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Joseph S. Rumbaugh

Historical Oration Contest

1.    The contest will be held in the preliminary round(s) by state societies and/or chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution to select one winner from each participating state.  In districts where no state society sponsors an entrant, a district entry is permitted.  Each participating state society or district should provide information regarding the contest to senior high school, parochial, private and home-schooled speech and/or history teachers and principals or counselors as early as possible.
2.    The contest is open to all students of the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes (Grades 9 - 12) in the public, parochial, private and home schools within the jurisdiction of the sponsoring state society or district.
3.    The oration must be original of not less than five minutes or more than six minutes.  The subject shall deal with an event, personality, or document pertaining to the Revolutionary War and show a relationship to America today.  The oration must be essentially the same as the submitted manuscript.   Notes and props (including military uniforms) may not be used in the presentation.
4.    The Student must provide a copy of the final Oration to the Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Chapter Orations Contest by December 15th along with a photograph and biographical sketch of the entrant, to the Chairman, Mr. James G. Alexander, J.galexander@att.net.
5.    The Tennessee Valley Chapter SAR awards prizes as follows:  1st place  $400   2nd Place $300  3rd Place  $200  The winner of the Chapter Contest will proceed to the State Contest.
6.    For the first place winner, an allowance for lodging, meals, and transportation to, at, and from the Alabama Society Annual Convention will be provided for the contestant and one Chaperon.
7.     All judges in the Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest must be members of the SAR.  The judges will select the winners by the following criteria:     

    A. Composition 
    B. Delivery
    C. Significance
    D. History 
8.      Time allocated for delivery is between 5 and 6 minutes.  (A penalty is applied for going outside the time allocations.)
9.    The contestants must agree that the interpretation of rules and the decisions of the SAR and its judges shall govern without reservation.   The judging sheets and notes are the property of the SAR.

Contact:
James G. Alexander
ALSSAR Rumbaugh Oration Contest Chairman
110 Vaughnwood Trace
Huntsville, AL  35806


Additional information and rules can be found at: 

​https://www.sar.org/joseph-s-rumbaugh-historical-oration-contest