Evening star., 1927-04-05
TWO ARE V|CTORS
IN ORATORY TESTS
William A. Loker arid John r.
Hardesty Ahead in Com
petitions in Maryland.

AHt AstN~s Ja~~'F~'"
Four young orators from the foun~
tain head of tolerance In America
st. Marys County, Md gathered at
Leoualdtown last night to DO battle
with orations on the Constitution,
whose important preoepts were born
ON this peninsula of southern Mary
land.
A potential Judge, of a line OF at
torneys and occupants of judicial
benches. himself a student in Leon
ard Hall of Leonardtown. won first
place in the second group contest OF
the Maryland district in The star $
area OF the fourth National Orator1cal
Contest.
Speaking on THE Constitution -
young William 4. I4oller, l7-year- old
senior of Leonard Hall. stood on the
judicial bench occupied during the
courts sessions by his father, VIII
lam NJ. Loker Of the seventh judlcia
circuit. and beneath the watchful
gaze of portrait of Robert Ford, his
great grandfather. who was also
Judge of the same circuit.
Speaks Eight Minutes.
Toker used eight minutes OF the
allowed 10 to defeat the three spokes-
men from the other contesting
schools. Emily Elizabeth Davis Of the
Mechancsville High School. whose
subject was Jefferson and the Con
stitution": Mary Katherine Sterling
of st. Mary's Academy of Leonard
town, speaking on The Constitution,
and Andrew {. Gonder of Charlotte
Hall, whose subject was THE Consti-
tuition" were the three conquered
orators. Aloysius r. King, editor OF
st. Mary's Beacon, presided as chair
man of the contest, which took place
in the courthouse.
Last nights victor is potential
champion of oratory and little doubt
exists that he will go far in the pres
ent oratorical competitions. Any
school representative who defeats the
youth, who last night defeated truly
fine orations, will deserve the honors
that accompany the conquest. Loker
is a tall handsome lad Of manly bear
ing. AS he stood delivering his ora
ton there was none of the nervous
ness which might excusably attend
the performance of student speech
makers anywhere, but instead much
of the finesse possessed by veteran
speakers III halls of Legislature was
his.
LoEer Warmly Congratulated.
When his victory was announced
following the judges decision last
night Loker was surrounded by
host Of enthusiastic Supporters, who
had 1ourneyed from the school to the
to hear his oration. Inter
rupting for a moment the stampede
to calmly and courteously escort re
porter from The Washington Star to
an antercom Loker told Of his future
ITO be very frank with you, my
hearts ambition is to become Chlef
Justice of the Supreme Court, he con-
fided. THAT is a mighty high mark
realize, but, you know, we must aim
at high levels or we would never
reach the higher reaches Of success.
We might fall 81 little short of the
highest mark, but by shooting at that
we win get higher than we might
have had we not striyen for the great
est things. Isn't that SO?
Loker will be graduated from Leon.
ard Hall in June. and next Fall, ii cir
cumstances permit, he wishes to enter
Georgetown University. where he will
study law as the first step toward
the accomplishment Of his lofty ambi-
ton.
You see / want to follow right
along in the footsteps Of my dad,
first with the law as Il practicing at.
torney, and then later--well / told
you my ambition"
Fine Speech Made by Girl.
Loker was the third orator on the
program and he had been preceded
by one Of the best speeches made by
a girl in the course OF this years con-
test. When he had concluded his ora
tion the first person to compliment
him on his masterful feat was little
Miss Sterling, the st. Marys Academy
entrant. whose Grafton was adjudged
second best.
The LeonardtoWn meeting was one
of the finest of this years contest.
Much of the enthusiasm and the fact
that the courtroom, the largest audi
torium in the town. was jammed TO
overfiowing, was due to the untiring
efforts and personal enthusiasm OF
Brother Ambrose. G. r. X, principal
of Leonard Hall. 1t was at first
planned to conduct the contest in the
Town Hall, but when ii was seen that
such large visiting contingents were
accompanying the speakers it was de-
cided at the last minute to transfer
the assembly to the courthouse.
La Plata Winner Announced.
The third group contest of the
Maryland district was held at La
Plata, Md, this morning In the audi
torium of the McDonough Institute,
when 300 students, supporters OF the
three speakers. crowded into the hall
with enthusiasm and pep that marked
honest school rivalry.
John r. Hardesty, 1Syear-old senior
of the McDonough Institute of La
Plata, won first place in very close
contest His subject, "Hamilton's Con-
tribution to the Constitution" was well
timed to occupy nearly the full 10-min-
ute delivery time as allowed by the
oratorical contest rule,
The two other contestants in today's
We're De Sales Mudd, II, of
Notre Dame High School, Bryantown,
Md, who spoke on washington and
the Constitution, and who was judged
a close second by the jury, and Char
lotte Mason. IT., of the Lackey High
School, Indian Head, whose subject
was Americas Contribution to Con-
stitutional Government"
Second Victory for Boys.
Today's contest gives another vic
tory to the boys, making their con-
quests in tests in which girls opposed
them unanimous. The only girl to be
represented so far in a district final is
Miss Carrie r. Lucas of the Herndon
High School, in Virginia, who defeated
two girls at Leesburg in a Virginia
group contest last week.
The judges today were l.. Johnson
Canter Of Charlotte Hall, a member
OF the st. Marys County Board of Ed
ucation; II. II. Boswell Of La plata,