To The Leader

 

Stark Museum of Art invites the public to the Stark Reading Contest Reunion on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 2 p.m. in celebration of the 115th year of the Contest.

Each year from 1904 to 1975, the Stark Family – beginning with Miriam Lutcher Stark and continuing with her son, Lutcher, and his wife, Nelda – sponsored a contest in reading and a contest in declamation in the public high schools in Orange, Texas. In 1976, the Miriam Lutcher Stark Contest in Reading and Declamation became a qualified scholarship program of the Stark Foundation. This spring will mark its 115th year.

The Reunion will commemorate the impact of the Contest with testimonials from previous scholarship winners and an announcement of the 2019 County Finalists. Light refreshments will be served.  

Stark Art and History Venues Director, Trina Nelson Thomas, encourages the attendance of previous participants and community members “to celebrate the longevity and influence of the Contest and show support for local students as they prepare to compete in this year’s County Final.”

Anyone with Stark Reading Contest memorabilia is encouraged to bring it to the Reunion as a way to further reflect on the Contest’s impact. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, visit starkculturalvenues.org.