Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-12
GI!IRlL,..l5, VICTOR.
IN 0RAT0RY TEST
Elizabeth Brereton Wins in
Group Contest-Hendon
Competition Tonight.


Brereton, l5-year-old senior of the
warrenton High School. was adjudged
victor in the, fourth Virginia group COM
petition of the Sixth National Oratorical
Contest last night at Warrenton.
Not far behind the winner was Miss
Beulah B. Smith, 16-year-old senior of
the Remington High School, who was,
determined alternate to Miss Brereton.
The fifth and concluding group meet
in the Virginia district of The Stars
contest area will be held at 8 O'Clock
tonight In the auditorium Of the Hern-
don High School where three girls and
boy will compete for the right to
enter the Virginia finals. <-
Contestants Listed.
In the order in which they will speak
and their respective orations, tonight's
contestants are:
Miss Evelyn Osborn Jennings OF the
Franklin Sherman High School Of Nc
Lean, on The Citizen: His Privileges
end Duties Under the Constitution
Omer Hirst of the Lee-Jackson High
School of Fairfax County, adjoining
Alexandria, on "The Constitution To-
day"
Miss Helen Lucille Mccarthy of the
Herndon High School, on The Citizen:
His Privileges and Duties Under the
Miss Doris Robb Of the FIoris vo-
cational School of Herndon. on The
Constitution in the Daily Life Of the
Individual"
Wilbert Woodson, superintendent of
the Fairfax County Schools, will pre-
side at tonights meeting while the
judges will be Elmer Louis Kayser, sec
rotary of the George Washington Uni
versity at Washington; Representative
Louis Ludlow of Indiana. Rev. D. Camp
bell Mayors of Middleburg, Va. and H.
carlton Hanes member of the Virginia
House of Delegates.
Last nights meeting at Warrenton
presented one of the closest fought elm
nations in the contest this year. In
the compilation of the ballots Miss
Brereton was a decisive but not neces-
Sarily overwhelming victor. The judges
who accorded her first honors, MISS
Smith second and Miss Cary Amelia
Marshall OF the Marshall High School
third honors, were John F. Bethune,
secretary of the United States Tariff
Commission; DR.. Julius H. Parmelee, d.
rector, Bureau of Railway Economics;
Miss Ruth Newburn of Washington, who
was alternate to the champion In the
First National Oratorical Contest; Clar-
ence Carter, commonwealth attorney Of
Warrenton, and Walter Robertson, War
renton attorney.
Daughter Of Army Officer.
Miss Brereton won with her grafton
on Personalities of the Constitutional
Convention" Hers was a speech which
reflected a magnetic personality and q
maturity ana poiSe beyond that Of a
15-year- old girl. Miss Brereton eStab-
liShed herself as one of the years FORE
most contenders for the Virginia cham
pionship. She is the daughter of Maj.
Lewis H. Brereton, u. s. Army Ar
Corps, and Mrs. Brereton, and follow
ing her graduation from the Warrenton
High School she plans to enter Sweet
Briar. d. a. !
The contest at Warrenton was opened |
by Lloyd Davis, 15-year-old junior OF !
the Haymarket High School. who spoke |
on The Constitution in the Daily Life |,
OF the Individual" Davis faced his |
audience with clear directness that |
was pleasing. He used no gesture until !
he had reached the midway point in |
his speech and then 1T came with !
naturalnesS. He took occasion to defend |
youth of today when he demanded to |
know if boys and girls were studying |,
and discussing their Constitution 80 |
years ago as they are today.
Ray Swank, Nokesville High School
sophomore, and the only other boy on |
the program, followed Davis. He spoke |
on THE Evolution of the Constitution"
He presented in his Grafton q miniature |
course in American Governmental his |
tory. He cited more real facts OF his |
tory in his brief time upon the stage |
than most persons would be willing to |
read in a much longer time. I
Miss Marshall, the Marshall High |
School girl who was adjudged third |
place winner, seemed the all-Virginia
girl as she delivered her speech on |
The Development of the Constitution.
Her voice, bearing testimony to the Old
Dominion by its traditional Dixie
accent, whipped across her audience
with much of the fiery type of elo-
quence for which Virginia's statesmen
have been known. There was little
fear in this girl for when she faltered
for fraction of moment, she smiled
her own amusement at the very ridtcu-
lousness Of possible forgetfulness and
carried on to complete her speech in
eloquence.
Speech Rich in Logic.
Miss Brereton was next introduced
and then MISS Lucy Johnson Oh tne
Bealeton High School took the stage to
deliver her Grafton on "A Citizen: His
Privileges and Duties Under the Con-
Miss Johnson'S speech was
rich in the logic with which 1t had been
constructed She took up her points
in good order and laid basis Tor all
her statements. Her delivery was rapid
and unhesitating as though the GRAFTON
sprang from fountain OF knowledge
Of American history
Miss Smith. the SECOND -place winner,
was the concluding speaker on the pro-
gram. She was impressive with the
sincerity of her convictions and as she
spoke she left no doubt that she actual
Nv meant what she said about the
privileges and duties of the citizen"
she developed an interesting thought
when she declared that the privileges
and duties accorded citizens under the
are synonymous. The bal
lot, for instance. she said, extends
privilege in offering a medium for the
citizens to choose their own legislators,
and at the same time, 1t imposes q
duty in its wise use.
The program Of oratory was COM
pleted by delightful choral singing by |
the Warrenton High School Girls Glee
Club. under the direction Of Miss Mil
bred Brown. Col j. Donald Richards,
attorney, was chairman.
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