Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-07
WASHINGTON OUT
FOR ORATORY PRIZE
Spirit of SeCti0naIiSm Is Dis
played in All Parts of
Country.

A kealth% observation-disclosures this
time with all parties agreed as 10 the
Constitution asserting itself I'D con
nection with the fourth National
Oratorical Contest, now getting under
way i'm high schools i'll every part OF
the United States
This sectionalism is taking the form
of clamor for the national champion,
ship The East wants ii Tor 1877, ana
SO do the Central States and the Mid
west, and. of course, the South, Which
has produced one national champion
and one Funner-up. is oug for orator.
cal honors Equally strong is the am.
bition Of the schools of Washington
and vicinity, which have twice won
second place i'm the national finals
The Pacific region. from Los Angeles
TO Seattle. il confidently hopeful, as
Il has a right tn be. because or the
phenomenal success of California ora
tors in impTesSing supreme Court
justices Cwho have judged the national
finals each year, with the merits Of
their speeches.
Californs;, nsiSer F"terest
Indeed. il is tGe te nrd made by
California that Is partly responsible
for the sectional clamor. Sew Jersey
was the first 10 raise the standard 81
revolt against continuation OF vest
ern and Southern victories. The New
York Times calls attention TO me feel
ing among Eastern teachers that vic
tory in the National Oratovieal Con
test has been spending too many Win
ters in California" The Times quotes
Miss Edith K. Giles. head of the public
speaking department of Emerson Hlgh
School, at Union City, y. j. where
elaborate preparations are being made
for this years contest. as follows;
"I think il is high time that we
people in the Eastern schools wake UP
and get busy in this great national
educational project and win first place.
Why are we letting California win nrst
place twice and second the other time
in the three years of this contest
Central States Eager.
Nor is the New York region the only
one that is vocal on this theme. In
the Central States the Chicago uaiiy
News has adopted contest policy
aiming at winning the national cram
pionship Heretofore that paper mas
had a territory of FIVE large states.
This year it has turned all of its for
mer- territory. except the State OF
Illinois, over to other papers. and IS
centering all of it's efforts on such an
intensive participation In all OF the
high schools in that State that victory
viii be possible It's slogan is con
centrate and conquer. and the schools
in Illinois are responding with enthhs-
iasm to the idea
The contestants are not only out Tor
the European tour. sailing July : on
The Ileviathan. but are also out for the
national championship and the right
10 speak for the United States In the
international finals at Washington IN
October.
The Philadelphia region began lay
ing the foundation for national victory
last year. when the Philadelphia com
mittee, which has the cooperation or
the Philadelphia Bulletin, voluntarily
gave the western Pennsylvania terri
tory TO the Pittsburgh sun, IN whose
territory a steadily growing contest,
with 25a schools in il, is under way,
with the national championship as its
goal also' In both the Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh areas the idea OF tri-
unph through intensification is being
adhered to strictly and expectantly for
1897.
Midwest Interest Grows.
The spirit of the Aiidwestern terri
tories is typified by the policy of one
Of the leading newspaper sponsors OF
the contest there, the Kansas City
star. The Star began preparing Tor
1927 and victory before the finalists OF
last year had returned from their
summer tour of Europe. Teachers
COMMITTEES began to gather and com
pIete their plans, and concentration
became the slogan there also.
The Star gave its Colorado division
ever to the Rocky Mountain News
ard the Denver Evening News, and
nut all of it's energies behind getting
greater results from the largest posi-
b1e participation in each school in its
territory. The contest there, as else
where, is pushed along largely by the
enthusiasm Of the teachers and pupils.
One of the most interesting OF all
the friendly rivalries III the contest Is
that in the South. The Louisville
courier Journal. with the prestige of
twice winning the Southern champion
shin and once tying for second place
in the national finals. finds its schools
eager to keep pace with the traditions
Of Col. Henry Watterson. The Atlanta
Constitution, with the imperishable
memory Of Henry w. Gradys elo-
nuence and the splendid showing of
it's spokesman in the national finals
last year, also feels the urge toward
the national championship.
Georgia Sees Victory.
The Birmingham Age Herald, whose
represe natives have been winners of
the Southern championship twice ana
once Of the national. can see nothing
less than victory this year. The ma
tional semi-final meeting, to pc held in
Birmingham on May 6, TO determine
which of the spokesman of six states
is to represent the Southern region IN
the national finals at washington on
Nav 20, promises to be one or the
most thrilling of the seven natlonal
semi.fnal meetings TO be held IN the
seven clearing centers on May b,
Randolph leigh. national director
~ the contest. who laid the founda-
lion fol-. the national project in organ
lzing the California state contest In
1928, insists that there is nothing mag,
fcal or surprising in the success OF
California competitors.
"California has won heretofore" ac-
eording to the national director. be
cause the boys and girls there have
caught the sporting spirit. They Keep
trying each year, and by communal
practice perfect themselves. 1t is wen
known that Herbert Wenig won the
national and international champion
ships last year. but il is not generally
known that he was unable to win his
school championship in 1924 or his
state championship in 1925. Eugene
NcEIweel of California won second
Mace i'm the national finals OF 1928.
Rut I saw him lose out in his own
narochiaI school contest in 1928, and
learned that he was unable to get be
vond the southern California finals OF
1924. Don Tyler laid the foundation
for victory in 1924 by refusing TO stop