The Jingle of Money for College.

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Author: Wasley, Paula

High-school students in Defiance, Ohio, will soon have a chance to compete for a scholarship to the local college, thanks to the children of the town's famous contest winner.

To coincide with the September 30 opening of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, the story of "one housewife who raised ten kids on twenty-five words or less," the real-life children of the film's central character raised money with Defiance College to create a scholarship honoring their mother. The movie features Julianne Moore as Evelyn Ryan, a 1950s housewife who made ends meet by winning jingle-writing competitions.

Ms. Ryan won a partial scholarship to Defiance College in 1931, but was unable to afford the remaining costs. The college awarded her a posthumous honorary degree in 2001, after the publication of her daughter Terry Ryan's memoir, on which the film is based.

Although the family has not established the ground rules for the scholarship, they would like the winner to be someone who, like their mother, has a way with words. "We want to encourage someone like Mom, who does not have the means to pursue their dreams," says Betsy Ryan, Evelyn's youngest daughter.

So far the college, with help from the town's tourist board, has raised $20,000, says Gerald E. Wood, president of Defiance College. Fund-raising events have included an auction of movie memorabilia and items such as Evelyn Ryan's typewriter.

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By Paula Wasley