Class Committee Announces Competition For Class Day Orations, Poems, and Odes

For the first time, the four speaking positions at the Class Day exercises this year will be competitive, Geoffrey H. Ball '55, a member of the Senior Class Committee, announced yesterday. In past years the places have been filled by appointment.

Those wishing to deliver the Class Oration, the Class Ivy Oration, the Class Poem, or the Class Odo must submit their manuscripts to John J. Gallen at Lamont Library by May 28.

For the Class Oration, Ball said, a serious speech relating college preparation for future life is expected. On the other hand, The Class Ivy Oration should be "a humorous summary of the Senior Class' four years at college." A team of two may write this, but only one person can deliver it, he noted. The Ivy Oration usually lasts for about eight minutes.

A group of faculty and class committee members will choose about five of the best orations in each category for a final runoff contest. In this, each contestant must deliver his oration so that the judges can also consider his speaking ability.

In choosing the Class Poem, the judges will pick the one which "best describes the worldly problems of the graduating class in simile and analogy," Ball said.

The Class Ode, written to the tune of "Fair Harvard," is the class hymn. It will be sung by the Class Chorister after being road at the Class Day exercises.