THE NEBRASKAN
59
The Local Contest.
" While words of learned length mid thundering sound,
Amazed the gazing rustics rang'd around;
And still they gaz'd, and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew."
Another local contest is a thing of the
past, and the multitudes are satisfied, dissat
isfied, or indifferent as to the outcome. Seven
orators have again sacrificed themselves upon
the public hearth, and six of them will plod
through life with ambition unsated in this
direction. The handful of contests this year
only strengthen the oft-repeated assertion,
What a lottery it is." One judge is moved
by one thing, another judge picks out a man
for another reason. The audience ns the
most practical judge, often decide that nei
ther are right and select the popular speaker,
whose only reward is the praise received
from a host of appreciative friends. But it is
ever thus. While one conquers a score or
more must be satisfied with " it might have
been so." Ambition withers, only to blos
som again in another place, and most likely
in another pursuit. Each successive disap
pointment only presses forward more strongly
the arguments of predestination. A remedy
is offered. Defeat grasps for it. " Always
look on the dark side of life and disappoint
ments will not produce such a dark cloud,
while, if the fates are generous enough to
place victory within reach, the recipient may
then enjoy the treat." On even' side the
whispers of discouraged orators who have
braved the doubtful storm repeat the simple
saying, " I told you so ! " The world moves
on, and the past is soon forgotten. The win
ner of to-day is burdened with the thought of
to-morrow. He may then run up against a
stumbling-block, and the glass-like crown
falls to the ground and is shattered into a
thousand pieces, never to be repaired.
But to return to the contest. More enthu
siasm has been taken in oratory this year
than ever before, despite the fact that the fac
ulty as a whole are accused by some of being
opposed to contests for fear they may detract
some from the studies they are presiding over.
Those who have had practical experience
will agree, however, that the time spent upon
an oration is worth more to them than many
a three-hour study carried on in the class
room. The student must have practice.
This is why experience in newspaper writing,
in public speaking as well as in the sciences,
gives the student what he can never get in
the class room, nor from years of theoretical
study of rhetoric. If there are any instruc
tors in the institution that would crush out
oratory because it might tend to detract some
from class interest, they should not be allowed
to continue their work in this institution
"whose crowning glory is its democratic char
acter, that it eviets for all alike, and that its
opportunities are freely offered to all." Last
year only three aspirants raised their voices
in thunderous appeal ; this year seven were
willing to shoulder the responsibility of rep
resenting the University in the state contest
and win laurels in far Ohio at the next inter
state contest. The interest manifested drew
out a full house, the University contingent
being fairly well augmented by the other col
leges. The stage was neatly decorated with
flags, University colors, and palms. Col.
Owen's electric light plant was very sulky
and finally struck. It is said that it had been
laid off for a week or two for economy's sake,
and objected to being pressed into duty on
this occasion.
After a few introductory remarks by Pres
ident Bently, the program was opened by
Veda V. Sheppard with a piano solo,- Valse
le Bal." E. M. Pollard delivered the first
oration of the evening, The Indetermniate
Sentence." It was the oration that only gave
him fourth place in the recent Chase and
Wheeler contest, but a new shake of the box
brought him lot No. 2. Mr. Pollard's deliv
ery was better than at his last appearance, but
his manuscript did not show much improve
ment. Mr. T. G. Ryan spoke upon "A So
cial Revolution." His matter was well col
lected, but he did not speak in a very ani
mated tone. H. T. Ricketts' oration was