Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-06
BESSIE CUSH WINS
IN ORATORY GROUP
Notre Dame Academy En-
trant Reaches Finals.
Maryland Contest Tonight.

! After q three-day respite, the smoke
/ OF oratorical battle was blown back
| to Washington when the representa-
! tives of three schools Of the private
| nnd paroehial school district competed
| In CASTOR Hall Of Georgetown Uni
vcrsity last night in a contest which
/ may have produced powerful op-
/ pouent for the champions of the other
! districts in The stars area, all of
/ whom have displayed an abundance
of excellent oratoriCal material.
| Miss Bessie Cush, l1-year'0ld senior
of Notre Dame Academy. with her
I Grafton on THE Constitution" won
| q welldeserved victory over her op-
! ponents. Miss Helen Cognn of st.
| Paul's Academy, and Miss Agnes Ann
| Dowd Of the Academy Of the Imnac-
ulate Conception. The victory or
| Miss Cush was notable because Of the
powerful opposition she faced in tiny
Miss Cogan, who although only IL
years old and a freshman in her
school, GRATED like a little Portia be-
fore the large, enthusiastic audience
that filled the lower floor OF old Gas
ton Hall and part Of the balcony.
The contest will he picked up again
tonight in Maryland, however, when
the fourth group meeting Of that dis
trict will be held at Marlboro. Repre-.
sentatives OF the Marlboro. Brandy
wine, Surrattsville and Baden high
/ schools will compete for place in
the Maryland finals.
Tech High Orchestra Plays.
The spirit of last nights contest
was greatly enhanced by the concert
presented by the orchestra OF the
Tech High School under the leader
ship Of Dore Walten, faculty director
of one of Washingtons finest musical
organizations. While the audience
applauded. the musicians themselves
paid similar tribute to the three
speech makers. the victor of whom
may face the champion of Tech High
School when that institutions repre-
sentative il chosen from its best
talent.
Rev. John j. Toohey, S. J., director
Of the Philodemic Club Of the uniyer-
sity, the Oldest debating society In
America, presided. He paid tribute
to the art Of oratory and its promo.
ton in the high schools of the United
States and other nations of the world.
After each Of the girls had delivered
her grafton, and the ballots OF the
Phlodemic Club members, who were
the judges, had been counted and the
winners name, written on q folded
slip Of paper, had been passed to him,
Father Toohey spoke on the possible
disappointment suffered by the losers
and their friends.
anybody here tonight who is dis
appointed In the defeat of his respec-
tive speakers ought to be ashamed
of himself" he said. Somebody must
be defeated. All three can't win and
If there is any one here who suffers
disappointment in the failure of any
one Of the orations delivered here to-
night he should hang his head In
shame. Every one OF the speakers
deserves more than that. They were
fine"
Victor Is Congratulated.
Father Toohey then announced the
victory of Miss Cush and her name
was received with q burst of applause.
The victor was surrounded by her
host of supporters from Notre Dame
and she was nearly smothered by the
kisses which her friends imposed
upon her.
Miss Cush is the daughter of Mrs.
William II. Cush. 201 s street north
east, and she will be graduated from
Notre Dame In June. Then it shall
be George Washington University and
the study of law. For this young lady
is a future lawyer, and believes
strongly in woman's part in politics,
business and the professions.
Her speaking voice is a deep, reso-
nant contralto and her manner is
quiet and deliberate. and her delivery
pauses are commanding. She occupied
the full 10 minutes allowed by the Ma
tional contest regulations in her
speech last night, and that fact came
dangerously near to making nervous
wrecks Of the time keepers. But there
was absolutely nothing nervous in her
manner and she calmly drove her
points home.
Preparing for District Finals.
With her victory in hand, Miss Cush
considered the remaining tests she
must face In the course Of the fourth
National Oratorical Contest. Her next
fight will be in the private and pa
rochial school district finals, next
Wednesday. when she will meet the
winners Of the other group contests Of
the District. The prize at stake in that
test will be a place in The Star area
finals, May 4, and a cash award OF
500.
She said last night that if she
should win that $500, well, / guess
I'll hand it right over to mother and
say. Here you are, mother; | guess
you've spent coolies more than that
on me.
Setting honorable example for other
defeated contestants, little Miss Cogan,
whose bid for victory was really fine,
declared she would come back next
wear for another try at the cham
pionship. Even then she will be only a
sophomore, but with the advantage
OF experience TO aid her. 1t will be
recalled in this connection that Her
bert Wenig, the California lad who
last year won the National Contest,
had once gone down in defeat in an
early battle Of the contest.
Contestants for Tonight.
The contestants in tonight's group
meeting at Marlboro will be Lansdale
Van Clagett, jr., Of the Marlboro High
School. whose subject will be Frank
Inns Contribution to the Constitution"
Eleanor Hartnell of the Brandywine
High School, who will talk on Lin
coins Contribution to the Constitu-
ton" and James II. Shreve, Jr, or the
Surratsville High School, who will
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