REPORT ON COMPETITION No. 2

PRIZES of book tokens for LI Is. and los. 6d. were offered for the two best lists of inscriptions appropriate for any four of the following : (1) The Ministry of Information ; (2) An A.R.P. Shelter ; (3) A Petrol Service Station ; (4) The German Embassy in London ; (5) A Cinema in an Evacuation Area ; 6) The Spectator Office.

Approximately half of the entries for this competition were disqualified ; four inscriptions only were asked for, but a large number of competitors sent in six, and some compromised inscrutably on five. Very few competitors managed to produce four entertaining suggestions, though good single suggestions abounded. Of these, much the most taking was Miss Georgina Pennant's " Spitting strictly prohibited " for the German Embassy. It seemed almost a ritual among competitors to put " All hope abandon, ye who enter here " for an A.R.P. shelter, and " The looker-on sees most of the game " for The Spectator Office, but it must be admitted that the rare divergences from this code were little more inspired. The first prize in a competition which, though it attracted a fairly large entry, disappointed expectations, goes to Mr. G. Scott-Moncrieff (who admits to having taken a slight liberty with the translation of his fourth suggestion) and the second to Mt. J. M. Stoddart.

FIRST PRIZE.

The Ministry of Information.

/A 41,0;

" To give me information is thy function."

Euripides. Suppl. v. 28.

An A.R.P. Shelter.

"ha fugias ne praeter casam."

" So flee as not to be too far from your own home."

Terence, Phormio, v. 2, 3.

4 I), trol Service Station.

" A rarer spirit never did steer Humanity . . ."

Antony and Cleopatra.

A Cinema in an Evacuation Area.

" Non est ad astra mollis e terns via."

" The earthward way to the stars is no easy one."

Seneca, Hercules Furens.

SECOND PRIZE.

The Ministry of Information.

" Still, be kind

And eke out our performance with your mind."

An A.R.P. Shelter. Shakespeare—Henry V.

"Our shelter from the stormy blast." A P: trot Service Station.

"We give thee all we can, no more."

Hymns Ancient and Modern.

A (Merna in an Evacuation Area.

" Per Ardua ad Astra."