Education: Oratory

Five high-school boys sat in a row. One got up and then there were four. Behind these four sat a gathering of foreign diplomats, three members of the Coolidge Cabinet—Secretaries Wilbur, Work and New—U. S. Superintendent Ballou of Education, John Hays Hammond* and President Coolidge himself. A band was playing "O Canada," which some of those present tried and others pretended to sing. When the band stopped the schoolboy who had left his seat in the row began to make a speech.

The scene was a big auditorium in Washington, D. C. Some...

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