Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-23
HOOVER PRESENTS GORGAS
ESSAY AWARD TO VICTOR
Gertrude Stockard, Mountain
burg, Ark, Receives $500
Prize at White House.
Widow of Famous Surgeon
General of the Army Pres
ent at Ceremony.

Gertrude Carter Stockard of Noun
hamburg, Crawford County. Ark. receiv-
ed from the hands of President Hoover
at the White House today $500 prize
for the best essay on the life and
achievements in relation to health of
the late William Crawford GorgaS, ia
nous surgeon general of the United
States Army, known as the Savior OF
the tropics" because of his work in
the eradication Of yellow fever.
The essay contest was conducted I'M
der the auspices Of the Gorgas Memo
rial Institute and was nationwide in
its scope. 1t was participated in by one
out of every 100 Junior and senior high
school students in "a States. The con-
test was financed by Charles r. Wal
green of Chicago, president of the Wal
green Co. Drug Stores, who donated the
first and other prizes.
In addition to the $500 first prize
Miss Stockard received $3.50 for trav-
cling expenses. A second prize of $50
has been awarded to Marguerite Hast
ings of Watertown, Mass. Honorable
mention has been given to William
Gammage, Meridian, Miss; Alethea
Whitney, Tampa, Fla, and Eleanor Gill
bert, Torrington, Conn.
Mrs. Gorgas Present.
Mrs. William C. Gorgas, widow of the
famous surgeon general was among
those present at the White House cere-
mOny.
,tI.o.. ,.oc+;atoati,o a., 4ba naca~oo,11
were Mr.. Walgreen. Dr.. Cary II. Gray
son. president of the Gorgas Memorial
Institute; DR.. Franklin H Martin Of
Chicago chairman of the board of di-
rectorS: Henry S. Welcome of London
England, founder and director of the
Welcome Bureau OF Scientific Research
a member of the board of directors OF
the Gorgas Memorial Institute and for
many years a close friend of Gen. Cor
gas: w. j. Cooper, commissioner Of edu-
cation, and Surg. Gen. H. S. Cumming
of the Public Health Service.
The judges in the national contest
were Commissioner Cooper, Surg. Gen
Cumming and DR.. Martin. Local high
school winners were awarded bronze
medallions and each State winner q
cash prize of $40, the judges being State
commissioners of health, superintend-
ents of schools and secretaries Of State.
Tells Of Achievements.
In her essay Miss Stockard, who Is q
student in the Home High School OF
MOUNTAINEERING, told how Gen. Gorgas
made possible the building Of the Pam
anna Canal.
During the 10-year period spent in
Panama" she wrote, more than 1900
lives and $40, 100000 were saved to the
Government. nearly 10000, 900 days OF
sickness and a zone, for 400 years un-
inhabitable to white men, was made
delightful country. with a death rate
far below that of the United States.
There has been nothing to match this
work in the history Of human achieve
ment'"
She told how he accomplished the
seemingly impossible in abolishing yell
low and malaria fevers from the Canal
Zone, Cuban ports and other tropical
communities by preventing these dread
diseases from being spread by the mos
quitos that carry them. His work in
the World War, which resulted in the
smallest death rate for the American
Army of any army In human history
was also related by Miss Stockard.
The objects Of the Gorgas Memorial
Institute are the elimination of unnec-
essary illness, prolongation OF life and