the Ell
fective platform presentation OF the
historical data gathered. Our schools
each recurring year have manifested
an increased interest In the contests,
which have done much to popularize
the study of our form of government.
Questions and Answers
Teachers and pupils who are inter
ested are submitting questions to The
Star relative to the project. a num-
Der of these questions are so often re-
peated that, put in the question and
answer form. they may prove helpful
TO all participants. Some OF the most
commonly presented questions are:
Question-What is the exact mean
Ing Of your 19-year age limit?
Answer-If you were born prior to
February 2, 1907, you are ineligible.
If you were born since that date and
are bonafide high school pupil and
have not been graduated from any
high school, you are eligible.
O. To what extent are teachers al.
lowed to help contestants?
A. 1t is proper and highly desirable
for teachers to help contestants select
a subject. to direct them to source
books for their Grafton material. and
TO generally advise them on the prepa.
ration of their Grafton and the tech.
nique of oratory. On the other hand,
teachers must not write orations in
whole or in part. This also applies
TO parents. The orations must be the
original product of the contestant.
Given Other Chances.
9. I won a district contest in 1925
and am still a high school pupil with.
in the age limit. Am eligible?
A. Previous participation in the con.
test does not disqualify unless you
were one of the seven national final
lists last year or the year before. Con-
testantS are encouraged to go into
the contest year after year as long as
they are in high school. 1t is particu.
larly advantageous for d junior. sopho-
more or even freshman in high school
TO enter the contest, because even If
InSlPcpG9 ho he
may Is a result of training In the par
tlcular technique Of this contest pave
the way for greater success in the fu.
ture.
Q. Where can I secure copies Of the
winning orations of last year?
A The official contest booklet of
1926 contains these speeches and a
number of copies are in the school
and public libraries.
Q. Can l change my speech after
passing through the first stage Of the
contest?
A. Minor changes only are per
rnissible, such as the correction OF a
few faulty phrases, but any material
change in the substance Of the speech
will disqualify the participant.
q. Are the Grafton subjects the
same as heretofore?
"A. The eight subjects which we
used last year have been retained and
two have been added to them-one
biographical C'Franklin and the Con
stitution0 and the other c'America's
Contribution to Constitutional Gov
ernment") a much broader one than
any heretofore used in the contest
This last subject invites very broad
treatment and should particularly ap
peal TO the more mature contestant.
Grading OF MANUSCRIPTS.
.. You allow 80 points for compost
ton and so for delivery. Who grades
the manuscripts?
A. Unless the selections within
YOUR school are based upon manu-
script, at no stage OF the contest vii
your manuscript be actually graded by
n Judge. However. the judges will be
instructed to allow 90 per cent fol
literary excellence in the Grafton
which they will pass upon as you
speak from the platform. In no con
test outside Of your own school vii
your manuscript be submitted to any
judge.
@ How many books will I have tc
read to prepare an GRAFTON?
A. The pupil with a fair histortca
background should, with the Encyclo
pedia as a basis and one good, brief
book for the high lights of his subject
he able to prepare an excellent ten
minute Grafton. Better q small
y amount of material well digested than
great deal which is unassimilated.
Use of Quotations.
g. Are quotations allowed?
A Quotations should be used spar
ingly If at all and when used the name
Of the person quoted should be stated
Quotation marks on a manuscript
without spoken indication that you
are quoting, when the judges. not
having access to your manuscript are
passing on your platform performance
only. really amount to plagiarism
Judges will be instructed to deal rig
orouSly with such cases when. thr-s III
their special knowledge of tie 'AAject
under discussion. they detect -ucnl.
q. You say the speeches must not
exceed ten minutes in delivery. How
many words does that mean?
A. Approximately l,i00 words. The
national champion in 1925 delivered
his speech Of Lila words in nine min
lItes and forty eight seconds, by a stop
watch. at the national finals. It is
important that contestants allow a
margin of about 80 seconds. so as to
feel absolutely safe on that score and
not destroy the effect of their speech
by fastening.