Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-23
ORATOR PRIZE GOES
TO DUNBAR SENIOR
Charles thomas, Is, to Com
pete in Star Area Finals
April rs.

! The third of the IL district" win.
&! ners in The Stars area of the Sixth
I National Oratorical Contest was de-
| termined in the Dunbar High Schoo
| finals yesterday afternoon when Charles
Thomas, l6-year-old senior. won the
decision of board of three judges with
| a brilliant delivery of his speech on
Lincoln and the Constitution"
BY virtue of his victory. young
Thomas wins one of the IL district
awards OF 500 and the right to COM
! pete in The Star area finals on April rs
Thomas Delivery Easy.
Charles Thomas, the Dunbar High
School champion, won his laurels with
| type of oratory that was character
| lied by ease of delivery and con-
vincing earnestness that could COM
mand only admiration. Speaking on
Lincoln and the Constitution" Thomas
swept from a conversational opening
on through a gradually rising key, re-
lieved at intervals with changes in in
Election, to a powerful climax that
seemed to leave his audience breathless.
Thomas was finished speaking and had
actually turned toward his seat on the
stage before the audience stirred in
the tense silence in which his oratory
had thrust it. A few seconds Of that
continued silence and then thunderous
applause rolled up out Of the audi
torium to pay tribute to efforts well
made.
Miss Clara Shipper, speaking on the
Personalities in the Constitution. >"
captured second place with an oratory
that ran in fairly high key and yet
retained infection. Her gestures were
few and she called upon them only to
lend emphasis to some of the points
she stressed.
Young Thomas, the Dunbar cham
pion. is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Spencer
H. Thomas of 1920 Douglas street.
Kenilworth. D. c. He is one Of the
outstanding students Of his school,
holding the presidency of the senior
class and the Dunbar chapter of the
National High School Honor Society
He is member of the schools debate
club, its German Club and its Rex Club
and he is majoring in biology. Fol-
lowing the contest meeting yesterday
he said he planned to bank the 800
award he won for his education, which
he means to carry on either at Howard
University or at some New England
institution.
Other contestants on the Dunbar
program included Lemuel Brown, son
OF Joseph Brown, 1876 Oregon avenue,
who spoke on Lincoln and the Consti-
tuition; Carolyn Holloman. daughter
of Rev. J. L. S. Holloman, 403 street,
who spoke on Personalities In the Con-
stitution," and John Manigaulte, ward
of William F. French with whom he
| lives, while studying here at 1858 Sec
ond street. Miss Shipper Is the daugh-
ter Of Mrs. Maude Shipper, l7l7 7
street.
The judges of the Dunbar finals were
Leonard 2. johnson, professor Of Eng
lish at Howard University; Mrs. Corahe
F. Cook, former member of the Dis
trict of Columbia Board of Education,
and Charles E. Burch, professor of
English at Howard ]. Newton Hill, in
structor in English and dramatics at
Dunbar, and chairman of that schools
| faculty contest committee, was largely
responsible for the coaching of the
contestants and consequently for the
showing each made In the meet.
| Like in most of the oratory contests
music had its part at Dunbar's finals
Louise Wesley played. the "Nocturne in
B Flat" as piano solo. W. L. Smith
principal of the school, presided over
! the contest.