1928

The 4th National Spelling Bee took place on May 23rd, 1928. It was held at the National Museum Auditorium in Washington, D.C., and 23 spellers participated.

In the early days of spelling bees, the turnout for local competitions was pretty remarkable. More than 17,000 people attended the Detroit regional spelling bee at the Detroit State Fairgrounds in 1928!

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About the 4th Bee

Champion

Betty Robinson

South Bend, Indiana

Betty Robinson, age 13, sponsored by the South Bend News-Times, won the $1,000 prize by correctly spelling the word “knack.”

Betty married and became Betty Robinson Snodgrass. She died in 1954 of ovarian cancer.

Location

National Museum Auditorium

Winning Word

knack(n)

nak

a special ready capacity that is hard to analyze or teach for dexterous adroit performance especially of the unusual, technical, or difficult.

This word is originally English.

OFFICIALS

Directors

Donald McWain

Pronouncers

  • Dr. Charles E. Hill

SPELLER ROSTER

  • Glenna Ackerman
  • Aaron Belanger
  • Mary Chandler
  • Ethel Cook
  • Earl Dickinson
  • Bessie Doig
  • Elsie Drexler
  • Myrtle Frank
  • Pauline Gray
  • Mary Frances Gregory
  • Webster Haight
  • Edith Halverson
  • Joseph Hmurcik
  • Norma Lee
  • Emma Malaric
  • Anna Murphy
  • Eva M. Nash
  • Marion Phelan
  • Betty Robinson
  • Helen Sherwin
  • Marcia Tibbetts
  • Ellis Walker
  • Marie Waltz

* Winner
** Runner-Up