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Jerald Mittelbach, Chairman, 703.764.2121
HISTORY: William A. Kitchen, a Past Department Commander of Missouri,
is credited with originating The American Legion National High School Oratorical
Contest. He experimented with the contest in a few high schools in and around
Kansas City, Missouri, during the school year 1934-35.
From the beginning, he encouraged The American Legion to adopt the Missouri
Oratorical Contest plan as a National Program. The first National Contests were
held in 1938, with 11 Departments (States) competing and 4,000 participants. The
National Finals that year were in Norman, Oklahoma with John Janson of Phoenix,
Arizona, taking first place honors.
Since its inception, the contest has awarded well over $1.5 million in
scholarships to the participants at the National level of competition. It
currently awards $138,000 annually to Department winners competing at the
National level. Many additional thousands of dollars are awarded each year at
Post, District and State level contests.
PURPOSE: The National High School Oratorical Contest, was developed
primarily to instill a better knowledge and appreciation of the Constitution of
the United States in high school students. Other objectives include the
development of leadership qualities, the ability to think and speak clearly, and
the preparation for acceptance of the duties, responsibilities, rights and
privileges of American citizenship.
Another purpose of the program is to assist students in paying the high cost
of a college education. The American Legion Life Insurance Committee provides
the scholarship money for the program. The first place winner takes home $18,000
and the next two finishers receive $16,000 and $14,000. First round participants
in the National Contest receive a $1,500 scholarship. Second round participants
who do not advance to the final round will receive an additional $1,500
scholarship.
ELIGIBILITY: Participants in the American Legion National High Scholl
Oratorical Contest shall be citizens of or lawful permanent residents of the
United States. Contestants must be
students under the age of twenty (20) years on the date of the National Contest
and presently enrolled in a high school (public, parochial, military, private or
state accredited home school) in which the curriculum is considered to be of
high school level, commencing with grade nine (9) and terminating with grade
twelve (12). THE PREPARED ORATION: The subject to be used for the
Prepared Oration in the Oratorical Contest must be on some phase of the
Constitution of the United States which will give emphasis to the attendant
duties and obligations of a citizen to our government. In the Prepared Oration,
as well as the Assigned Topic Discourse, quotations must be indicated as such.
Where quotations are more than ten words in length, the author's name must be
given in the manuscript and cited orally. The Prepared Oration must be the
original effort of each contestant and must not take up less than eight minutes
or more than ten minutes for delivery. It must be delivered in the English
language without notes, amplification, lectern or speaker’s stand or prompting
in any manner. Contestants may have in their possession a copy of their
Prepared Oration in the First Holding Room. They may consult the copy of their
Prepared Oration until they exit the Holding Room in order to begin the contest,
at which time the copy of the Prepared Oration will be surrendered to the
contest official who is monitoring the First Holding Room.
ASSIGNED TOPIC: The Assigned Topic Discourse must not consume less
than three (3) minutes or more than five (5) minutes for delivery. The purpose
of the Assigned Topic Discourse is to test the speaker's knowledge of the
subject, the extent of his or her research, and the ability to discuss the topic
as related to the basic principles of government under the Constitution. The
Assigned Topic shall be drawn by the contest official in fill view of the
audience immediately before the last speaker begins delivery of his/her Prepared
Oration and will be made known to the audience and each contestant approximately
five (5) minutes prior to the time of delivery. The topic will be on some phase
of the Constitution of the United States selected from Articles and Sections as
listed under Assigned Topics for the current year's contest.
As for the Prepared Oration, notes, amplification, lectern or speaker’s
stand and prompting in any manner are not permitted.
For further information on this program contact Jerry Mittelbach at (703) 764-2121 or his email: middlebh@cox.net.