Monica Oberkofler '96 took first place yesterday afternoon in the annual Barge Oratorical Contest for seniors for her account of how ordinary German men became perpetrators of Nazi war crimes, and Eric Paley '98 won the Class of 1866 Oratorical Contest for sophomores and juniors with his speech encouraging citizens to challenge the injustices arising in America.
Both contests, which have been annual events at Dartmouth since the turn of the century, were held in Dartmouth Hall.
More than 40 students listened to the orations of seven finalists, who addressed issues ranging from the recent racial incidents that have occurred on campus to how American foreign policy should be developed.
The Benjamin F. Barge Oratorical Contest was established in 1901 by Barge, a Yale alumnus who spent his sophomore year at Dartmouth.
In an agreement with the College, Barge arranged for a prize to be given annually to "that scholar of the senior class, in any collegiate department or course, who in competition, shall write and pronounce in public an English oration in the best manner."
The Class of 1866 Oratorical contest was established in 1905 by Waldemer Otis and Dr. James A. Spaulding, both members of the Dartmouth Class of 1866. The two men established a fund to provide awards to sophomores and juniors for their excellence in oration.
Oberkofler, in her speech titled "Ordinary Men," said, "People of Nazi Germany were no different from me or anyone of you. How did they go from being ordinary men to criminal perpetrators?"
She identified ideological indoctrination, pressure to conform and obedience to authority as the three reasons.
Oberkofler said she was not absolving the men and that ultimately human beings are responsible for their own actions.
However, she said we still face today the same issues the Germans faced then "We must not turn our heads. We must respond," Oberkofler said.
In her conclusion, Oberkofler pointed to a picture of a Nazi soldier and said, "My grandfather was one of the ordinary men. The lessons of Nazi Germany will continue to influence me for the rest of my life."
After her speech, Oberkofler said that this issue has been something she has studied since the age of 13, partly because of her family background and partly because of academic love of history.
In his speech, Paley said it is the responsibility American citizens to stand up for justice.
He said the United States has had a history of bigotry and hatred. But people such as Rosa Parks -- an African-American woman in the South who in the 1960s refused an order to move to the back of a segregated bus -- have stood up and made a difference, Paley said in his oration.
Paley said citizens should challenge government by, among other things, voting, exercising First Amendment rights and litigation.
Andrew Schader '98 won second prize for his speech, "Foreign Policy in the 21st Century: Beyond the Hokey Pokey" in the Class of 1866 Contest and Kishan Putta '96 took second prize in the Barge Contest with his speech, "VOTE!"
Early last week, more than 20 undergraduates participated in the elimination round, from which the field was narrowed to yesterday's group of seven finalists.
Three of these finalists competed in the Barge Oratorical Contest and the other four competed in the Class of 1866 Contest.
All seven finalists received a cash award as well as a plaque set on New Hampshire marble.
The judges for the event included Associate Deans of the Faculty for Arts and Sciences Mary Jean Green, John Walsh and George L. Wolford, English Chair William Cook and Russian Chair Richard Sheldon.
Cook said he judged the winners, by their "ease in spontaneity and good vocal modulation."
According to Jim Kuypers, visiting professor of speech and sponsor of this year's contest, the judges were to look for content and delivery.
The speaker is supposed to engage in "excellence in arrangement and logical construction of argument," Kuypers said.
