Evening star., 1927-03-13
SCHOOLS CREATING
ORATORY INTEREST
Student Publications Give
Abundant Space to
Contest Here.

National Oratorical Contest is eVl
denced by the liberal space devoted III
the various school papers TO announce
ments of this projects rules ana prog
ress In front-page news columhS' eul
torials and, occasionally. clever quips
with much information is published III
these papers for the benefit of those
who will eventually be heard as ora
fors and those who will later express
themselves as rooterS.
IL Central High Schools determine
tion TO win this year the coveted Euro
pean tour and the 5000 cash prize may
be measured by the columns filled with
inspirational editorials and news on
the contest in it's bi-weekly organ, the
Bulletin. edited by Dorothy A. Kirk
wood, the fortuante orator who
emerges victorious from that schools S
finals on April II will have an excel
aent chance for success, as well as sew
eral thousand cheering schoolmates TO
spur him on, in The Star Area Flnais
on May 4.
Advantages Cited.
In a recent editorial in that paper.
entitled Opportunity knocks, botn
the intrinsic and material advantages
available to participants in the contest
are commented upon, as follows:
Washington boys and girls of high
school age are exceedingly fortunate in
having the golden opportunity of en-
tering the 1927 National Oratorlcal
Contest.
LET us consider the opportunities
offered to those entering this contest
First, you have wonderful chance to
study, at close range, the Constitution
of your country. If you enter and
win you have won national honor and
ND n
school and have made your place in
life. There are also financial and edu.
cational benefits which should not be
overlooked. If you do not win the
highest place, there are several lesser
awards to be sought. In addition to
these material things, you have bene-
fitted by the experience in public speak
ing, a factor whose Importance cannot
be overestimated.
Libraries as Aid.
This battle is not fought alone.
There are libraries at your disposal Tor
reference, and faculty members who
will help you untiringly. Living in
the Nations Capital, we have an ex-
ceptional advantage over our oppo-
nents in the other parts of the United
States in that we are included in the
smallest by far of the seven districts
into which the country is divided.
AN opportunity such as this cer-
tainly can knock but once. VIII we
open the door?'
An account of a faculty committee
meeting with contestants is contained
in the following news article printed
In another issue of the Bulletin:
The first thing you need to get is
the atmosphere declared +. S. Noyes
in the semi-monthly talk given to
pupils interested in the National Ora
to1cal Contest for 1927. at the close of
school Friday last. in Room 105.
Put yourself out of 1926 back into
1176, into the stage-coach frame of
mind that made the Constitution
Mr.. Noyes stated that this was one
way to avoid writing an essay or de-
scription and trying TO deliver it as an
Grafton. He pointed out that an ora
tion needs feeling.
In order to get this feeling be
continued. it is necessary to get the
point OF view of the time. This re-
quires imagination
AS a worthwhile reading list for
the contestants. Mr. Noyes recon-
mended Channing's History of the
United States Farrand's The Father
OF the Constitution Fiske's Critical
Period in American History and Nc
Laughlin's Confederation and the Con-
stitution,' stating that the preliminary
reading was to form a background for
the grafton.
Urged to Avoid Waste.
LAS soon as you get the concrete
thing you are after do not waste time
on preliminary reading We're his
words regarding the reading matter.
He referred to an article in The
hNF RundniRlh I .afnh 6l.
rector of the National Oratorical Con-
test, relative to the choosing of sut.
jects for the contest.
LAS | boiled the article down it
meant pick your own subject and tie
it on TO the Constitution. Take the
Constitution from any point of view
you wish
''In closing Mr.. Noyes said that he
or any member of the committee
would be glad to give all possible
help"
In a recent issue of the student pub
ucation of the Western High School,
the Western Breeze, edited by Caro-
line Sanderson, the formation of
Constitution Club in that school, TO
assist contestants there who are de-
termined to capture this years prizes
as well as those in lower classes,
whose dreams center around conquest
a few years hence, is explained. The
article follows:
1.-The development of a new school
organization is a result of the grow
ing interest in oratory excited by the
national and international contests on
the Constitution.
This new organization which is
being planned at Western is what win
be known as the Constitution Club.
The National Constitution Club is
result of the oratorical contests and
its membership is drawn from prize
winners in the contests. The mem.
bership i'm the Western club will in
clude students who intend to take
part in the oratorical contests of com.
ing years. A canvass is being made
of the history classes to find students
who are interested in joining the club.
Others who wish information con-
corning it may see Miss Rose Stutz,
committee chairman.
Purposes of Club.
The purpose of the club will be to
train students who expect To submit
orations on the Constitution in com
Ing contests. A term of membership
of one or two years will aid students
materially in producing good work.
This club should enable Western to
produce prize winners in the coming
years, thing which she has not yet
accomplished.
Other purposes of the club are to
give students the opportunity TO de-
liver speeches. TO discuss current
questions of Importance. to study the
Constitution in detail, TO get training
In public speaking-all excellent and
beneficial training for those who are
vitality interested in making a success
I'm one of the annual contests on the