Evening star., 1927-04-14

STAR. WASHINGTON,
one who heard her knew that here
was a real contender for the cham
pionship.
Then came George L. McCallum,
the Dewitt Preparatory School boy,
who won his group test last Satur
day night at the National Museum
while little Miss Sheppard was talk
ing her way TO victory over at Cor
coran Hall. George Washington Uni
versity. McCallum talked in a quiet
matter-of.fact manner. indicative of a
sincere belief in the doctrines he ex-
pounded.
Miss Cush was the next speaker
and she was followed by John Chad
wick Of st. Johns College. Johns
Grafton on THE Constitution" was
whipped out commandingly by it's
young author. and it completed a fine
brace of speeches for the jury to
Judge.
Before the speakers were presented
and during the period the ballots were
being totaled the Powell Junior High
school Orchestra. band Of % young.
ster3 whose ages reach the tender
sCoore of 10 and run upward only to
l5, under the direction of George E.
Hurt, gave a program. These little
fellows is one girl among
them-played marvelously. and the
audience of older boys and girls was
50 enthralled when the young musi-
clans played THE Gold and Blue"
Mr.. Hurts own composition, for them.
that they picked 1t up and carried it
onward with rhythmic applause and
humming.
Orchestra Wins Praise.
Mr. Hurt has had the members Of
the Powell Junior High School Orches-
ira only since the latter part of last
November and he placed instruments
in the hands of most of them for the
first time. Many Of them enlisted in
the orchestra as recently as six weeks
ago, yet today--wel. their reception
at the contest yesterday and at other
meetings ut which they have played
since the oratorica1 battles got under
way in group and district contests
this year speaks for itself.
When the ballots of the judges had
been tOtalled, the results were written
on a slip of paper, which was in turn
official representative of The Star. At
once there were suppressed squeals of
excitement. Mr.. Kaufman grinned
broadly and remarked that it was
quite easy to announce the victors, but
that he would not have relished the
task of determining from the excel
lent orations the winners. The ex-
cited laughed nervously at that and
seemed a little uneasy with the slight
delay. Mr.. Kaufman then re-
marked innoCently enough that the
winner of that contest would receive
not only the championship of the pri-
vate and parochial school district. but
also S100, and that announcement
pitched the excited youngsters to an
even higher degree of tenseness for
the big news that followed immedi.
ately-Bessie Cush had won the con-
test. While the din that greeted that
announcement was just getting under
way, Mr.. Kaufman presented Bessie
with her well earned check for 500.
Victor Wins Applause.
Actual bedlam broke loose and the
happy cheers of the Notre Dame con-
tingent of girls were shrill and ringing
in the St. Paul's auditorium. The ova-
Mr. Kaufman could pronounce the
name of little Janet Sheppard. In
the meantime, however. Janet had
been applaudng enthusiastically with
the rest, and she was one Of the first
to congratulate her conqueror, Miss
Cush.
Robert L. Haycock, assistant super
intendent of the Washington public
schools presided as chairman and thus
gave his hearty Endorsement Of the
oratorical contest. Before introduc-
ing the orators Mr.. Haycock paid
tribute to st. Paurs Academy for its
hospitality in giving the use of its
auditorium as the scene of battle.
The judges were: DIR. Charles T..
Hill, head of the political science de-
partment of George Washington Uni
versity; Rev. George J.. Farnham of
the public speaking department OF
George Washington University; DIR.
Richard j, Purcell of the political
science department of Catholic Uni
versity; DIR. Patrick LennoX, head of
the English department of the Cath
olic University. DR.. Roy Defferai, pro-
fessor of Latin at Catholic Uniyer-
sity; Rev. John J. Toohy, professor of
at Georgetown University;
DIR. Herbert Wright, head of the politi-
cal science department of George
town University: Thomas II. Patter'
son, professor of contract law at the
National University, and Fred T.
Myers, in charge of the legal debating
class at the National University.
Miss Cush is the daughter of Mrs.
William +. Cush, POI S street north
east. She is senior at Notre Dame
and next Fall she plans to enter
George Washington University, where
she will study her beloved law pre-
paratory to a career of upholding
women's rights.
Wins Final Contest.
Lucius Robinson, 17-year-old senior,
of 1858 Fifty-eighth place, one of
the five contestants of the Second
International Oratorical Contest, who
survived the preliminary elimination
contests at the Dunbar School,
this morning established himself
as the foremost orator of that
institution by winning the final con-
test by close, but convincing margin.
I.ucius. who chose Jefferson and the
Constitution" as his theme, elaborated
upon it in a thoroughly impressive
and forceful manner, punctuating
with decisive oratorical gestures the
points in his speech, in which he en-
phasised the paramount influence of
the Sage Of Monticello upon the Con
stitution, in respect to both the inter
pretation of it's powers and the sacred
ness of it's principles.
Miss Ruth Matthews, also a senior,
of 26 N street, who pressed the winner
closely, spoke on the general topic
Of the Constitution" whose concep-
ton and founders she eulogized with
series of descriptive word-pictures.