Evening star., 1938-05-31
BULLETIN.

Marian Richardson, IL, repre-
senting Southern Indiana, took top
honors in the national spelling bee
at the National Museum this after
noon by successfully spelling the
words pronunciation" and "sani-
tarium." Jean I. Pierce, 10, of
Buffalo, N. Y, was runner-up.
Jean misspelled pronunciation"
and Marian went on to win by
spelling both it and the next word
correctly. The first prize was $500
and the second $500.
The complexities Of English spelling
and pronunciation were too much for
Is Of the 20 elementary school children
from 16 States who competed this
morning in the national spelling bee
at the National Museum.
As the session adjourned for lunch
con only Billy Sampson Of Tennessee,
Betty Glenn Of Georgia, Jean Pierce
OF New York and Marian Richardson,
representing Southern Indiana, were
left on the stage to compete for the
$500 prize.
The contest opened shortly after
8 am. before small audience of proud
parents, hometown newspaper corre-
spondents and telegraph messengers,
most of whom appeared more nervous
than the contestants.
For Heavens sake! a reporter i'm
plored a messenger, Tell your op-
orator to be careful. This is a ma
tional spelling bee."
The contestants were lined I'D on
the stage wearing large placards in
dicating their home city as Prof.
Harold Harding of the public speaking
faculty of George Washington Uni
versity and George F. Hussey, jr., of
Boston. a contributing editor to Web
ster's International Dictionary, took
turns in announcing the words.
Three Judges Present.
Three judges, John H. Lloyd of the
Office of education, Ivan A. Booker,
National Education Association, and
Mrs. Wilford L. White, formerly Of
the Harvard Graduate School Of
Business Faculty, fingered behind the
spoilers within easy access of two big
dictionaries.
Two contestants fell victim to the
very first word and joined the au-
dience. Jean Overholser of Iowa
dropped out on an old favorite, ''ac-
quaintance," when for some reason
che ry,,iffad Tho Ar~+ &C., .-l -,
spring Encil Hawkins of West Vir-
ginia put an extra '"e" in perspira-
ton.
Tom Martin of Knoxville, Tenn, was
the next to go when he put an co.
in elegy, and Anna Lee of Portland
Me-, showed commendable but, at the
same time, unfortunate ignorance OF
drunkenness.
Eugene Taylor of Hoboken stumbled
on another old favorite, benefited, and
Marie Cuoco Of Passaic, N. j., thought
there were only two ms" in cannon
ade.
"Connubial" Is Given.
Youthful Jean Angelo of Worcester,
Mass, was too young to have come
across "connubial," and Jean Taylor,
Plainfield, N. j., dropped out on "sedi-
tious" by omitting the last 81"
A novel spelling of bulletin" with
one '1' and two its" landed William
Shawver Of Charleston, W. va, in the
audience, and Loretta Quinn of Colo
RADIO left out the "a" in temperament.
jeanne Timber of Ohio became the
eleventh victim by leaving out the
Il" in twelfth, and Caroline Sells, also
Of Ohio, joined her minute later after
fumbling authoritative"
'Malevolent" disposed Of Mary
Louise Cutler Of Florida and ''Laud-
able" was too much for Raymond
Mellinger 6f Ohio. Helen Frances
Colley Of North Carolina misspelled
''despotically" for the fifteenth out
and 11-year-old Bette Ashton Of
Richmond allowed her Southern ac-
cent to get the better Of her. She
spelled ''posterior" as ''posteriah." !"
The youngest contestant, Bette, drew
big hand when she finally fell.
The most striking case Of q pro-
nunciation victim was June Gunner
son Of Detroit, who flubbed the
word "otiose" when Prof. Harding
pronounced it "oshus." Several per-
sons contested the elimination, but
the judges backed Prof. Hardings
pronunciation as permissible.
Corine Dunno Of Kentucky fell next
on the word "hundredth."
Odicials estimated the bee would
take at least four hours to complete
and scheduled broadcast from / to
l:30 pm. over q Columbia Broad
casting System network.
The group, which included . coal
leaders son from West Virginia and
: school principals daughker from