Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-20

| The winners of the Own Your own
| Home essay contest, which was con
| Quoted through The Star last week,
are announced today-Own-Y our'Own-
Home day of National Thrift week.
after four days OF manuscript reading
| by the judges.
Following are the writers OF the
three prize winning essays and their
respective awards:
First-John F. HaFdie, jr., 302 South
| Walnut street. Lyon Park, Va" 500
award
Second-Mrs Marguerite Wilcox,
| S26 l. street northeast, $50 award.
Third-Benjamin Schlosser, 900
Emerson street, $40 award.
Adhered to Subject.
Each of the prize winning essays
was selected, the judges announced,
because of it's adherence to the sub
iect of home owning and because or
the form in which tt was written
an essay Many of the manuscripts
which were received and read by the
Judges were interesting tales of per
sonal experiences in the happy or
tragic results of owning or not owning
ones home.
The statement which accompanied
the announcement of the three prize
winners. and which gives the general
impression gathered from the mass of
essays, follows:
THE essays received in the Own
Your Own Home essay contest were
very interesting Most of them We're
written by women and a few of them
by young girls. While some of them
were not closely related to the sub
ject, they gave intimate glimpses of
the writer's lives and ideals.
Wants of Women.
There is a great unanimity among
the women as to what they want.
| They express q strong yearning for
domestic life, a comfortable home
with a neat garden and well-kept
grass plot; a domestic husband, a
companion who will take pride and in
terest in his home; happy, healthy
children; congenial associates in
their neighbors. and convenient
church.
Most of the contributors were mar
ried women. Some have already real
ICED their ideals, while others still
live in apartments"
The judges. as announced by the
committee on the observance of own
Your Own Home day. of which Jo-
seph A. Herbert, jr., is chairman,
were: Gen. Anton Stephan, president
of the City Club: NJ. A. Leese, presi-
dent of the Washington Chamber of
Commerce. Edwin G.. Graham, presi-
dent of the Washington Board of
Trade; Ross p. Andrews. president of
the Merchants and Manufacturers
| Association, and Mrs. j. Garfield
Riley, president of the Women's City
| Club.
First Prize Essay.
The essay which was awarded first
place in the judging and which was
| written by John +. Hardie, jr, of
Lyon Park, Va, follows:
THE most indispensable, noblest
and greatest creation of man is the
home, just as the profoundest in
| fiuences of childhood are those of the
family circle The warmeAt memories
of later years center in the home.
1t is the environment of the deepest
experiences of human life.
Typical of the many stray facts
that show which way the wind blows
| Is the recent observation: Out of
1900 divorces in Chicago, only 10
| couples owned their own home.
There is no adequate substitute, az a
rule. for home ownership. The
| loaned dwelling is a makeshift, a
make-do. and by virtue of the rela-
| tionship, restrictions and temporary
tenure, breeds discomfort, lessons
self-respect and handicaps the family
generally in it's domestic, economic,
cultural and civic advancement.
THE family that owns it's home has
the most satisfactory landlord and
tenants. They have added pride in
their dwelling, maintain it better. get
greater pleasure out of it, and usually
have the most wholesome, healthful
and happiest atmosphere in which to
rear children. Their home is more
than a house also, in that it makes
them legal part of the community,
and as direct taxpayers their interest
and participation in local improve
ments and government becomes ac-
tive. 1t is here that the higher
standards and stimulus of home own.
ership make their impress on the com,
munity, the city and the Common
wealth, 10 the benefit of ALL
OF basic importance, the home
owner has a constructive aim in life,
which creates enthusiasm and directs
energy. He works harder and better
outside his home; he spends his leisure
profitably; he budgets his resources:
he is better citizen and business
man. Finally, he knows from expert
ehce tnat no ambition is worthier or
more deserving of the utmost effort
than home ownership-that it pays
manifoldv'
Second Prize Essay.
The second prize essay, written by
Mrs. Marguerite Wilcox, 826 l. street
northeast, follows;
Nothing else gives one such a
sense Of stability and responsibility
as does ownership of the house in
which one lives and the bit of the
good old earth on which it stands.
The feeling of perimanency in a GER
tain place brings out ones interest in
the surrounding neighborhood; grad
ually the home owners interests are
knit into the life Of his community.
Pride in his lawn and garden branches
out into pride in the streets and parks
and schools of his particular section
and blossoms into that fine civic
spirit that inspires him 10 work for
the progress of his toy,
"Cnconsciously, he taAN~s an altruis-
tie interest in his ,esE9eg men, begin
ming with the folRA next door and
| across the way. Renters, here today
and gone tomorrow. may keep up a
sustained indifference to their neigh.
1 l. a.