This award, established in 1988, was named in honor of SAR Compatriot Calvin Coolidge who won an SAR essay contest while a student at Amherst. Its name was changed to the George S. and Stella Knight Essay Contest in 1995. The award is to encourage patriotism in young people and to ascertain their ideas and ideals of the present.

In 1993 the oration contest became known as the Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Patriotic Oration Contest. Compatriot Rumbaugh, of the Florida Society, is well known for his interest in our youth and is very generous in behalf of their welfare. In appreciation of his interest in the NSSAR oratorical event, the contest was renamed for him.