The preliminary trials of contestants for the Lee Wade and Boylston speaking prizes were held yesterday afternoon and evening in Emerson D, it was announced last night by Assistant Professor F. C. Packard '20.

Of the 54 competitors who presented themselves at the trials 17 were retained for further consideration. It is expected that ten of these aspirants will be chosen for the final contest. This event will take place in Sanders Theatre, Cambridge, on the evening of April 4. The occasion is to be open to the public. A double quartet from the Glee Club will perform pending the decision of the judges.

The judges of the preliminary contest held yesterday were as follows: Assistant Professor Packard, A. J. McMullen, A.M. '24, and F. T. Bowers, all of the English department.

The list of men retained follows: P. J. W. Bove '29, E. D. Wheeler '28, W. A. Fowlie '30, G. A. Weller '29, O. E. Vaccaro '29, T. H. Eliot '28, Theodore Hall Jr. '29, R. H. Sharp '30, R. C. Weaver '29, S. F. Feyler '30, H. A. Wolff '29, A. D. Howlett '28, J. L. Ware '30, F. E. Shea '29, J. F. Harding '30, Abbot Peterson Jr. '30, and T. M. Stensland '28.

The Lee Wade prize of $50 was founded in 1915 by Dr. Francis Henry Wade in memory of his son Lee Wade II '14 who was keenly interested in the Boylston prizes when in college. The three Boylston prizes, one of $50 and two of $30, are among the oldest prizes in the University. They were founded in 1817 by Ward Nicholas Boylston '35 in honor of his uncle Nicholas Boylston.