. ▁The ▁annual ▁Inter state ▁Or atory ▁Cont est ▁is ▁usually ▁held ▁within ▁the ▁last ▁week end ▁of ▁April ▁with ▁two ▁represent atives ▁from ▁state ▁compet ing ▁at ▁the ▁event . ▁The ▁most ▁recent ▁IO A ▁contest ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁West ▁Ch ester ▁University ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 6 – 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁IO A ▁is ▁composed ▁of ▁approximately ▁twenty ▁state ▁colleg iate ▁for ens ic ▁organizations . ▁The ▁organization ' s ▁purpose ▁is ▁to ▁conduct ▁an ▁annual ▁competition ▁in ▁Or atory . ▁Part icip ants ▁in ▁the ▁contest ▁are ▁the ▁top ▁two ▁final ists ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁respective ▁state ▁cont ests . ▁In ▁this ▁sense , ▁the ▁state ▁compet itors ▁represent ▁the ▁member ▁state ' s ▁or atory ▁participants . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 7 3 , ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁Adel phi ▁Society ▁of ▁Kno x ▁College ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁several ▁colleg es ▁propos ing ▁an ▁inter col leg iate ▁contest ▁in ▁or atory . ▁F avor able ▁rep lies ▁were ▁received ▁from ▁the ▁Illinois ▁State ▁Indust rial ▁University , ▁Mon mouth ▁College , ▁Chicago ▁University , ▁Iowa ▁State ▁University , ▁Iowa ▁College ▁and ▁Bel oit ▁College . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Inter state ▁contest ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁in ▁Kno x ▁College ▁at ▁G ales burg , ▁Illinois . ▁Stud ents ▁from ▁Wisconsin , ▁Iowa , ▁and ▁the ▁host ▁state ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁entr