Evening star., 1927-05-29
.LOKER IS ELECTED
ORATOR PRESIDENT
Constitution Club Holds Sc.
cret Session-Dorothy Carl
son Chosen Secretary.

finals. last night was elected president
of the Constitution Club, following a
dinner at the home Of John Hays Ham
mond.
Loker's election to the highest office
in the national organization Of ora
torical contest nationalists. took place
in a secret session attended by the
| seven contenders for the champion
ship this year. and finaNsts Of other
years including Herbert Wenig. last
years champion; Joseph Mullarky,
Myrtle Posey and Ruth Newburn.
Mr.. Hammond and Randolph Leigh.
contest founder and national director.
also were present at the election.
".A,eck" Sets Precedent.
"Aleck" was nominated for the
presidency of the club with Miss
Dorothy Carlson, who was adjudged
winner, and James M. Tunnel, jr.,
who was awarded second honors by
the jury. In the secret vote-each
| member OF the club casting his indi.
| vidual sealed ballot-The Stars rep.
| resentative was chosen president.
Wenig, who has held that Office
since his election Immediately after
his victory last year. turned over the
| Office to "Aleck" following the lat.
ter's choice. "Aleck" is the first non.
| champion to be honored with the
| office of the presidency of the club
| emerged from the closed-door session
| which resulted in his victory.
Miss Carlson, the champion. was
| elected secretary Of the club.
Guests Of Hammond.
The clubs business session. at which
the election OF officers was held, fol.
fnh -
Hammond, honorary president of the
club and father Of the organization.
rendered this years seven finalists.
Mr.. Hammond each year since the
club was organized has entertained
the young orators in his home and
the dinner last night was in accord
ance with his annual custom.
Other finalists who were Mr.. Ham.
mond's guests were: Carl Albert Of
McAlester. Okla: Jefferson Meagher
Of Binghamton, n. Y; Maxwell Ian.
caster OF Birmingham. Ala. and
Delisle Crawford Of Oak Park, Ill.
Aboard Official Yacht.
Yesterday the orators were taken
out on a regulation ''shake-down"
cruise aboard the U. S. S. Sylph, offi.
cial yacht of the Secretary of the
Navy. So satisfactorily did each of
the late contenders for the champion.
ship perform, they were pronounced
"fit" for the Atlantic crossing in July,
with which their hard-earned two-and.
a-half-month tour of Europe will
begin.
Sailing from the Navy Yard the
trim little yacht, under command of
Lieut.. Charles B. McVay. Sd. U. 8. N,
cruised down the Potomac River as
far as Mount Vernon, where she came
to anchor in midstream while the
orators and their encourage home.
folks were served a luncheon on the
aft deck beneath canvas canopy.
The party Of So then was taken
ashore in a motor launch to visit the
Washington mansion.
The seven orators and their parents
and friends met at The Evening Star
Building an hour before sailing time.
Col G. Fred Cook and Mrs. Cook, as
hosts for The Star, conducted the
party to the Navy yard. and upon ar
rival they boarded the Sylph.
AS each member o. the party stepped
from the gangplank to the deck he
or she was presented to Lieut.. Mcvay.
and then to Lieut.. E. A. HART, U. 5.
N. personal representative of Secre-
tary Wilbur.
Once his vessel was under way, Capt.
Mcvay gave full liberties OF the ship
to the oratorical party. AS his duties
on the bridge demanded the command
er's attention, Lieut.. Hartt mingled
with the voyagers and proved an at
fable host. On down the river the
Sylph steamed. while the lieutenant
and Col. Cook pointed out interesting
scenes along the shore. Arriving on
Mount Vernon. the vessel came to
ancher and the entire party gathered
chummily on the aft deck for lunch
con.
The first stop made within the man.
sion grounds was at the Washington
tomb. There Miss Carlson reverently
| tiptoed within the crypt to lay upon
the stone tomb of George Washing
ton large wreath. the tribute OF the
seven orators.
Inspect Estate.
The party then broke into little
groups and the grounds and old build
| ings were carefully inspected. Miss
Carlson, In company with Maxwell
Lancaster and Herbert Wenig. walked
about, discussing the points OF the
home of the first President. After
several photographs had been taken.
| the party returned once again to the
wharf for the trip out to the Sylph.
The return voyage to Washington
| was as pleasant as the downstream
trip. The orators were better ac-
ouainted and were, in fact. good
| friends by that time. AS they watched
them, the parents who were on the
trip dropped their fears and worries
| for the welfare of their youngsters.
Lieut.. McVey said goodbye to his
messengers as each went ashore.
Those who made up the party which
accompanied the orators were: Mrs.
w. o. Carlson, Salt Lake City, mother
of the champion; Mr.. and Mrs. James
M. Tunnen parents of the second
place winner, and their younger son,
Robert, Georgetown, Del: Mrs. Louise
S. Lancaster. Birmingham: Judge Will
liam NJ Loker, Leonardtown; Miss
Leila Smith. Birmingham: Charles K.
Baughart. New York City: Mr.. and
| Mrs. Frederick J. Meagher, parents
of the third place winner, Binghamton.
| n. Y: Mrs. Armistead G. Leigh. Los
Angeles, Calf; Randolph Leigh. jr..
son Of the contest founder; r. l.. NC.
Pheron, McAlister, Okla; Herbert We
mig, Los Angeles; Mann Glenn. Birm.
ingham; c. d. Crawford, Oak Park,
H.; c. J. Going. Birmingham: Brother
Ambrose, c. r. X, and Brother Wal
ter, c. F. X. both of Leonardtown.
Md; Mrs. Perry West, Washington,
ID. c.; Dyer Raley. Leonardtown;
Walter Capelli and T. e. Lewis. both
Of the Philadelphia Bulletin; Robert F.
Perkins, and Mr.. and Mrs. Charles 3.
Degges of Washington.
|