Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-15
PASTORS SON Wins
0RATORY CONTEST.
Griffith Johnson, II, to Rep
resent Central High School
in Finals.

COMPOSED and unhurr1eo, Grlmth
johnson, 17-year-old son Of the pastor
of the National Memorial Baptist
Church. delivered q brace Of speeches
that won him the right to represent
the school in The Star area finals Of
the National Oratorical Contest.
Always in control Of himself, the win
ner gave evidence of considerable ex-
perience and oratorical ability. especially
In extemporaneous efforts. In his six.
minute prepared speech, he pictured
the American spirit conQuering an UNI
tracked wilderness, and speaking ex-
temporaneously he pointed to the same
spirit leading the way to world brother
hood. peace and union.
Young johnson Is one Of the out.
standing students at Central. During
1929 he was president of the local
chapter of the National Honor Society.
and IS now president of his class,
editor in-chief Of the school paper and
treasurer Of the senior council. He
will be graduated in June Of this year.
Three In Contest.
Only three contestants took part In
the tilt this morning and all Of them
had previously narrowed down the field
greatest promise.
BY virtue of his victory. johnson be-
comes a contestant in The Star area
finals and also will receive a prize Of
500 which goes to each Of the local
high school winners. Since there were
but three speakers, the name of the
boy placing second was not announced
The speakers and the subjects of their
prepared and extemporaneous orations
follow: johnson, THE Constitution: a
Symbol of the American Spirit" and
1.-THE American Spirit in Relation to
Present-Day Obstacles to World Union;
Earl G. Kernahan, l6 years old; Lin
coin and the Constitution" and "The
War Powers Assumed by Lincoln" and
Arthur B. Smith, II years old, 1.-THE
Constitution Of the United States as q
Model for the Government Of Q Future
World Union" and THE Evolution OF
the idea of World Union"
Two Ministers Sons.
Strangely, both johnson and Kerna-
han are sons Of ministers. The latter's
father is Rev. DR.. A. Earl Kernahan
who at present is conducting an
evangelical visitation campaign In
Washington. Following his graduation
in June young Kernahan intends tc
matriculate at American University and
eventually to enter the ministry. john
son is undecided on the profession he
wishes to follow.
Smith is the son of DR.. and Mrs
Arthur K. Smith Of 1921 Fifteenth
street. AS are the others, he 10
The contest was held in the school
auditorium before the entire student
body. Principal Harvey A. Smith pre-
sided and introduced the speakers.
The judges were Prof. w. Hayes
chair of public speaking at George
Washington University; Prof. Charles G.
Tansill of American University, and
Paul e. Lesh, local attorney.
The selection Of the central repre-
sentative In The Star area final leaves
only Business among the Washington
high schools to choose its speaker. AL
the other schools have staged their ma
Examinations.
Loren Freund Wins.
The first Of the interschool orator..
cal contests of the privWte and parochia!
district was held yesterday afternoon q
Catholic University, and Loren Freund
ls-year-old GonEaga College senior
emerged the winner.
Liberty and respect for authority are
the keynotes of the Constitution, ne
told an audience of Catholic University
students in q clear, powerful ana res
onant voice that last year won him the
right to represent his school In the
contest. At that time he was prevented
from competing by illness.
Yesterday he used metaphor anc SIM
lie in the development Of his subject
"The Foundations of the Constitution.
He is the son Of Mrs G. L. Freund, and
following his graduation from Gonzaga
in June expects to take up the study OF
medicine.
Students of logic, history and public
speaking classes of the university acted
as judges. Freund was the overwhelm-
ing choice for first place, while Philip
Hanan, 10 years old, Of st. Johns Col
lege High School, was selected as alter
nate in case Freund should be unable
to appear in later eliminationS. He
spoke on 1.-THE Constitution; an Aid to
world Peace"
other speakers were Helen Cogan, 1e
years old, Of the Immaculate Concep-
ton Academy, who spoke on the Con
stitution and the Importance OF Pre-
serving It." and Marie McCray, II years
old, Of st. Cecilia's Academy, who dis.
cussed 1.-THE Citizen: His Privileges and
Duties Under the Constitution"
oL. JONI SOlIcBc, t1AC oSAAOOL ASPAC
sented by the alternate in yesterdays
contest, furnished the winner Of the
finals for the entire Star area last year
Rev. Charles Hart Presides.
Rev. Charles Hart, Catholic Univer.
sity professor of logic, presided. He
said the National Oratorical Contest !:
making the high school students OF
the country CONSTITUTION conscious,
and lauded The Star for sponsoring Il
Music for the occasion was provided
by the Notre Dame Orchestra, ndei
the leadership Of Miss Margaret Lana
han. A..
second group of the private and pa.
rocfial district will take place at $3.50
in Castor Hall Of Georgetown Univer-
sity, with Rev. John J. Toohey presid-
ing. student members Of the Philo-
demic Society, the oldest college debat.
ing club In the United States, Will ac'
Due to the withdrawal Of two Of the
schools, representatives Of which were
scheduled to speak tomorrow at George
washington University, the orator Of
the third institution in the group
woodward SCHOOL, for Boys-haS beer
declared winner by default. He Is Ron.
aid Hubbard and is 10 yaers old. Ht
automatically attains place as con.
testant in the finals for the private anc
parocfial district. The schools with
drawing are the Landon School fol
Boys and Dewitt Preparatory School.