Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-23
ORATORY CONTEST
WON BY TRUNDLE
Last Years Defeated Cham.
pion of PooIeSviIIe School
Is Victorious.

against what his classmates had con-
sidered unsurmountable odds, David
Trundle, once defeated champion of the
Poolesville High School. won ciear-cut
victory in the first tnterSchool compe-
tition in the Maryland Districts Sixth
National Oratorical Contest schedule,
held at the Bethesda Elementary
School
In his victory. glorified by the light
Of his bitter defeat in the same stage
of the contest last year, Trundle won
the decision over two other boys and
three girls, all of whom made excep-
tional bids for first honors and the
right to compete in the Maryland
finals. John G.. Colt. one of those two
defeated boys. and the spokesman for
the Dickerson High School, received
second place and Miss Doris Palmer OF
the Gaithersburg High School captured
third place.
TrundIe Fifth Speaker.
David Trundle, the Poolesville High
School victor in last nights competi-
ton. was the fifth speaker to take the
platform. Following Immediately after
two girl speakers, Miss Palmer and Miss
Frances Fulks, Rockville High School,
champion. Trundle entered easily and
calmly into his speech on THE Privileges
and Obligations of Citizen Under the
Constitution" He spoke slowly and in
an almost conversational tone and as
he got deeper into his grafton, he rose
In volume and power to the climaxes
marking his speech. There was de-
liberateness about the boy which COM
manoed attention and that may be one
of the many attribuS which won vicory
for him.
Trundle was the only student of the
Poolesville High School to enter the
contest this year, B. o. Aiken, the
schools principal, explained before the
meet to a reporter for The Star. The
champions own defeat last year ana
the power of the oratory which con-
hearts of the PooleSville students, who
believed it useless for than to COM
pete in a contest where, as they told
Mr.. Aiken, I'VE haven't o chance" But
not so Trundle. He knew he was licked
last year and he figured he failed not
because of the ability Of any one else,
but because there was something lack
ing in his own oratory. So he came
out early in his school this year; wrote
his grafton, committed it to memory
and trained. He rehearsed it over and
over again. He'd show them. And last
night he did! Trundle lives with his
sister, Miss Barbara Trundle, at Pooles-
vile.
But glorious as the winners victory
may have been. it did not necessarily
represent an overwhelming rout OF the
remaining contestants With their
ability, it couldn't, for no board OF
judges could have separated the speak
erS nv very wide MARGINS.
Colt Launched Program.
Young Colt, the Dickerson boy, took
second place with his speech on THE
DEVELOPMENT of the Constitution. 1t
befell Colt to launch the program with
the first Grafton and he did 1t. His
voice was heavy and 1t doomed out
its expression of ideas formed through
hard study. He used no gesture, save
o spontaneous movement or two OF
his arms to give weight to particularly
important points.
Miss Palmer, third-place winner OF
the Gaithersburg High School, MADE
her forensic bid with q speech on THE
Constitution: A Guarantee Of Liberty
Of the Individual She was fiery
speaker. was Miss Palmer and, although
the "iunior" of the field-she Is only
II years old and a sophomore at school
she whipped that audience into lis
tening to what she had to say.
Oliver Owen Kuhn, managing editor
Of The Star, was chairman Of the con-
test meeting. In his brief Introductory,
containing for the most part review
Of the general rules under which the
competition was to be held, Mr.. Kuhn
cited the participation in the contest
of an estimated throng OF $500, 900
young people throughout the Nation
and declared that the contest activity
Is mot only real sentiment in favor
of the perpetuation of laws and Amer
which is growing by leaps and bounds
In its sincerity and fervor."
Without more ado, Mr.. Kuhn pre-
scented Colt as the first speaker.
Other Participants.
Besides the "placers," the contest was
participated In by Miss Fulks of the
Rockville High School, Miss Margaret
Benson of the Bethesda Chevy Chase
High School and James A. Cannon, jr.,
of the Georgetown Preparatory School.
The order in which they are given here
does not indicate the order In which
the judges rating placed them, for only
the first three places were announced,
and they are the only places which The
Star will reveal.
Young Cannon. son of DR.. James
Alonzo Cannon, Washington surgeon, OF
1918 Biltmore street, was the second
speaker. He used the more converse
tional type Of oratory in his Grafton on
THE Constituencies Value" Miss
F1Ilks spoke on 1.-THE Citizen-His Privi-
leges and Obligations Under the Con-
stitution," with commanding power, and
Miss Benson talked on The Citizen
His Privileges and Duties Under the
Constitution" The latter girl gave the
admirable impression she was talking
with" the audience as she scanned
faces before her in every sector Of the
hall.
The judges of the meeting, as an
nounced yesterday, were Lieut.. Col
Wallace M. Craigie, U. S. A., professor
of military science and tactics in the
District of Columbia public school sys-
TEN; Robert Peter, jr., of Rockville,
States attorney: George P. Sachs, presi-
dent Of the Bank of Bethesda, and Mrs
H. D. Rogers of Linden, chairman OF
the education committee Of the Mont
gomery County Federation Of Women's
Clubs
Music played its important role in the
contest last night when it broke the
stress which the competing oratory i'm
posed upon the audience. Miss Doroth,
Hobley and Miss Jean de Lashmutt
pianists. offered solos; while the Girls
Glee Club of the Bethesda-C Chevy
Chase High School sang in chorus.
Richmond Editor WEEDS.
RICHMOND. Va, March % (P).-
Miss Virginia Lee Cox, woman's editor