16th Scripps National Spelling Bee
| 16th Scripps National Spelling Bee | |
|---|---|
 National Press Club building | |
| Date | May 28, 1940 |
| Location | Auditorium of the National Press Club, Washington, D.C.[1] |
| Winner | Laurel Kuykendall |
| Age | 14 |
| Residence | Pippin, near Cookeville, Tennessee[2] |
| Sponsor | Knoxville News Sentinel |
| Sponsor location | Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Winning word | therapy |
| No. of contestants | 22 |
| Preceded by | 15th Scripps National Spelling Bee |
| Followed by | 17th Scripps National Spelling Bee |
The 16th National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C. on May 28, 1940. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The winner was 14-year old girl Laurel Kuykendall, correctly spelling the word therapy. Elizabeth O'Keefe, a 13-year-old girl from New Jersey, took second place after failing to correctly spell "plantain", followed by Eleanor Shea of Nebraska in third.[3]
There were 22 spellers this year, and the prizes were $500 for first, $200 for second, and $100 for third.[3][4][5][6]
References
- ^ Article, Louisville Courier-Journal ("The match is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday in the auditorium of the National Press Club. The Bee will not be broadcast.")
- ^ (16 July 1940). Spelling Champion Is Girl of 14 From Tennessee's Hills, Milwaukee Journal
- ^ a b (29 May 1940). Tennessee Girl Champ Speller, St. Petersburg Times (Associated Press)
- ^ (31 May 1940). National Spelling Bee Champ, Rome Daily Sentinel (photo)
- ^ (9 March 2011). And the Winner Is ..., Shorpy.com (1940 photo of top three)
- ^ (29 May 1940). Farm Girl Tops in Spelling Bee, Spokesman-Review (Associated Press)