Decatur County Journal Leon, Iowa Thursday, March 16, 1911 The high school declamatory contest held at the opera house Friday evening of last week was one of the most successful contests ever held by the school A good sized audience was in attendance and all enjoyed the excellent program very much. The program opened with a piano solo by Miss OLIVE BRIGHT and the number was most pleasing. Next came Miss LANELLE RHOADES with the first oration, "The Stroke of Two." Miss RHOADES was good and her oration excellent. Next came MABEL STILL with "The Return of the Hoe." This was another pleasing number. "The Heroism of the Unknown" by JAMES DUNN was the next oration. Then came The Seige of Leyden" delivered by Miss MADGE MCMORRIS. Miss MCMORRIS was heartily applauded. At this point in the entertainment a horn quartette composed of CARROLL JOHN, RALPH BIGGS, DEWEY LONG and HORRY VANNOSTRAND, with Miss GRETCHEN HURST as pianist, delighted the audience with some excellent music. The fifth contestant was Miss MARGUERITE HOFF, winner of second place in the contest. Her selection was "The Fashionable School Girl " Miss HOFF showed much ability. Miss CORAL CURRY was next with "The Bridge Keeper's Story." She was well received. "The Preservation of America" by LELAND ACKERLEY followed Miss CURRY. The contestant displayed much talent and was greeted with much applause. Then came "On the Train" by MILDRED AVERY. Miss AVERY pleased all with her splendid number. A chorus participated in by Miss OLIVE GWINN, Miss FANNY HAZLET, Miss ADA DALE, Miss LILLIE MOORE, EARL DORN and SAM GARBER was next. The chorus was indeed enjoyed. Miss LOLA BRAZELTON, winner of the first place, was the contestant following the musical number. "Bobby Shaftoe" was the title of her selection and she certainly handled it well. She received an ovation. "The Jiners" by MARY EDGINGTON was another excellent number. The selection was in a humorous vein and Miss EDGINGTON handled it capably. "Mary's Night Ride" by Miss ELSIE MITCHELL followed Miss EDGINGTON and, did well indeed. Miss OLLIE FOXWORTHY was the last contestant, her selection being "A Woman in a Shoe Shop." A piano duet capably rendered by Misses GEORGIA HURST and ALTA HART was the last number of the program. The decision of the judges, Elder J.S. Coffin, County Superintendent, J.W. Long and V.R. McGinnis, was then announced, naming Miss BRAZELTON as winner of first place and Miss HOFF as winner of the second place. Misses BRAZELTON and HOFF will represent the Leon school at the county contest to be held at Garden Grove on Friday evening of next week. ---------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert December 3, 2009 [email protected]

Thanks for the Bright "hit" ... the student pianist mentioned below, Olive P. Bright, was born in Leon in 1893 to James Saul/Sol Bright and Martha Alice (Hand) Bright, natives of Mason Co., WV and Decatur Co., IA, respectively. Olive married Clifton A. Wilson about 1920 or '21, and they were living in Dawson Co., NE in 1930. Olive's paternal grandparents were Stephen Bright and Margaret Louise (Souls) Bright, Stephen's wife #2. Rick, Merced, CA PS. Kin of the Edgingtons mentioned in the same news story formerly operated an antique store here in Merced. The Moore and Still pupils are likely cousins of mine but I have not yet identified them for sure.R ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:50 AM, Nancee Seifert wrote: > Thursday, March 16, 1911 > > The high school declamatory contest held at the opera house Friday evening > of last week was one of the most successful contests ever held by the school > A good sized audience was in attendance and all enjoyed the excellent > program very much. > > The program opened with a piano solo by Miss OLIVE BRIGHT and the number was > most pleasing.

Is anyone on the list related to Ollie Foxworthy? I have a picture postcard with her picture on the front that I could copy. She sent it to my Great Grandparents. Jan Lund ********************************************************************************* > Miss OLLIE FOXWORTHY was the last contestant, her selection being "A Woman > in a Shoe Shop."