Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-20
ORATOR IS BARRED
FOR PLAGIARISM
Pat Ahern of Kansas City
Dropped From National
Finals Contest.

Pat Ahern, 16-year-old high school
student of Kansas City, who woult
have represented the Midwest in thu
National Oratorical Contest finals here
Saturday, was disqualified at II O'Clock
last night for plagiarization of an ora.
ton delivered 20 years ago in a contest
long since discontinued.
Ahern, colorful figure, who has
been made much of in the press and
idolized by his fellow students, was said
to be one of the most brilliant speakers
in this years contest. He Is reported
to have been particularly apt at extern
poraneous oratory.
Disqualification Of the Kansas City
representative means that the trip to
Europe this Summer, of which he had
been assured by his victory in the Mid
western zone finals, will be lost to him
and that he will be barred from al
further participation In the contest.
Miss GuIager Advanced.
His place in the national finals will
be taken by Miss Gloria Gulager, II
years old, of Muskogee, Okla, represent
alive Of the Oklahoma Times. Miss Gu
lager was second to Ahern in the zone
finals, which were held In Kansas City
Ahern's home.
Ahern's disbarment came as O result
Of q telegram received at 1880 O'Clock
last night by Randolph Leigh, director
general of the contest, from an official
sored the contest there and would have
sent Ahern to Washington.
The telegram stated that the news
paper had been informed by an elderly
college professor that Ahern's Grafton
was taken from speech delivered in
the college contests of the Northern
Oratorical League almost 80 years ago
and that the original was published ir
volume, the title of which was given.
An unsuccessful attempt was made to
locate the original in Kansas City and
then Mr.. Leigh was notified. He imme-
diatel..- went to the Congressional Ii
brary. and after an hours search 10
Gated the volume containing the plagi-
arized grafton, but under q different
title.
Mr.. Leigh said about half Of Ahern's
speech was taken verbatum from ar
Grafton on 1.-THE March of the Consti-
tuition" delivered in 1902 by Edwin K
Brown. Ahern called his grafton "Tht
Progress of the Constitution"
Original Papers Required.
Inasmuch as the rules of the contest
oPSSAiy otiSAiAo1 PdPCio, Leigh 0CCldICS
Ahern disbarred and wired officials Of
the contest In Kansas City. The pro.
fessor noted the plagiarism through q
copy of the speech published in the
| Kansas City Star.
This morning Mr.. Leigh said thai
most of the newspapers sponsoring TIT
contest in various sections of the United
| States published the winning speeche.
of their champions, but that next veal
he will request all of them to do so II
order more easily to detect plagiarisms
Last year a contestant was disquali
| fed on the eve Of the national finals
Mr.. Leigh found that his address wa.
composed Of excerpts from three or fou
famous speeches. delivered by DAME
Webster.
A semi-finalist, who would have taker
part in the contest at Kansas City
last Saturday night, was disbarred les
than "a hours before the competition
for plagiarism.
Ahern's grafton was certified by hi!
school principal, history teacher, ant
was passed by eight different sets o
| judges before the plagiarism was notes
| by the college professor, who notified
| the Kansas City Star.
As an added check, the manuscript o
| all semi-finalists are sent to contes
headquarters here and Mr.. Leigh care
fully studies them.