Show n DEBATING DEBATING I I r a PU I y f In American and English colit colleges col- col it K f leges there has been a marked rep revival re- re p jv f VIva vival 1 0 of f. f interest in In db debating e d during during dur- dur ur- ur ing the last few years The U Universities Universities Uni Uni- ni- ni of Oxford and Cambridge Cambridge Cambridge Cam Cam- bridge for example have each from twenty to twenty-five twenty debating debating debat debat- ing societies Among American f institutions there are more than a score of debating leagues and the thes I. I s number is increasing annually f. f In many universities debaters receive reI receive re- re I the same recognition as is t accorded foot ball and base ball ballI I men in being allowed to we wear wear the jr i initial of the college on cap or r. r jit sweater Harvard's representatives tives in the inter-collegiate inter debates debates debates de- de bates are awarded enY en- en engraved engraved Y graved certificates also a one onehundred oner r h hundred dollar money prize is given to the best speaker at each of the two series of trial debates debat s for the choice of representatives in the annual Yale Harvard-Yale and IJ Princeton Harvard-Princeton debates There j t P I are also awarded by the Harvard Debating Council to the members of the senior and junior classes five prizes for elocution two elocution two first prizes of sixty dollars each and three second prizes of forty-five forty dollars each In most large American universities universities universities uni uni- debaters receive substantial recognition and encouragement encouragement encouragement encourage encourage- ment and in many cases a victory in debate is received with little less enthusiasm than a victory in athletics If we stop to consider the un unique unique un- un ique position occupied by debate as the only intellectual contest which we present td to the to-the the public we shall probably conclude that conclude that a victory on the rostrum des deserves even greater appreciation than an athletic vi victory tory Moreover the intrinsic value of debate as training in public speaking speaking speaking speak speak- ing can scarcely be over ed Where democratic prevail the public speaker will always be powerful in shaping shaping shaping shap shap- ing ing- the course of government and legislation He does much to mold the social and ethical opinions opinions opinions ions of the people and is in fact an important agent in advancing our position in progress and It is but right that this great mission should fall primarily ly to our educated men There is moreover hardly an every-day every avocation in which the man who is able in presenting and defending defending defending defend defend- ing his convictions has not a great advantage over the man who is not thus capable In too many t rf t cases however the university graduate brings college training into disrepute by the poor showing showing showing show show- ing that he makes before a public audience There is no training training- offered offered offered of of- of- of in a college which will do more to overcome this deficiency than that which one may get from debate Finally participation in debate is the most effective means of developing developing de de- developing in students the habit of thinking and of forming individual individual individual ual opinions on the great civic and economic problems of the day dayon on the correct solution of which largely depends the future happiness happi happi- ness of our nation PERCY GOD GODDARD DARD |