Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-11
John BETS WINS
F|NAL|ST HONORS
IN 'ORATORY meet
17-Year-0ld Senior Is Win
ner Of S1OO Prize for
Victory in Contest.
ALEXANDRIA STUDENT
ENTERS STATE FINAL
Carey H. Blackwell Will Compete
at Ballston Next Week-0thers
Meet Tonight.

John Belts, 17-year-old senior, won
the Sixth National Oratorical Contest
finals at Central High School this
morning to become the sixth regional
finalist chosen in The Stars region
With his victory, he won 500 in cash,
one of the IL district" prizes, and the
right to represent Central in The Star
finals April 25. Edward Radue, 18-year-
old senior. won second place and po-
sition of alternate.
The third Virginia group meet was
won last night by Carey Howard Black
we'll of the Alexandria High School. BY
virtue of his victory he will advance to
the Virginia finals at Ballston next
week. John Treyett Allen of the
Swavely Preparatory School Of Manas-
sas, was adjudged second place winner
by the board of judges, including
George J, Jones, head of the history de-
partment Of the District of Columbia
public schools; Louis Alderman of the
Bureau of Education, and George Nor
ton Churchill Of George Washington
University's history department.
Meet at Warrenton Tonight.
The fourth Virginia group meet will
be staged at 8 o'clock tonight in the
auditorium Of the Warrenton High
School at Warrenton, Va, when four
girls and two boys will compete for the
right to enter the Virginia finals. In
the order in which they will speak and
their respective orations, tonight's con-
teStants are:
Lloyd G. Davis Of the Haymarket
High School on THE Constitution In
the Daily Life of the Individual;
Ray Swank of the Nokesyille High
School on 1.-THE Evolution of the Con-
stitution';
Amelia Cary Marshall of Marshall
High School on THE Development Of
the Constitution;
Elizabeth d. Brereton of Warrenton
High School on Personalities Of the
Constitution:
Lucy johnson Of Bealeton High School
on "a Citizen: His Rights and Duties, "
and
Beulah 3. Smith of Remington High
School on 1.-THE Citizen His Privileges
and Duties Under the Constitution"
Col. j. Donald Richards, Warrenton
attorney, will preside over tonight's
meet.
John Belts, who won Central High
Schools finals this morning, was the
first speaker on that schools contest
program. Facing the audience Of stu
dents and teachers, which filled the big
Central auditorium, Belts began mis-
speech in an easy conversational style
and once he had the interest of his
listeners, he rose to eloquence and pow
er which distinguished him from most
of his competitors. Belts voice is
little light, but despite this physical
condition which might have proved a
handicap to other orators, the l7-year-
old winner welded an expression and in
Election that had. as one Of the judges
declared following the contest. the
power to move and compel" He used
some gestures which we're natural with
him so that his oratory was marked
with pleasing animation.
Central Boasts One Winner.
It was Central High School which
last year sent BENJAMIN Earl Hinden,
then a senior, into The Star finals to
win first place and the European tour.
Belts has that mark to shoot at in this
years finals and If he wins he will
journey for three months through South
America. He is the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Morris C. Belts, of 437 Cedar
| avenue
Peter Levathes, the second of Gen.
| trails five orators spoke on THE Citi-
| zen, His Duties and Privileges Under
| the Constitution" When he had fin
ished speaking there we're many in the
audience who believed they had heard a
! winning speech. The content of his
speech was particularly well liked at
Central, where he is classmate of the
victorious Belts. Levathes Is the son
| of Mr.. and Mrs. George p. Levathes OF
1925 Eighth street.
Eduyord Rad1,o uiaYnr IF Soaov1S
place, made an impressive bid for VIC
tory with his grafton on THE Citizen
His Privileges and Duties Under the
Constitution. Radue spoke in clear
deep-throated tones. which carried well
| throughout the auditorium, and the bal
lots which gave Belts and him first AND
second places, respectively, separated
them by narrow margin. Radue Is the
son of Mr.. and Mrs. August Radue OF
2007 o street.
Miss Mary Elizabeth Gilligan, 49,
year-old daughter of Henry L. Gilligan
member of the District of Columbia
Board Of Education, and the only CIR
! finalist at Central, strove for victory
with speech on Personalities of the
Constitutional Convention" Hers wa:
an intensely interesting Grafton. Shit
paraded the important trainers Of the
| Constitution before her audience, show.
| ing their individual qualities and theil
respective contributions to the finished
| code. Her oratory, like that OF mos
of Centraps speech makers, was quie
and reserved. She attained expression
with tonal changes, however.
Pictures United States of World.
James Benjamin Gilbert, 17-year-olt
| son of Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence L. Gilber
| of 44O4 Kansas avenue, was Central,
| last contestant to bid for victory Speak
| ing on THE Contribution of Our Con
| stitution," he considered the Constitu
| ton and its relation to the future. H,
| spoke with feeling and expression anC
| envisioned for his audience a UNITED
| States of the World" bound together
| by q constitution patterned after tina
| which governs this Nation.
! The judges whose composite ballo
| determined Belts winner and Radus
| alternate were: Frederic William Vile
! nationally known political writer
Arthur S. Fleming of American Uni
| versity's debate department and Charlie:
e. Hill, dean of Columbia College o.
| George washington University.
The meet was presided over by Alvir
! w. Miller principal Of Central, while
4 the program was completed by musica
selections presented by Centrals sym.
pi1ony Orchestra, under the direction
Of Samuel Wood, faculty leader.
Blackwell Shows Improvement.
In his victory last night Carey Black
well showed marked improvement In hi
| oratory since last year, when he me
defeat in the Virginia district finals. HI
spoke for minutes and % seconds IN ;