Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-19
ILLNESS ATTACKS
SCHOOL ORATORS
Dewitt Speaker Is Winner by
DefauIt-TWo 0ppo-
nentS Sick.

Illness is welding a potent influence
in the Sixth National Oratorical Con-
test here and at noon today Lawrence
w. Gunther of the Dewitt Preparatory
School, was announced winner by de-
fault of the second interschool meet OF
the 1929 contest when 1t was learned
that his two opponents in this after
moons scheduled competition were sick
and confined to their homes.
Todays upset followed the sweeping
victory yesterday in the first interschool
meet of Jerome j. Downey, GOnzaga
High Schools alternate. who jumped
into the vacancy on the program caused
by the illness of Lorend Freund, cham
pion of Gonzaga.
Plans were being completed for this
afternoons meet at Corcoran Hall OF
George Washington University, when
the Emerson Institute informed contest
headquarters that its spokesman. Henry
Riggs, who has been suffering from in
fluenza, still was confined to his home.
Shortly afterward the Woodward School
for Boys reported that Richard Snead,
its representative, also was too Ill 10
enter the contest. Neither school had
trained an alternate and so the de-
cision was announced by Miss Louise
Proctor, contest manager, as going by
default to the Dewitt entrant, who now
must contend in the private and pa
rochial district finals.
Gonzaga Alternate Wins.
Called from the audience without
warning when the champion OF Con-
zaga High School failed to make his
appearance at the first private and
parochial district meeting yester-
day afternoon. Young Downey, Off
cial alternate to the missing speak
er. unleashed a broadside of oratory
which won him clean-cut victory and
complete reinstatement In the contest
from which he had been eliminated IN
his school finals. The victory also de-
termined Downey as one OF three con-
tenders for the private and parochlal
district championship.
In his spontaneous victory in the
competition held in Mcmahon Hall
of Catholic University, Downey de-
feated a field that presented con-
sistently strong opposition. Miss Hollis
Essex of Holy Cross Academy made a
particularly high bid for first honorS
and when the ballots Of the judges
were compiled she came in second to
become Downey'S alternate.
The ballots of the judges did not
separate any of the four contestants by
a very wide margin and Miss Eileen
Haltigan, representing st. Pauls Acad-
envy, and Miss Marie McCray, speaking
for ST. Cecilia's Academy, were not far
behind the winners.
The contest was launched by Miss
Essex. She took her position unafraid
before the packed auditorium and in a
voice devoid Of nervousness, but express
sive in its quiet meditation, she en-
tered upon her Grafton on 1.-THE Con-
stitution in the Daily Life Of the In
dividual." AS she spoke Miss Essex put
variation into her tones and at times
she emphasized her points with grace
full gestures that blended with her voice.
She was in the conclusion of her ora
ton when the official 10-minute period
ran its course and at the timekeeper's
signal she ceased speaking and resumed
her seat on the platform without pen
atty from the judges. Under a rule,
contestant is to be penalized for over
time only If he continues to spec~ 2fter
the time signal has sounded.
Precise Speaking.
Miss Haltigan followed Miss Essex
with her Grafton on THE Development
of the Constitution" Her oratory diff
fered from that of the first girl by
virtue of its staccato and precise quality
clipped without losing the grace of
feminine speaking. The slight change
In oratorical style lent interesting va
riety to the meet.
Miss McCray next took the stage to
speak upon THE Citizen: His Rights
and Duties Under the Constitution"
Miss McCray's voice was deep, resonant
and firm and she stod quietly through
out the delivery Of her speech, with no
gesture.
Until this stage of the meeting, Ior-
end Freund, who was to have repre-
scented Gonzaga High School, had not
been seen, and after calling for him
once again, DR.. Charles A. Hart, men,
Der of the Catholic University faculty,
who served as chairman, asked Downey
to I'LL the gap for his school.
Illness, following his return here yes
terday from debate trip to Jersey
City, 1t was learned today, was respon-
sibie for Freund's failure to take his
place in the contest yesterday.
Downey, who championed Gonzaga
last year only to be defeated in the
group phase of the contest, clambored
over chair In the back of the hall
and swung up onto the stage. He hesi-
tated barely a moment as though to
collect racing thoughts, and then, in
a quiet, deep and rich voice, he ad-
dressed his audience and went easily
into his grafton on What the Consti-
tuition Should Mean to U.s." Downey
rolls his RS" but he does 1t naturally
and his speech benefits in richness by
1t. There was f1exibility in his tones
and just enough gesture to command
emphasis. The audience sat quietly
throughout his grafton and after
minutes and 40 seconds of speaking he
brought his grafton to a close.
Thereafter 1t was just a matter Of a
few minutes before the ballots were COL
lected and compiled by contest officials.
Rev. DR.. Hart leased few moments
while he had the folded paper contain
ing the victor's name in his hand. He
was reminded of story"-but he
didn't tell 1t and the audience ap-
plauded so vigorously that his next
statement told the story. Downey had
won. AS 1t was proved a great day for
alternateS." Father Hart next told the
audience that If for any reason Downey
were unable to contend In the private
and parochial district finals, Miss Hollis
Essex would compete. Thunderous ap-
plause greeted the verdict.
For all his deep voice, manly bearing
and towering-though slight-stature
Downey Is only Is years old. He is the
son Of Mr.. and Mrs. Lawrence A. Dow
ney Of 1927 Tenth street, and he is am
bilious to become a lawyer He Is a
junior at Gonzaga and following his
graduation there In June, 1880, he plans