In Sparsely filled Emerson D last night a Freshman and a senior, Michael D. Dawson '46 of Winthrop House, and Nathaniel P. Lauriat '48 of Eliot House, were declared first-prize winners in the 127th annual Boylston Speaking Contest. Winners of the three second prizes were Haskell Grodberg '44, of Eliot House, Jules C. Ladenheim '44, of Leverett House and Ralph J.P. Wedgwood '46 of Adams House.

A total of $145 in prizes was awarded to the five winners of the contest, selected from a field of eight contestants. The two first-prize winners each received $35, while the runners-up were awarded $25 each.

Praised by Robert S. Hillyer '17, Boylston Professor of Oratory and Rhetoric, who was in general charge of the contest, as one of the closest and most successful yet witnessed, the speeches varied in their subject matter from Lincoln's Second Inaugural to T. E. Eliot's Christmas Sermon from Murder in the Cathedral. The winning selections were excerpts from the "Areopagitica" of Milton and from the Book of Revelations.

Despite wartime exigencies, the contest was only slightly more informal than that of last year. The scene of action was moved from traditional Paine Hall and the participants were not in normal dress. Professor Hillyer conducted the speeches from the floor and expressed regret that Charles Townsend Copeland '82, Boylston Professor of oratory and Rhetoric, emeritus, was unable to serve as honorary judge.