Page:Final Report of the Northwest Territory Celebration Commission.pdf/17

 Because of the method of judging, no exact figures on essays submitted are available, but the contest cannot be called a success.

These winners were:

Cincinnati, Ohio Sayner. Wisconsin

Laurabel Scott Evelyn Shock ..

Lo Gloria Pederson : Minneapolis, Minnesota

Kenneth He Bridgeport, Ohio Sam ‘Stevens Evanston, Tilinole William DeR Beloit, Wisconsin

Marietta, Ohio, Route No, 5

Rodney Moore Cincinnati, Ohio

Lawrence A. Wi

FP Cresiliaa, Ohio juluth, Minnesota Cumberland, Wisconsin Minneapolis, Minnesota Chicago, Mlinois Luck, Wisconsin Findlay, Ohio "Pulaski, Tlinois fambaugh, Michigan Indianapolis, Indiana.

EL Ruth Alice Huber Janice Benson Fern Molberg .. Valerie Simmoi Grace Ropke Albert Ravnholt Paul V. 5

Contest No. 3 was for College students of all ages. The twelve prizes totaled $1,500 in cash, inasmuch as it was felt that most college students needed and would appreciate financial help,

Of the two hundred-odd colleges in Northwest Territory and to all of whom the contest was open, only ten submitted entries. For the $1,500 in cash awards there were but sixteen essays which reached the Commission. Among the six entries for girls, five were from parochial colleges. When this startling result was evident, the Commission wrote to all professors of history in all these colleges, explaining the situation and asking what, in their frank opinion, had been the trouble, and what course to follow.

Those letters went out September 17, 1938, and from over 200 of them, 36 replies were received—mostly in October, 1938. The 170 remaining departments of history did not even reply at all.

(The Commission has actually just received, in November, 1938, two letters from college history professors, acknowledging receipt of the contest announcement and material which was sent out in March, 1937—eighteen months ago.)

The universal expression of those who replied was that there had been nothing wrong with promotion material, or process; that students were too busy with curricular activities; that the professors had been too busy to announce the contest, etc., etc.; that the contest should be extended as to closing date, and if this could be done they would really do something about it.

To extend the contest required, in decency, the consent of those who had entered originally, and it has required over two months to get that consent from all of the sixteen entrants. The time is