Evening star., 1927-04-13
GIRL TAKES HONOR
IN ORATORy TEST
Catharine Birch, Mckinley
Student, Wins Fourth Place
in Stars Regional Finals.

When two boys won their high
school championships III the fourth
National Oratorical Contest yesterday
morning, giving three of the ten places
in The Star finals TO the boys, little
Catherine Birch, 16-year-old senior at
Mckinley High School. promptly took
the platform in her school finals last
night to win the fourth entry in this
newspapers finals by defeating lone
boy opponent and four other girls.
The fifth place in the regional finals,
May 4, will be at stake this afternoon
at ST. PauIs High School, 1434 Y
street, when the private and parochial
school District finals will be held. In
that contest two boys will compete
with two girls in. an effort to come
nearer the settlement of their score.
The fight she fought with her ora
ton on "The Constitution" seemed
fairly coucned in beauty-the music
Of the Tech Orchestra and the Tech
opera Club. the setting Of the fresh
green ferns that banked the stage, and
the colorful costumes Of the girls
graced the setting. Amid the lowell
ness. Leo Shrider, the lone boy, al
most somber as men" are III such
company, raised his voice without
temerity to win very close second
place with his speech on Abraham
Lincoln and the Constitution.
Greeted by Interested Audience.
ont in front Of the stage, on which
the orators delivered their addresses,
an audience Of students and roofing"
parents-and grandparents-and little
brothers and little sisters, listened
with rapt attention as their particular
speech-makers expounded the prIn'
cinles of the Constitution. When the
victory Of Miss Birch was announced
bv Francis A. Woodward, assistant
nrincipal of Tech, who presided in the
absence of Principal Frank G. Daniel.
the oldsters and the very-youngstefs
alike applauded with such vim as 10
prove that reigning high school SUI
dents haven't all the spirit IN the
world.
tory to Miss Birch and second honors
to Young Mr.. Shrider, was composed
Of George Anderson, q member OF
George Washington University fac-
ulty. Robert Hickman, of the Hickman
School of Expression, and George
Jones. head Of the history department
in the local public high schools.
Mr.. Woodward proved to be busI-
ness like chairman. He conhded MS
remarks at the opening OF the con-
test meeting to bare introduction OF
the contestants. All oratorical dis
play he left entirely TO those who
were competing for the school champ
ionship, and when the judges decl-
ion was handed to him he refrained
from the teasing delay Of announcing
the results that had caused so much
nerve strain and jollity in some Of the
other contests.
Members OF Losing Group.
But every contest must have its los
ers, regardless OF beauty or enthusi-
astic audiences or businessIike chair
men, and those who were defeated by
the winners Of first and second place
last night were: Miss Hazel Boyce,
1407 S street, on THE Constitution !;
Miss Martha Williams, 222 Cedar ave-
nue., Takoma Park, on "The Constitu"
ton: Miss Elizabeth Hoeke, l346
Euclid street, on Madison and the
Constitution" and Miss Felisa Jen-
kins, 1901 Lawrence street northeast,
on Madison and the Constitution.
The program which accompanied the
group of orations was typical OK Teen
High School, where Emusic" is WORD
spoken reverently. The Tech High Or.
Chestra. under Dore Walten, played
several numbers Of the more popular
type, including Merry Wives Of Wind
sor" CNicolaD. "Rose Of Algeria (Her-
berO, GLOW Worm" Iincke) and the
"Semper F!delis March" (Sousa). The
organization. which now has G2 play
ers and which next year will be raised
to a full symphony orchestra, is play
/ ing heavier compositions at school
gatherings, however, including Bee
thoven's "Leonore No. 8" and Haydn g
Military symphony" Mr.. Walten,
the director Of Techs young musicians
| for is years, studied at the Brussels
| Conservatory, and is a widely known
musician in Washington. Sixteen
members Of the Tech Opera Club con-
tributed to the program with vocal
numbers.
Winner Active i'm Dramatic Work.
! Miss Birch, the champion, is the
! daughter Of Leroy Birch, 1922 +
street. a member OF the Tech faculty.
| aud she is active in the schools
! dramatic work, having been leading
! woman in recent plays which the
| Dramatic Club staged. She IS also n
| violinist in the school orchestra. Al.
! though g senior, this was her first
| year iii the oratorical contest and fol-
| lowing her graduation in June-wel!,
| shes not quite certain.
! Catherine thinks great deal of
the theater, and indeed she is am
! bilious to become q professional
| actress. Musical comedy or serious
| drama, it's all the same. she said last
night. SO long as it's the theater.
! But then, too, Catherine likes the
| medical profession. and while 1t is
undecided at this time, she may enter
George Washington University for
/ the study Of medicine.
| Along with the school oratorical
/ championship ana the place in The
! Star finals, Miss Birch won this news
paper's prize Of 500 by her victory
| last night. This, she told a reporter
for The Star, she viii use toward her
| education.
The contestants for the fifth place
in The Star finals, who will deliver
their orations in st. Paul's High
| CnhnnT AnHifcfsiftYS1 a. A o'rlnrl> &Afo