District 300 Education Foundation to honor '64 DTHS state championship speech team

The Saturday, May 3, 2014 Du Quoin Community District 300 Education Foundation scholarship banquet will reunite members of the 1964 DTHS state championship speech team.

While there have been a handful of individual events state champions since then, this is the last to win the team title. They shared the sweepstakes trophy honors with Peoria Woodruff.

Coaches were Katherine Forester and Betty Thornton.

Senior Allen Croessmann won the prose reading championship at Urbana and Carol Friedman took first place in extemporaneous speaking. David Moore represented DTHS in verse reading.

Adding point to the sweepstakes was Du Quoin's entry in the one act play competition with Mary McChase's "Mrs. McThing," which took second.

Cast members David Moore and Kent Wilbanks were additionally honored by being selected to the all-state cast.

Du Quoin had won the district tournament, competed well at sectionals, then moved onto the finals.

Du Quoin District 300 Supt. Dr. Kelly said he expects the foundation to award 60 or more scholarships to graduating seniors at the banquet.

The foundation is planning a Friday night, May 2 reception for the state speech team members.