If I had been a jock, I probably would have memories of days on the football field or basketball court. Instead I focused on debating and ex temp speaking. Less body contact, but high levels of brain power. Friendly rivals play a large part in both athletics and public speaking. I don’t remember anything specific about the NFL members I competed against, but, at the time, their friendship was very important to me, a relative loner in Niles McKinley. The following are actual entries from my diary. Mr. Moritz was the other speech teacher; he was not as good as Mr. Bond.
Saturday, January 24: I had to get up at 5:00 this morning to be ready to leave for St. Joseph’s Academy in Rocky River, 16 miles outside of Cleveland. Individual events in public speaking were held at this Catholic school for girls. I was entered in the ex temp division. My topic for the morning was, “Is there a possibility of using the atomic bomb in Korea?” In the afternoon I “graduated” to the H-bomb with the topic: “Is it advisable to continue research on the Hydrogen Bomb?” For once I was lucky in getting good topics. I gave my talks in small, piano rooms which the girls used for practice. In my rounds I got 2/3, 1/7, 1/7. With this, I tied for first place in the ex temp Division.
Saturday, February 21: Today’s debating was at Euclid in Cleveland. At 6:30 this morning, Norm’s mother ‘phoned to say that he had the flu and could not go to debate. So I had to take a cab over to his place to pick up his material. I debated three rounds of cross-examination alone. I thought I was going crazy. I was up and down so much I lost track of which speech I was giving. I lost to Lorraine and Cathedral Latin, but won from St. Ignatius. The debate topic for this year was, “Resolved: that the Atlantic Pact Nations Should Form a Federal Union.”
Thursday, February 26: Since the Ohio High Schools Speech League was held in Niles starting at four o’clock, Mr. Bond had all of us excused at noon. I met a lot of old friends, including two from Salem. Last year J.J. and I lost to Nora and Sandy. Well, this year Norm and I defeated Nora and Pat. We also won from Ursuline. Dorothy Ann (Dorrie) Wenzel qualified for Columbus in oratorical by placing second. In ex-temp Sol Lerner, one of the twins, took first. Sandy and I tied for second. He was awarded second on judges preference, but since Salem’s junior play covers the time for the finals in Columbus, I was awarded second to qualify for state. I wish it would have been anyone but Sandy. Of all the kids I’ve met in two years whom I have liked, he tops the list. I’m glad he still has another year. I hope he goes to state next year. His full name is Sanford Hansel.
Friday, March 6: The NFL District speech contests began at Rayen. Norman and I were in debate with Scott and Jerry on the opposing side for Niles. Norman and I defeated East for the third time and Struthers. We lost to St. Joe’s. Scott and Jerry, as usual, lost all three. Radio announcing was a new competitive event. Everyone but Scott and Dorothy Ann entered it. I went through the third round; Norm through the fourth or semifinal. Carl Oglesby of Bath Revere and Tom Baker of Euclid were the heroes of the events. Carl took first in ex temp, original oratory, and second place in radio. Tom took second in ex temp, original oratory, and first in radio. [Carl became my roommate in college during our Freshman year! More is given in my KSU years.]
Friday, March 20: I got up at five this morning to get ready to go to Columbus for the speech tournaments. Mr. Moritz and Dorrie Wenzel picked me up at six o’clock. When we started out we passed the Hollow Ranch Grain Store which was on fire. We drove to the fire station to report it, but no one was awake there. When we told one of the policemen, he said he would check. So he got in his patrol car to go to see if there was a fire. Niles, Ohio! Shades of William McKinley!
We had to go to Youngstown first to pick up two kids from Chaney who were to go with us. They were Beverly Dyer and Frank Crushin. They were nice kids. It took us about five hours to drive to Columbus and an hour to drop Bev and Frank off. Frank stayed at the River Road dorms. I had heard of them and thought that I would probably live there if I went to OSU. But after seeing them inside – no thanks. They are the junkiest thing I have ever seen. Reminded me of the place where J.J. stayed last year at Kent.
Then Mr. Moritz took us to the Deschler-Wallick hotel. There was some mistake in our reservations, for Dorrie and I were suppose to room together. But Mr. Moritz and I got it straightened out. He and I roomed together.
The lobby of the D-W was beautiful, or perhaps it was my lack of comparison. However, room 1371 needed no comparison to tell you that it was a mess. It was now noon, but the maid had not yet cleaned up the remains of a beer-card-party of the previous night. They must have had a gay-old-time. When we got back at six that night it had been straightened up.
We immediately went to the campus, for my first round started at 1:15 in ex temp. My topic was: “Will Japan be allowed to re-arm?” I came in fourth. However, I did not feel too bad for Tom Baker of Euclid came in third in my room. Some sophomore came in first. I think he was from Dayton. I had not eaten since 5:30 this morning and it was now 2:30; I went to an Isaly across from the campus. I hurried back to see the round of dramatic oratory. It was very interesting.
Dorrie, Moritz, and I ate dinner at the Mills, a super-deluxe cafeteria. Afterwards, we walked around downtown Columbus. Then we went back to the hotel. Dorrie and I played a couple hands of rummy while Moritz was in the bar.
There wasn’t much to do. When only two go like that, you can’t do very much. You only have fun with a gang of kids. Most gangs didn’t get to sleep until three in the morning. I went to bed at 10:30 and lay awake until four. It was terribly boring.
The next morning, we ate breakfast in the drugstore and then went to the campus again. The weather was wonderful, so we had a chance to look over the campus. OSU is a mammoth place and a beautiful one. After Dorrie’s finals in oratorical, we walked around. We ate in the new five-million-dollar Student Union. It was the most breath-taking building I have seen, the showcase of the campus, with its four lounges, huge ballroom, twin cafeterias, large game rooms and small activity rooms. It was worth seeing. After we had learned that Dorrie had placed third, we left. We got home about six o’clock. Even if I didn’t win, I had fun in Columbus.