Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-23
SOUTHERN ORATOR
UNABLE TO APPEAR
Chancellor Wires Regrets
and Contest Director Sc
cures an Alternate.

Beverly Chancellor Of Stanford, KY,
who as the proclaimed champion OF
the Southern zone of the Sixth National
Oratorical Contest was to have COM
peted in the national finals here Sat-
urday night, has withdrawn from fur
ther participation in the meet because
of illness. This announcement was
made at contest headquarters this
morning by Randolph Leigh, contest di-
rector general.
At the same time, Mr.. Leigh an
nounced that Miss katherine Marshall,
16-year old high school girl of Quanah,
Tex, who won close second honors TO
Chancellor in the Southern zone fnals,
had been notified to come to Washing
ton to compete in the finals as ofhclal
alternate In her zone. Miss Marshall,
the director said, left her home almost
immediately and today she Is speeding
across the country to reach the Capital
early on the very day of the contest
Meanwhile, the first Of the out-ot.
town finalists to reach the Capital, ar
rived at Union Station this morning.
He is Ben w. Swofford of Kansas City,
champion OF the Midwest zone. On his
MED by Miss Frances Dickson. contest
manager for the Kansas City Star,
newspaper sponsor of the contest In
that region.
The finalists from New York and
Portland, Me are expected in Wash
ington tomorrow. Miss Lucille Fletcher
Of Brooklyn is the New York region rep
resentative while Miss Elizabeth ".
Corey champion of the Northeastern
zone, is the entry from Portland.
Chancellor Wires Regrets.
Chancellor's withdrawal from the
contest was contained in telegram re-
ceived yesterday from the boy himself
AS IL was received by contest head
quarters 1t was as follows:
Regret prevented by illness from
participating in finals. Request you will
notify my alternate.
BEVERLY c. CHANCELLOR"
As soon as Chancellor's withdrawal
could be checked with the Louisville
Courier journal, the newspaper which
sponsored the contest In his locality,
summons was dispatched to Miss Mar
shall, requesting her to hasten to WASH
ington. In almost record time her tele-
graphic reply was received at contest
headquarters:
II can come and reach Washington
Saturday morning.
Since her first message, Miss Marshall
has notified the contest office here that
she will reach Washington over the
Baltimore & Ohio line from st. Louis.
Five Boys and Three Girls.
Miss Marshall's appearance in the
contest finals changes the boy-girl ratio
81. taoxt Nd %xra eiYlc AnVE
and three girls. Under the rules Of the
contest, all Of which have been pub
lished throughout the country at vari-
GUS times, a contestant who is adjudged
a zone champion and Is accorded the
privilege Of competing for the national
championship in the finals here and the
right to go on a three-month tour OF
South America, must actually speak In
the national finals in order to receive
the trip. Hence. Miss Marshall is to
go on tour by virtue of her appearance
in the national finals.
Miss Marshall is sponsored in the
contest by the Star-Telegram OF Fort
Worth, Tex. She is Is years old and Is
one of the outstanding students IN hei
school, She is official representative OF
the senior class. president OF the High
School Dramatic Art Club, reporter for
the Spanish Club and member OF her
schools debate team.
Although an alternate to the boy who
had been proclaimed the Southern
champion, Miss Marshall was not over
whelmingly defeated by him. The con-
test rules require a contestant to receive
a majority of first place votes from the
board of judges as well as the low-point
total II no contestant receives the
dually voiced victory the judges must
consult upon the top three contestants.
AvNa HM
were obliged to consult when no speaker
was determined an instant winner. The
consultation produced Chancellor as
winner and Miss Marshall as alternate