Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-17
MEX|CANS
0RATORY CONTEST
High School Students of
Southern Republic to Seek
International Prize.

/ Despite the present crisis, Mexico
! HI I'll school students have been entered
III the second International Oratorlca
Contest, which will be conducted II
Washington next Fall under the spon
sorship of the leading newspapers o.
the competing nations.
News of Mexico's official entry in the
contest again this year was contained
in a cordial letter, dated March 10
from Miguel Lana Duret, publisher OF
| Ell Universal, leading newspaper OF
Mexico City, to Randolph Leigh, di
| rector of the American National Ora
| torical Contest and executive head OF
the international competition.
Valuable i'm Teaching Youth.
In the letter, Senior Duret, an attor
ney as well as a publisher, heartily in
dorsed the oratorial movement, de-
! claring that, in his opinion, it is valua.
BILE because it teaches the youth of the
various nations to take an interest in
the governmental affairs of their lands
and of the countries with whom their
homes have relations. Through the
study necessary for the preparation
of the speeches. Senior Duret wrote, he
is convinced the youth of all nations
will have a better understanding of
other lands, and on that understand
ing he emissions a future brotherhood
among peoples that will bring about
a great world peace.
With Senior Duret's letter, Mr.. Leigh
received a telegram from Antonio
Vargas, director of MeXico'S national
contest, through which that country's
representative in the international
contest will be chosen, in which it was
reported that high school and secon-
dairy school students there are taking
lively interest in the forthcoming
contest.
Have Same Regulations.
Like contestants in other countries,
including the United States, the Mex
lean students must confine their
speeches to 10 minutes delivery time.
Their subjects, as announced by Senior
Vargas, are: 1.-THE Influence of Youth
Upon the Destinies of Nations" Pan
Americanism" and 1.-THE Mexican Gov
eminent" Something akin to Italy's
youth movement" Mexico at present
people of it's land, and the youth in
fluence" subject was allowed, follow
ing the Mexican contest directors re-
quest that their entrants be permitted
to talk upon youth" if they liked.
The Mexican representative in the
international contest will be chosen at
a contest meeting to be held in the
Hidalgo Theater in Mexico City June
%. The preliminary contests leading
up to the final choice, such as those
being conducted in Washington and
Maryland and Virginia schools now,
are being held throughout Mexico.
That country's entrant last year won
second place with his speech on
Bolivar and the Latin American
Republics"
Other Countries to Compete.
Other countries who will compete
with Mexico and the United States
orators in the international contest
here October IA, will include England.
France, Canada and Japan and the
Hawaiian Islands.
Mexico's representative in the final
contest of nations will travel through
Europe with the seven American final
lists who will win, in addition to cash
prizes, a tour of IL countries OF
Europe.
Mr.. Leigh in speaking yesterday be-
fore the student body of the Mckinley
Manual Training High School en-
phasized the Importance of eloquence
in the career of the technical expert.
1.-THE mathematician, the scientist,
the technician, runs the world today,
but he gets scant credit for 1t and Is
grossly underpaid," said Mr.. Leigh.
. This is DUE" he continued, ito the
fact that the technician is nearly al
ways right and practically always
inarticulate. He lacks the gift of self
expression in words, though he has
that gift of expression in deeds. His
ideas often go unused because of lack
of training in the art of Self-expres-
sion in public address or in private
conference. The students in technical
and business schools can get greater
benefit than almost any others from
matchmaking in public speaking con-
tests because they are the pupils who
are most likely to neglect that phase
of their training"
Sees Benefit to Student.
Joseph Sorrell, McKinley's repre-
sentative in the 1926 contest. who
rated fourth in The Star area finals
last year, spoke on the benefits of
the contest to the student.
The occasion was also home-com-
ing welcome to Frank G. Daniel, prin-
cipal Of Mckinley, who has recently
returned from the convention of edu-
cational associations at Dallas, Tex.
Mr.. Daniel stressed the value of the
National Oratorical Contest as a
means of training technical students
in public speaking.
The Mckinley School Orchestra,
under the able leadership of Dore
Walten, rendered several numbers.
proving itself equal to the reputation
it has held for several years Of being
one of the finest school orchestras on
the Atlantic Coast.
The Mckinley faculty committee on
the contest, under the Craftsmanship
Of Mrs. Eda B. Frost, is composed of
| the following history and English
teachers: Miss Genevieve Marsh, Miss
Theora Bunnell, Miss Rhoda Watkins,
| DIR. Francis Hemelt and Andrew Vliet
| nnI0nM I.nAIIn NlIAnNEn