Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-09
ORATORS SELECTED
BY 4 more SCHOOLS
Choose Representatives for
Speaking Contests in
Stars Area.

-Four more schools have picked their
representatives in the coming forensic
battles of the sixth National Oratorical
| Contest in The Stars area, according
to announcements received from Mary
! land and private and parochial school
districts today.
John Dudley Digges. senior in
La Plata High School, and George
Choporis of the River Spring High
School, both veterans of last years con-
test in Maryland, were victorious again
in the examinations by which were de-
tcrmined the spokesman for their re-
spective schools in the group phase OF
the contest.
Two newcomers to the field of oratory
were chosen in the school finals at st.
Cecilia's Academy, where Miss Marie
McCray won, and at st. Johns College,
where James Butch was adjudged VIC
tor These schools are enrolled in the
private and parochial school district"
Championship Honors at Stake.
Each of the four school winners an
nounced today will represent his school
in competition with groups of five school
victors when the contenders for their
respective district" championships will
be determined, The district champions
are the orators who compete in The
Star finals for the right to represent
this newspaper in the national finals
and who. by virtue of that representa-
ton, will travel to South America for
three months.
Miss McCray, the st. Cecilia's winner,
is the first girl so far this year to be-
come eligible for the interschool stages
of the contest. She is the 16-year-
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. William v.
McCray, 122 Twelfth street southeast,
and in her school finals she won dis
tinction with her Grafton, THE Citizen:
His Rights Under the Constitution"
While Miss McCray's father is me-
chanical engineer, she has no particular
desire to enter the technical field on the
trail blazed by other young women re-
Gently. She plans to take a business
course following her graduationS in
June so that she may become a secre-
tary.
Contestant Just Within Age Limit.
Young Butch, in whom st. Johns
College vests its hopes this year, is just
within the age limit of 10 years. He is
the son of Mr.. and Mrs. Leonard E.
Butch, 4720 Fifteenth street. In the
st. Johns finals Butch won the de-
cision of the judges with his speech on
THE Constitution and the Individual"
Although he never before participated
in the contest, or, for that matter, ever
attempted public speaking. Butch has
the advantage of singing experience to
fortify him before an audience. He
sang for six years when boy in st.
Patrick's Church Choir, and today he
uses his voice in the rendition Of popu-
lar songs about the District.
He proposes to study law at the Uni
versity Of Florida, after which he will
practice corporation law. The judges
of St Johns finals were Brother Paul,
principal of the school; Brother Giles.
director of De La Sale Auxiliary, and
Brother Paul, editor Of Christian
Brothers.
Philip Hannah, 15-year-old son of Mr.
and Mrs. Patrick F. Hannah, 1901
Seventeenth street, was chosen alternate
to Butch with his grafton on THE Pres
ent Significance of the Constitution"
Hannah is a sophomore at st. Johns,
and while he won second honors this
year, he is storing up experience Tor the
contest during the next two years, he
still is eligible for competition.
La Plata School Champion.
Young Digges, champion of La Plata
High School, won his school victory
at the subsequent group meet last year
also. In his group contest this year he
again will face one of his opponents
in the 1928 contest in George Choporis,
the River Spring champion, who re-
peated his victory of year ago.
The La Plata school finals were held
in the schools auditorium which was
filled with capacity audience. Milton
Somers, principal, presided at the meet
and members of the school faculty
served as judges.
Stanley Hancock, also senior at La
Plata, was chosen alternate to DiggeS.
The Star finals, to which every
school winner in this newspapers con-
test area is striving, will be held April
25 1t is that meet, which always has
been judged by men and women prom
inent in governmental, educational, pro-
feSSional and business circles, which Is
to determine which boy or girl of the
District of Columbia, Maryland or Viz
ginia, will receive an additional cash
award of 5000 and the grand prize Of
| the South American tour.