C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest
The annual C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest gives Goshen College students an opportunity to explore peace and justice issues from a faith perspective, cultivate argumentation and delivery skills, and demonstrate student leadership.
Each participant steps to the lectern to deliver an 8- to 10-minute speech on their chosen topic relating to the general theme of the application of Christian peace theology to contemporary concerns. Christian peace positions can be broadly interpreted to include nonviolent approaches to conflict and holistic approaches to addressing social inequities and injustices that contribute to issues we see in society.
Participants compete for cash prizes and the top winner may enter the U.S./Canada Mennonite Central Committee-sponsored C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest. The trust of C. Henry Smith, a 20th-century Mennonite historian and professor at Goshen College and Bluffton (Ohio) College, funds the contest. Speech contests have been part of Goshen College’s history since the early 1900s; the C. Henry Smith contest allows the campus and the wider Goshen communities to hear about faith-related, socially relevant, contemporary issues.
To apply for the contest, fill out this entry form. Applications are accepted from March to the end of December. The contest is typically held in February after a preliminary round in January.
About C. Henry Smith
A pioneer in the comprehensive study and recorded history of Mennonites in the United States, C. Henry Smith was one of the first Mennonites to earn a doctorate and remain in the church. Smith, born on June 8, 1875, attended high school during the winter months when work on the family farm was slow. After graduating from high school and attending Illinois State Normal School, Smith later taught in Indiana, at the Elkhart Institute (which would eventually move to Goshen and change its name to Goshen College).
Smith’s credentials include further study at the University of Illinois and at the University of Chicago. He worked as a librarian at the new Goshen College, and then from 1908 to 1913 served as its dean. Smith completed his career at Bluffton (Ohio) College as the chair of the history department, serving from 1914 until his retirement from academia in 1946. Smith passed away in 1948. In addition to his doctoral dissertation on Mennonites in America, Smith’s writing included many scholarly papers, articles and books (he told his life story in “The Education of a Mennonite Country Boy”).
Criteria for contest judging
Speech subject and material:
- Adherence to the theme of peace/social justice
- Clarity of organization (introduction, body, conclusion)
- Adequacy of supporting materials
- Connection to the audience
Vocal and physical presentation:
- Variety in voice and rate
- Eye contact and audience connection
- Use of gestures and appropriate expressiveness
- Sincerity, overall enthusiasm and sense of urgency