Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-31
SIX VIRGINIA SCHOOL
ORATORS SELECTED
Leigh Asks Audiences to Aid
Speakers by Attention
Paid to Remarks.

with the first Of series Of i've Viz.
gtnia county oratorical finals scheduled
for this week to be staged tonight IN
Leesburg, National Oratorical Contest
Headquarters announced today the
names of six school winners OF other
The contest tonight viii be among
the four high schools of Loudoun
County and will be held in the audi.
forum of the Leesburg High School
at 8 o'clock. o. l.. limerick, superin-
tendent of Loudoun County Schools WI!
preside and present The Star medal to
the winner.
The school representatives made pub
lie today and their subjects include Leo
Miller, is years old, of the Franklin
sherman High School, 1.-THE American
Constitution and the People; Victor W.
White, II years old, of the Jefferson
High School, 1.-THE Constitution, a
Guarantee of the Liberty OF the md
vidual"; Grace Hamilton, 10 years oio
of the Warrenton High School, The
Origin of the Constitution; Ernest
Brown. Is years old, of the Warrenton
High School, 1.-THE Constitution in the
Daily Life Of the Individual; Thelma
Brown, II years old, of the Bealeton
High School, 1.-THE Origin OF the Constl-
tuition" and Rebecca wallace, IL years
old, of the Mechanicsville High School,
1.-THE Constitution"
Leigh Advises Audiences.
with the interschool elininations
beginning throughout The Star Area
today, Randolph Leigh, national direc-
tor of the contest, issued the following
statement concerning the ways in which
audiences may help the youthful
orators:
"Student bodies whose champions are
speaking for them in the nterschool
phases Of the National Oratorical Con-
test have an excellent opportunity this
wear to influence the results Of the
competition This is possible because
the extemporaneouS feature makes an
additional call upon the moving power
of the young orators, who in turn Will
be influenced by the responsiveness OF
their hearers.
s"The rules forbid applause during the
delivery of the extemporaneous speech
as in the midst of the prepared Grafton
They do not, however, forbid sympa-
thetic and concentrated attention on
the part of the audience.
Pupils who are speaking eXtempo-
raneously for the first time, or those
who have not had considerable expert
ence in that form of public address, are
keenly aware of a sympathetic audience
and respond splendidly to it. They
are, similarly, disturbed by any show
Of inattention on the part of their
hearers.
Feel Need for Sympathy.
"Many pupils who have had some
training in extemporaneouS speaking
before small audiences, such as their
own classes, feel the definite need for
audience sympathy when they face the
large audiences which attend the more
important meetings in the later stages
of the contest. In many cases these
audiences are very large and then the
extent of hearer-sympath becomes an
increasingly important factor in the re-
suit of the contest.
Pupils who are attending meetings,
therefore, viii increase the chances of
their favorites by cultivating support
ing and encouraging frame of mind
while they listen. Their school loyalty
having suggested such a course as an
aid to their own speakers, their sports
manship will guarantee similar treat
ment for all Of the speakers. If that
policy is adhered to the meetings will
be stimulating from the standpoint of
the orators and. therefore, doubly in
teresting from the standpoint Of the
audience.
1.-THE French have an expression
which accurately portrayS the particu-
lar needs of contestants. They do not
say that person attended q meeting,
but simply that he assisted at a meet
ing. From that point of view the au-
dience is an active and not merely q
passive factor in the gathering. It Is
inspired by the orator, but 1t also in
spires him"