Evening star., 1933-04-30
ESTEVEz IS NAMED
MARYLAND ORATOR
Charles County Boy Wins
Finals - Montgomery
Speaker Second.

Henry Estevez, II, son Of q Charles
County farmer. last night won the
championship of Maryland in that
States Tenth National Oratorical Con-
test finals. at the La Plata High School
BY virtue Of his victory, which was
one of the hardest earned in The Star S
cash and the right to enter The Star
finals May IL.
Haylett B. Shaw of Bethesda, spokes-
man for Montgomery County, was ad-
judged second best and was designated
official alternate. Should Estevez be
unable to participate in the finals for
this area, Shaw would replace him
and In the event of victory would 60
on into the national finals in Constitu-
ton Hall here May 20.
Four Boys Compete.
Four boys competed in the Maryland
finals Contest officials, who had heard
all of the elimination contests to date,
regard the Maryland speakers as repre-
sentative of the highest general average
of ability that district" finals had
been able to produce. Randolph Leigh.
director general of the National Ora
torical Contest, who was guest chair
man, predicted at the outset that while
there were only four speakers the con-
test would be one of the most difficult
to judge.
Robert Bradley, Hyattsville High
School, spokesman for Prince Georges
County, was the first orator to be intro
duced. Realizing the quality Of the
competition he faced, he presented his
grafton on "The Leaders of the Con-
stitutional Convention with more stud
led effect than he mustered in his
county finals His voice was clear
and firm and when he resumed his
chair after speaking minutes and 35
seconds his audience cheered him to
the echo.
Serge Remby Diab, Chariot Hall
School, spokesman for st. Marys
County, then launched his grafton on
Origins of the Constitution. He,
too, spoke more deliberately than in
his county contest and he concluded
his speech just as the last second of
the allowed six minutes licked of.
Shaw Speaks Last.
Estevez, the La Plata High School
entrant, next took the stage. He re-
vealed himself in the Charles County
finals as an orator of unique style and
ne released his delivery with even
greater effectiveness last night. His
oratory is marked by slow speech,
punctuated by profound silences that
lend emphasis, and contest officials
who heard him last night regard him
as a strong contender for The Star
area championship He spoke for S
minutes and IS seconds on why
We Should Support the Constitution. y
Shaw was the last to be heard. In
his Montgomery County finals he had
to fight the handicap Of hoarseness
from a cold, but last night his voice
seemed clearer Speaking on "The
Constitution" Shaw, who is a stu
dent at the Bethesda Chevy Chase High
School, maintained the standard Of ex-
cellence that characterized the entire
meeting.
The decision was reached by the
judges on separate ballots and without
consultation These judges were Or
Stephen E. Kramer, first assistant super
intendent of D. c. public schools and
long an interested participant In the
National Oratorical Contest series IN
Judging and presiding capacities;
II. H. Keyser, counsel and secretary
of the Potomac Electric Power Co., and
DIR. Richard j. Purseu of the faculty OF
Catholic University.
Stresses ClOScne8S.
DR.. Kramer announced the verdict
after telling the audience that It was
a most dificult contest to Judge because
of the excellence of the contenders
Pronunciation of the name Of Henry
was a signal for mad rush Of enthusi-
astic students for the stage. They
swarmed over the footlights from the
orchestra and almost swept Estevez from
the stage. DR.. Kramer, however, waved
aloft the check for 500 which he still
had to award the winner, and the crowd
backed away long enough for the pre-
sentation. Then it swept Estevez to its
shoulders and bore him triumphantly
of the stage.
Before announcing the decision in the
contest, DR.. Kramer awarded to each OF
the speakers, the gold medals which
were emblematic Of the county cham
pionships already earned.
The program Of the meeting included
music. Anton Ntmmerichter. music