Evening star., 1928-04-01
PLANS TOPROMOTE
HIGHWAY SAFETY
Auto Board Announces S6,500
in Prizes for Essays by
School Children.

Offering S6,s00 in prizes for the best
essays and lessons on street and high
way safety. the Highway Education
Board, located in the Willard Building,
Is announcing to the schools the annual
Ssfetv contest. open 10 elementary
school pupils and elementary school
teachers Of the Nation, The competi-
tion is conducted each year with the
active cooperation OF the school au-
thorities.
Based on past experience. officials Of
the board say they expect to receive
ESSAYS not only from each State in the
Union and virtually every city of size
but from the Territories and outlying
possessions as we'll such as Alaska. the
Philippines Hawaii. Porto Rico and the
Canal Zone,
The $500 in prizes is given by the
National Automobile Chamber of Com
merce. and this year include 442 prizes
for elementary school pupils, three ma
tional prizes for pupils and three ma
tional prizes for teachers, the latter
totaling ST 200 in cash, In addition.
the pupil and the teacher whose essay
and lesson, respectively are chosen as
the best in the Nation are given trip
TO Washington. with all expenses paid.
no matter from what section of the
country they may come.
Essays Limited to 500 Words.
This year. according to the rules,
pupils are to write essays Of 500 words
III length on the subject Why We Have
and Practice Traffic Rules" Teachers
are given the subject "OblectiveS and
Methods of Education in Street and
Highway Safety" on which they are
asked TO prepare practical lessons for
as~ -. oil
but by other teachers III the class
rooms of the Nation as well. Pupils of
the fifth. sixth, seventh and eighth
grades may compete. while all teachers
in the eighth and lower grades are
eligible participants.
II is estimated that in the past six
years more than 100000 elementary
school pupils and perhaps half mil
lion teachers have written ESSAYS and
lessons on the various subjects assigned
in connection with these contests, which
have proved to be not only the most
sustained national competitions open
70 the schools but among the most pop
u,ar as well An average in excess OF
100000 pupils write essays each year,
Il is said, while approximately from
$4,000 to $4,000 teachers write and
teach safety lessons TO their pupils.
The amount of $500 in prizes is di-
vided into three groups. of which more
than half goes to pupils ss State prizes.
Altogether f42 cash prizes and the
same number OF gold. silver and bronze
medals are offered pupils who find
their names on this safety honor roll
Of the Nation.
Prizes Awarded to Each State.
Each State and Territory is entitled
AA Aaemk .~{M lea
The first prize is q gold medal and q
check for SIS: the second award Is a
silver medal and check for $40. The
number OF third prizes, bronze medals
and checks for SIS varies in proportion
70 the elementary school enrolment,
New York with its dense population,
being entitled TO IS, Indiana 10 IL,
Florida TO and Nevada 70 1. TO cite
certain examples. These prizes are
distributed through the State depart
nlents Of education.
Finally, the essays which are chosen
as best from the States are entered in
competition with each other. The best
OF these papers earn for the writer
gold watch and trip to Washington,
and third national awards are hand
with all expenses paid. while the second
some gold watches Of suitable value and
design.
Teachers are not given State prizes.
but the three lessons chosen as best Of
all those written throughout the Nation
earn for their writers checks in the
amount Of $500. $500 and $500. respec-
lively. and the teacher whose lesson Is
ranked first also is invited TO come TO
Washington as the boards guest.
The third division of the prize money
Is set aside for the travel expenses and
entertainment of the pupil and teacher
whose essay and lesson earn national
honors