3rd Scripps National Spelling Bee
{{Short description|Spelling bee held in the United States in 1927}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Spelling bee
| name = 3rd National Spelling Bee
| image = File:New national museum of natural history.tif
| caption =
| date = June 23, 1927
| location = National Museum, Washington, D.C.
| winner = Dean Lucas
| age = 13
| residence = West Salem, Ohio
| sponsor = Akron Beacon Journal
| papertown = Akron, Ohio
| word =
| pronouncer = George S. Wills(17 May 1953). [https://news.google.com/newspapers/p/register_guard?nid=4pF9x-cDGsoC&dat=19530517&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Spelling Bee Still Growing - Professor Recalls Opening Contest], Eugene Register-Guard (Associated Press)
| 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. The first-place prize was $1000, with $500 for second place, and $250 for third.
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.Dyer, Bob (27 May 2017). [https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/bob-dyer-spelling-bee-misspells-its-own-history Spelling bee misspells its own history], Akron Beacon Journal It was his second appearance at the bee.(19 July 1927). [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/10250162/ At Night He Studied Just Spelling(?)], Emporia Gazette (subscription required) Ralph Keenan, 13, of Waukon, Iowa, placed second (misspelling "abrogate" as "abregate"); Minerva Ressler, 12, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was third.(24 June 1927). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19270624&id=OUAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N9gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3706,6400913 Ohio Boy Wins Spelling Bee At Washington], The Miami News(6 July 1927). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19270706&id=Zj8uAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SNgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4855,1851039 Words], Miami News (noting that Lucas hailed from Wayne County, Ohio)(15 July 1927). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19270715&id=QV9QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LA8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2887,2213776 "Abrogate"], Milwaukee Sentinel