University of Virginia Library

State Contest in Public Reading.

(Under the direction of the Jefferson and Washington Literary Societies.)

REGULATIONS.

1915-1916.

I. This contest is open to all secondary schools in Virginia, whether
public or private.

II. Each school shall select from among its pupils one girl and
one boy, in a public reading contest in which there must be at least
three contestants of girls against girls, and three contestants of boys
against boys, and the girl and boy or the girl or the boy shall represent
the school in the contest. In no case shall the girls contest
against boys.

III. The contests shall consist in the reading by each contestant of
two selections of not more than five minutes duration each. The
first selection shall be chosen by the contestant and prepared beforehand.
The second selection shall be chosen by the judges and
not put in the hands of the contestant until five minutes before the
time to read it, during which interval the contestants may study the
selection if he so desires. In the selection which is chosen by the
judges it is suggested that both contestants be allowed to read the
same piece, but not in each other's presence.

IV. If a school desires to take part in this contest the principal
shall give the secretary notice of the same prior to the first of January.
Upon receipt of such notice the secretary will pair this school
with another school that they may hold a preliminary contest in public
reading. The status and standards of the schools, their proximity,
accessibility, and convenience of location will be considered in making
the pairs. The secretary will be very glad if each principal will
send a list of other schools with which he thinks such a contest desirable,
and as far as possible the secretary will try to arrange a contest
for him with one of the schools on this list.

V. All preliminary contests in public reading must be held prior
to the fifteenth of March. Otherwise the details of the preliminary
contests are to be decided by the principals of the two contesting
schools.

VI. The school that wins in the preliminary contests is entitled to
send its representatives to the University to compete in the final contests
in Public Reading.

VII. The final contests will be held at the University on April the
twentieth and twenty-first.

VIII. All competitors will be met at Union Station, Charlottesville,
between 7 a. m. and 1 p. m. on Thursday, April twentieth, and will be
entertained as the guests of the Literary Societies while at the University.

IX. The winners of the final contests will be presented with gold
medals. The Edgar Allan Poe School of English will present the girl
winner a medal, while The Linden Kent Memorial School of English
Literature will present the medal to the boy winner.

X. It is suggested that those schools which expect to participate
in the debating contest as well as the public reading contest, should
hold the contest in public reading with the same school with which
their debate is held, and that both contests take place on the same
occasion. However this is merely suggested.

Portsmouth High School Debating Team

MISS ELSIE BAGBY

MR. CUMMING

WINNERS OF DEBATING CUP
1914-1915

XI. No pupil who represents his school in the public reading contest
will be allowed also to represent his school in the debating contest.

XII. All correspondence should be addressed to the Secretary of
the Virginia High School Literary and Athletic League, University, Virginia.