Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-18
MISS HARDY WINS
MARYLAND FINALS
Takoma-SiIver Spring Senior
Best in 0ratory Contest
at La Plata.

Miss Mary Eugenia Hardy, senior at
the Takoma-Silver Spring High School,
was determined champion orator of
the Maryland district In The Stars
Sixth National Oratorical Contest area
IN he Old Line States finals at La
, Plata last night, while Harry Schon-
rank was adjudged victor In the Nc
kinley High School finals late yester-
day afternoon,
Joseph John Muldowney of Leonard
Han was given position of alternate in
the Maryland contest. and Allen Pope
was placed similarly in the Mckinley
High School meet
The Maryland championship, fought
Tor In spirited setting before an en-
thusiaStic audience which overlooked
the big La Plata High School auditorium
was decided by an unusual ballot. Miss
Hardy received first place with q low
point total of 5 and young MuldoWney
took second place with a low-point to-
tai CT 6. Without revealing the indi-
vidual ratings the judges accorded the
Two leadlng speakers on the program,
! the detailed ballot on Miss Hardy was
composed OF one first place rating and
two seconds, giving her the low-point
"5." while the detail of Muldowney's
/ ballot was composed of 2 firsts and a
4, giving him his &C."
: The three judges were seated apart
and no conference was held between
them, in accordance with the rules of
the contest. When the ballots of the
first two judges to decide their verdict
were received at the conclusion of the
orations, all FIVE speakers were rated
in the same order. The final ballot
to be received, however, carried the -"
for Muldowney.
Opened by Senator.
The meeting at La Plata was opened
last night by State Senator Walter j.
Mitchell of La Plata, who extended to
the vast audience which was repre-
sentative of Montgomery, Prince
! Georges, Charles and ST. Mary's Coun-
tbs. La Platas hearty and hospitable
welcome. Senator Mitchell then intro
duced United States Senator Willard D.
Tydings OF Maryland, who was to be
chairman of the contest meeting. In
his Introductory of the man who was
to preside over the contest, Senator
Mitchell expressed his hearty appro-
baton Of the spirit of the newspapers
in lnaugurating contest of this sort"
! which, he explained, promoted and
foStered understanding of the principles
, Of the American Constitution.
Senator Tydings proved the good
natured chairman and after a brief
pleasantly to his audience, to Senator
Mitchell and to the contestants, he re-
cited the rules under which the orators
were to speak. He cited the time limit
Of 10 minutes and urged the audience
to refrain from applause during any
speech. Without further delay he
presented as the first orator Joseph
Muldowney, the Leonard Hall senior,
who last year won sweeping victory
In the Maryland district finals.
Muldowney, confronted with the task
of making an initial impression that
would last throughout the delivery of
the four speeches which were to follow
him, spoke eloquently.
David Trundle, the Poolesville High
. Schools courageous entrant, who was
the only student in his school this
year to compete following rather bad
speaker. Since his victory in the group
meet at Bethesda; three weeks ago,
Trundle had lost none of the oratOry
which won for, him there and he made
. worthy showing In the finals last
night.
Cusick Grafton Shortest.
William Cusick, jr., of the Oxon Hill
High School followed Trundle to make
his forensic bid for the championship.
Cusick's Grafton last night was the
shortest on the program. While all the
others went from 8l2 to exactly 10
minutes. Cusick spoke for only Ga min
utes, but it was period IN which this
lad put forth his best effort.
2. Maccubbin Waters, Sd, represent
ing the Charlotte High School, was the
last of the four boy speakers While
he did not place in either of the an
nounced positions, Waters upheld the
standard of oratory that was being de-
1ivered from the La Plata stage, and
In the final ballot he was not far from
the winning low-point totals.
Miss Hardy. the only girl on the pro-
gram, was the final contestant to take
the stand. She spoke the full 10 min
utes and the timekeeper was about to
sound the whistle blast which would
have silenced her when she brought
her Grafton to a pleasing, unhurried
close. Miss Hardy has much Of the
oratorical style Of Miss Dorothy Carl
son. the Salt Lake City girl, who was
given the decision In the Fourth Ma
tional Oratorical Contest finals here
two years ago. She is faced with an
other difficult hurdle now in the COM
ing Star finals as that will he her neYt