ESSAY CONTEST THREAD FROM THE HUMANIST BBS MESSAGE: 292 DATE/TIME: 02-07-94 4:30a FROM : S

            ESSAY CONTEST THREAD FROM THE HUMANIST BBS

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MESSAGE: 292                                    DATE/TIME:
                                                02-07-94  4:30a
FROM   : SCOTTIE ROBINSON                       RECEIVED : YES
TO     : FRED EDWORDS                           PRIVATE  : NO
SUBJECT: Last Essay Contest                     THREAD   : NO

Dear Fred:

     Why is last year's NORTH AMERICAN ESSAY CONTEST FOR YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN OF GOOD WILL the last year, and end of the contests?  If
it is because of lack of volunteers to continue to make it happen,
then I would be willing to help.  I feel I could get enough aid
via this Central Ohio chapter to maybe staff the judging of, say,
the ages 19 and under group.

     It just seems like too good of an idea to discontinue.

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MESSAGE: 314                                    DATE/TIME:
                                                02-08-94  5:37p
FROM   : FRED EDWORDS                           RECEIVED : NO
TO     : SCOTTIE ROBINSON                       PRIVATE  : NO
SUBJECT: Last Essay Contest                     THREAD   : YES

It is gratifying to know of your interest.  The essay contest in
question was run for a number of years because its prizes were
funded by a major donor.  The reason for its discontinuance, then,
was not because of a lack of judges to judge the essays, but a
lack of funds to continue giving the prizes.  The donor withdrew,
largely because interest in the contest had waned.  Each year we
were getting fewer and fewer essays.  The first year we got 300.
The last year we got less than 50.  So, although it was a good
idea, not enough other people thought so -- and now there is no
more money to fund it.

I hope this answer is of some use.  Meanwhile, if your local
chapter wants to start a contest of this nature, that might be a
project which could attract local interest.  Winning essays could
be read aloud at a public meeting.  Prize money?  Well, I guess
that is still the hard part.

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MESSAGE: 384                                    DATE/TIME:
                                                02-14-94  2:35p
FROM   : SCOTTIE ROBINSON                       RECEIVED : YES
TO     : FRED EDWORDS                           PRIVATE  : NO
SUBJECT: Last Essay Contest                     THREAD   : YES

Fred:

     Does a contest need to offer prize money?  The honor of being
listed as a winner in the AHA National Mag. will be enough for
some.

     Also, the top couple of essays could be printed in the Mag.,
a highest honor I would think.

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MESSAGE: 408                                    DATE/TIME:
                                                02-17-94  5:43p
FROM   : FRED EDWORDS                           RECEIVED : NO
TO     : SCOTTIE ROBINSON                       PRIVATE  : NO
SUBJECT: Last Essay Contest                     THREAD   : YES

No, I guess an essay contest doesn't need to offer prize money,  
but we would look pretty cheap if we didn't.  Some folks wanted us 
to offer fewer-but-bigger prizes, like scholarships.

Nonetheless, if you feel it would be an honor just to have a
winning essay printed in the magazine (never minding the money),
then you might as well consider that the contest has always been
on and always will be!  That is to say, go ahead and write an
essay anytime and send it in.  If it merits publication as an
article, it will be published and you will thus enjoy the full
flush of all that honor.  How 'bout that?  

If you want an idea as to what sort of thing is likely to "win"
(be published), just look at the sorts of essays that won the last
time.  The present editors judged that contest, so they would
likely not be averse to more of the same.  They also would be
interested in articles of the type currently published.  So, write
an article or essay.  And, even if it isn't published, post it on 
this BBS!  Perhaps the rest of us would like to gain the benefit
of what you have to offer.

It never hurts to sharpen your pencil, and your wit.  So, give it
a shot.  Meanwhile, I will share your idea of a lucre-less contest
with the present editors.

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