| 3rd National Spelling Bee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | June 23, 1927 |
| Location | National Museum, Washington, D.C. |
| Winner | Dean Lucas |
| Age | 13 |
| Residence | West Salem, Ohio |
| Sponsor | Akron Beacon Journal |
| Sponsor location | Akron, Ohio |
| Winning word | abrogate |
| No. of contestants | 17 [1] |
| Pronouncer | George S. Wills [2] |
| Preceded by | 2nd Scripps National Spelling Bee |
| Followed by | 4th Scripps National Spelling Bee |
The 3rd National Spelling Bee was held at the National Museum in Washington, D.C., on June 23, 1927. It was hosted by the Louisville Courier-Journal ; Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
There were 17 contestants, 13 girls and 4 boys, between ages 10 and 15. The event lasted three hours. [1] The first-place prize was $1000, with $500 for second place, and $250 for third. [1]
The winner was 13-year-old Dean Lucas of West Salem, Ohio (some sources say nearby Congress, Ohio, where he attended school), with the word abrogate. [3] It was his second appearance at the bee. [4] Ralph Keenan, 13, of Waukon, Iowa, placed second (misspelling "abrogate" as "abregate"); Minerva Ressler, 12, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was third. [1] [5] [6]