Wyeth and McAllester Win First Prizes in Oratory Competition

In the Lee Wade and Boylston Prize competition finals held last night at the Music Building, Stuart M. Wyeth '38, and David P. McAllester '38 were awarded the two first prizes of $50 each.

Wyeth, who won the Lee Wade award, delivered the address given by Robert Emmet in his own defense when he was sentenced to death for treason. McAllester, winner of the first Boylston Prize, recited excerpts from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Christmas Sermon."

Two $35 Awards Given

Two other Boylston prizes, each amounting to $35, went to James Cassels Higgins, Jr. '38, for an excerpt from "Anna Livia Plurabelle," by James Joyce, and to Jonas Norman Muller '40, who gave James Weldon Johnson's "The Creation."

Ten students spoke in last night's program, which was limited to Seniors, Juniors and Sophomores. Those who competed were chosen from a field of 44 original entrants, and their place in the order of speakers was chosen by lot.

"Copey" Honorary Judge

Professor Charles Townsend Copeland, Boylston Professor of Rhetoric, emeritus, was honorary judge, and Vernon H. Struck, Senior class second marshal, presided over the program. Judges for the competition were John H. Finley, Jr. '25, assistant professor of Greek and Latin, Gustavus H. Maynadier '89, assistant professor of English, emeritus, Bliss Perry, Francis Lee Higginson Professor of English, emeritus, Joseph R. Hamlen '04, and the Hon. Eliot Wadsworth '98.

Although the competition rules specify that orations may be in Latin, or Greek, Gordon M. Messing '38, who delivered excerpts from "De Rerum Natura," by Lucretius, was the only contestant who did not choose a selection in English.

In awarding the prizes, the judges commented on the high calibre of the speakers, stating that the quality of the orations made the selection of the winners a particularly difficult task this year.