The 9th National Spelling Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 1933, organized by the Louisville Courier-Journal. Scripps-Howard would not sponsor the Bee until 1941.
The winner was 12-year-old Alma Roach of Twinsburg, Ohio, sponsored by the Akron Beacon Journal, correctly spelling the word torsion. George Meltzer (age 14) of New Jersey placed second(15 October 2012). George Meltzer (obituary), The Jersey Journal (missing propitiatory), followed by 13-year-old Virginia Wood in third (missing holocaust).(30 May 1933). Paper's National Spelling Bee Won By Akron Girl, 12, Schenectady Gazette
Roach won $500 for first place (a drop from the usual $1000), followed by $300 for second, and $100 for third.
The event was broadcast on radio.(28 May 1933). On WABC, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Roach (married name Mercer) became a teacher, retiring from Solon Middle School in her hometown of Twinsburg in 1983. She died at Akron General Hospital on July 31, 2003.(2 August 2003). Alma R. (Roach) Mercer (obituary), Akron Beacon-Journal
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