Evening star., 1927-05-04
Opening Gun Fired.

Opening Gun Fired.
With the opening gun fired by AL
vim Graves of Eastern at 1928 o'clock,
The Star finals beset its three-sec-
toned audience with thrills and
worries and nervousness. Drama had
it's part in the emotions of the three
crowds that packed the auditoriums
in which the units of the contest
were staged, but at Central, where
the finals We're launched, this ele-
ment was paramount.
Music by the Central High School
Orchestra, directed by H. p. Hoover,
greeted the incoming hundreds of
students. parents and friends of both
that filed to the big hall to see--and
to hear-their respective favorites de-
liver the speeches of their lives.
Schmidt's military march, Pre-
pared" was the first selection played,
and prepared" seemed each of the
contestants as he took his place on
the stage with Stephen e. Kramer,
assistant superintendent Of schools,
who was chairman; Randolph Leigh,
founder and director of the National
Contest, and Inspector w. S. Shelby
of the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment, who was timekeeper in the
absence of Maj. Edwin B. Hesse.
Kramer Speaks First.
Mr.. Kramer was the first person
to speak. Alvin Miller, principal of
Central, abdicated his full authority
to the officials of The Star finals, and
so Central was the perfect host to the
visiting schools contingents. Mr..
Kramer lost no time in reaching the
heart of the subject, the contest, and
he confined his remarks entirely to a
brief recitation Of the regulations
under which the competition would
be conducted. He stressed particular
ly the part the audience played In the
contest, and warned the 1000 persons
that applause during an Grafton would
handicap speaker, who was allowed
ten minutes.
AS Alvin Graves took his place be.
fore the audience applause burst from
the Eastern High School section of
the vast hall. The greeting, however,
was quickly augmented by handicap
ping from each of the opposing schools
the contest was on---here was sport!
Alvin, a slender blonde lad of aver.
age height, spoke clearly and dis.
tinctly and the audience hushed. His
subject, Americas Contribution to
pounded by the 17-year-old champion
Of his school we'll within the allotted
time. He was not nervous, it seemed
to those who heard him, Gnd his one
or two gestures gave the needed ac.
cent to his grafton. When he had
concluded his speech Alvin returned
| to his seat on the stage while the
| full audience applauded it's appreci
alton of an effort well made.
Then another introduction, and
| Joseph Richard Greenwood, the West
| ern High School champion, took the
platform. Another noisy welcome
then silence, while Joe, as his class
mates know him, began. He spoke
slowly with almost intense delibera
tion. Pauses-lengthy pauses, during
| which the orator was master Of him
| self and of the silence that focused
upon him-were frequent. Young
| Greenwood is tall. the tal1est con
testant for the reward and honors
and he has a dark complexion. He
| commanded the attention of the audi
ence while he expounded 1.-THE Con
stitution.'
Stanley Segal, the 15-year-old cham
pion of Business, followed Greenwood
to the stage, and delivered a speech
on '"rhe Constitution and the Ballot
Box" Stanley was spirited in his
Grafton and he gave infection to his
voice as he placed America upon the
witness stand for an arraignment oi
its failure in its balloting duty. In
his earnestness, Stanley seemed &c
quaver-almost stumble--at one point
of his speech, but quick recovery
and he was on again, while the audi.
ence sighed its relief.
AY AaI 4Txn ~
| relaxation came after SegaPs speech
and the orchestra played selections
| from THE Student Prince"
War Dead Remembered.
Then came an interruption of g
/ different kind. Mr.. Kramer walked
! to the front OF the stage to speak
| He paid quiet, sincere tribute to the
! 535 men and women of the Distric
| of Columbia who died in the Worl(
| War in order that the Constitution
! which at that very moment was being
| eXpounded by young America, might
| live. When he finished the entire
| audience stood with bowed heads ant
| reflected in silence for one minute
| quite a contrast to the applaudinG
crowd of few minutes before.
Catherine Birch, the Mckinley High
School champion, was the next con
| tender to take the platform. Catherine
is is years old and as she spoke or
THE Constitution" she seemed to tug
| at the heart strings of her audience
She is dramatic--one of the leading
figures in her schools dramatics--an(
she called upon that ability in the de
livery Of her speech.
Delivers Last. Speech.
Ethelwyn /. Hine, the Central Higf
| School winner, was the last con
| testant in the first unit in bid fol
| honor. Her voice was alE~9st mas
culine In its fire and determination