Show miss isaacson wins it was with justified pride that this I 1 community read ot of miss vera isaacson winning the western finals of the national spelling bee by out spelling myrtle ot of mccammon idaho last week this victory gives miss isaacson Isanc son the right to represent the intermountain west at the national finals in washington I 1 D 0 on may park city Is proud of the young ladys success and the record together with the entire community extend congratulations ions and wish for her find and her mother a thoroughly enjoyable trip to washington with the hope that miss vera will win in the national finals in appreciation of the success of miss vera in thus honoring park city the kiwanis club at its meeting wednesday night had as its guests miss isaacson and her mother and during the meeting I 1 presented to miss mils vera a handsome traveling bag with earnest wishes tor for a pleasant journey and success in the final contest which carries with it a prize lot of 1000 00 THE NATIONAL SPELLING BEE the national spelling bee was organized first in 1925 the louisville courier journal had considered a statewide match tor for boys and girls of kentucky graded schools the kentucky education association gave immediate and enthusiastic operation cooperation co and the preliminary stages of the match were so beneficial that luncheon clubs and other organizations in louisville and various parts of the state put on separate matches to find their champion spellers the detroit news also had bad found that the spelling bee was a successful educational enterprise and it readily accepted the invitation of the courier journal to enter a national spelling bee in which graded school champions of all sections of the country might meet the akron beacon journal the south bend news times and the hartford times were among the first nine newspaper sponsors in the 1925 national spelling bee since 1925 the bee has been extended to awen tyone ty one states and la is now sponsored b by more bhore than that many papers from maine to nevada business men editors and educators generally agree that graduates of high schools r and a nd colleges are less competent in spelling than any of the fundamental subjects the spelling bee introduces competition among individuals who aspire to grade championships establishes class and school spirit in the contests between grade winners and school champions and instills ambition not only in the best spellers who win the washington trips but among the thousands of boys and girls who falling short of championships resolve to better their standings in the next match sponsoring newspapers recognize the national spelling becas a valuable educational project to be run only in the strictest operation cooperation co with school authorities it has been said that propaganda teaches children what to think while educators propose to teach them how to think the spelling bee as conducted by newspapers give children an incentive to study a fundamental subject but it neither tries to teach them what to spell nor cor how to spell regardless of the mariner manner in which prize money Is distributed there are two champions each year one Is the champion boy speller and the other the champion girl speller if a boy wins the capital prize his ble newspaper and community will welcome him home as the national champion speller A girl might finish second third or fourth in the match and still all girl competitors this would make her national champion girl speller since no newspaper sponsors more than one speller in the finals at least two newspapers welcome national champions each year the student who defeats all other finalists in the match Is the national champion speller he receives 1000 presented with the recommendation that it be used tor for higher education but no strings are tied to its expenditure however the full amount goes to and Is to be retained by the champion plon and no part Is to be given to the sponsor to the coach or to any other person connected in hi any way with the match unless the champion sees lit fit to do so other cash prizes total 1500 so distributed that every child gets a reward out of the 2500 total prize money superintendents principals and teachers realize that the bee Is fin an asset to them in their work it helps the teacher because it improves the spelling by arousing interest among the students it creates friendly sportsmanlike rivalry among the schools it stimulates parents parente to give their children schooling it helps education generally by instructing adults adelta RS as well BS as children in spelling it promotes civic consciousness by pitting the champion of one community against the champions of others it readily admits children of all ages creeds and races moes placing all on an equal competitive basis the seventh heaven of participants in the spelling bee Is the washington trip it if anything were more educational for contestants than participation in all pt acs of the match it would be the trip t our nations capital which goes C oes to the winner of every newspapers match several of the newspapers have adopted the plan of sending boys and girls who finish second in their grand finals our own salt lake tribune Is doing this these thes runners up are regular members of the spelling party in washington even though they do not take part in the national match reporter companions or chaperons chaperones chape rons are sent by the n newspapers I 1 wp apers all expenses paid our tribune 1 Is sending enden a lady chaperon also sending mr maloney the manager of the bee in the four western tern states and idaho Is sending the principal of the school at mccammon Afe Cammon since their student ts Is the runner up contestants will leave for washington alth either er on may or the from salt lote and arrive in washington on the or the they aie not in al n r nood mood to enjoy much sightseeing before the big match so on tuesday morning th they go through the business and nd residential sections passing foreign embassies and stopping at the 1 cent lincoln memorial and the 1 lofty washington ashington NV monument this tour relieves the spellers of a bit of 0 the slight which all are bound to feel during the he immediate hours preceding the final match they have a short rest and then go 90 to the natural flis history tory building to compete for the 2500 some of the other places ot of interest that they will see after the match are bureau of printing and engraving where our postage poc tage stamps and our paper money are made the academy of science tt which has more attractions that alice ever saw in wonderland the white hodio where they meet president hoover and h have v a their pictures taken with him the capitol building Alex alexandria nadria virginin virginia and the home of washington at mt vernon the zoological gardens the tomb ot of the unknown soldier the franciscan monastery and st albans cathedral where spellers may see ece the tomb of woodrow wilson and admiral dewey dewcy besides these there tire arc many other places of 0 interest SO our miss vera has bas a real thriller ol of 1 a trip ahead of her and with lier ca calm im a attitude t with her spelling ability with her willingness to work and her pleasant appearance it would seem possible and pro probable bable that park city and utah may boast ot of a national champion in the near future A miss hogan of omaha won the championship last year a miss robinson ot of south bend indiana in 1928 and who will it be in 1930 |