Lewis (ontest HE Barker Extemporaneous Speaking contest, one of the older activities of Weber, was established by Professor James L. Barker while he was principal of the Weber Academy. The rules provide that eight contests shall be held, two freshmen and two sophomores participating in each. The first seven contests are preliminary, but the eighth and final one is looked upon as a consummation of the best talent brought out in all of the others. A ten dollar cash prize is provided for the winner. Class competition enters also. Professor Barker left a silver loving cup upon which the class totaling the greater number of points is privileged to engrave its name and the year. Much talent has been discovered in the field of oratory, and the contests this year ranked among the best. The respective winners of the HE J. S. Lewis Co. awards a medal each year to the student giving the best constructive extemporaneous speech. This contest has been held annually since Nineteen Hundred Fifteen and has brought forth considerable talent. Its purpose is to give training in extemporaneous speaking to any students who might be interested. It is of much value both from the standpoint of the speakers and of the audience, and is always looked forward to with interest. The contestants are allowed only ten minutes before the time to speak so the contest is a true extemporaneous one. It takes real ingenuity and ability to deliver a good speech under such circumstances and all participants are to be congratulated. This year three students participated and although this was a decrease in numbers from past years, the results were highly entertaining. Don Wakefield was awarded first place for his “Plea for Dramatic Art.”’ Stephen Durrant spoke on “Theology in Weber.” Othello Wheatley’s subject was “The Aim of Religious Training in Weber.” Miss Ida Shurtliff Stewart judged the contest, and also gave the contestants valuable constructive criticism. #| 102 |‘ —$—<~ ~2— eo —— =f = ~ SY aS COSC <—X Les) } (ee al ——) ¥ HE Grant Oratorical Contest held November 23, 1925, was a real contribution to the activity calendar of Weber. President Heber J. Grant, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints originated the contest at Weber during the school year of 1919-20, and each year since, the winner has carried off a beautifully bound book which President Grant has autographed and sent him. The contest has a two-fold purpose: first, to turn minds and hearts of Weber students to the president of the church; and second, to stimulate and perpetuate an interest in public speaking and oratory. The subject assigned for this year’s contest was, ““Why Study the Scriptures.”” Out of the many excellent orations which were read, the judges selected three. In the final contest the judges awarded first place to Vernal Stimpson, second place to Evelyn Neilson, and third place to Ernest Ward. The winning oration pointed out how scripture study has always been of practical value to men of every vocation; and especially stressed the fact that scripture study would give men a true conception of their relationship to Deity—and thus produce peace in a war-sick but still disunited world. | 05 (ontest ———» Grant Oratorical (ontest a Van Soe Ellis, Lawrence Dyke, Alice Tanner, Vernal Stimpson, Dorothy Vail, and Stephen Durant. In the final contest each participant spoke on a different phase of the subject, “Effect of Inheritance on Character.”’ Grant Ellis, a Freshman, won, with Vernal Stimpson, second, and Dorothy Vail, third. The sophomores carried off honors in the competition with a total of thirty-eight points as against thirty-four for the freshmen. HE class of 1905 made provisions for a public speaking contest to be held annually in the college. To this purpose, they left a cup upon which the winner of each contest is permitted to engrave his name. The contest was established for the purpose of furthering oratory in the school; each speech was to be a finished oration delivered without notes. Unlike other competitive activity of its kind held at Weber, it furnishes an opportunity for literary talent as well as for rhetorical ability. Four speakers from each class, two boys and two girls, enter the preliminaries, from which two speakers from each class, one boy and one girl, compete in the finals. The contestants, in each case, are appointed and selected by a committee from the respective classes, which committee is composed 3 preliminary contests were: Elmer Neilson, Grant > Barker (ontest of the class president, two class advisors, and two members from the class. Each participant is allowed ten minutes in which to deliver his oration. Ellsworth Weaver and Evelyn Nielsen, from the Freshman class, and Dorothy Vail and Othello Wheatley, from the Sophomore class, were successful in the preliminaries. The date for the final contest was set for May 17th. ¥ 103 |#