The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-03
F~REEFoR7ALL PLAN ADOPTED
New System Received Ap-
prevail at Hands of Board
of Control

An important change was made in
the method of selecting intercollegiate
de0ators was made by the university
debating board of control last even
ing. The plan adopted provides for
a series of free for all debates on the
question to be debated in the inter-
collegiate contests. In connection with
TINS cnange was another authorizing
the debate manager to arrange a tri.
angular debate with Manitoba and
some oth-r university.
Inc plans were submitted by John
Adams Taylor Of the departments of
English who at the last meeting of
the board was authorized to submit a
written report. The report was az
follows:
To the Debating Board Of Control of
the University Of North Dakota:
AS a committee chosen by you to
regard to two matters Of controversy
namely. the triangular debating
league. and the method Of selecting
the intercollegiate debaters-I have
the following recommendation to Of.
fer:
1. In view Of the fact that this
year our debating contracts with the
University Of Manitoba and with the
University Of South Dakota expire.
tne COMMITTEES recommends that we
take steps Immediately to negotiate
for the formation of a triangular in
Intercollegiate debating league, to con-
tinue Tor three years, and to be based
upon the Harvard Yale Princeton
model. The main features Of this
plan are these-all three debates are
held on the same evening and upon
the same question: the negative is up
held IN each case by the visiting
team; the visitors defray their own
travelling expenses, but are entertain
ed lodgings and meals) at the ex-
pense of the home college: the home
college also has charge Of all local ar
engagements and assumes the financial
obligations thereof; the actual cues.
ton and date Of debate are selected
before commencement for the subse-
quent year; the executive committee
of the league consists of three mem.
bers. one representing each UNIVERSE
ty. The advantages to be gained from
such a plan as this are obvious. II
the University of North Dakota Is able
mean a significant step in the ad.
vancement OF u debating.
II. Furthermore. in the event that
we are able to arrange a triangular
debate, the committee recommend
that a change be made in the method
Of selecting the intercollegiate teams.
The plan offered is this: To have
the tryouts early in the year, prefer
ably in November, and on the yer.
question chosen fort the triangular de-
bate; these preliminaries are to con-
sist Of eight minute individual speech.
es. and from these twelve men are
selected for he finals; these twelve
consisting of two formal hour and a
half debates: the arrangement and se.
lection Of these debaters is to be in
charge of a committee of three elect
ed by this body.
These then are the two proposals.
a triangular debating league and a
modified method of selecting debat-
ers-which the committee presents
for discussion.
Respectfully submitted.
John Adams Taylor.
Committee.
The arguments presented in behalf
of the new plan were that 1t would r. {.
duce the labors of those seeking
places Oil the intert ollegiate teams and
that it would enable the judges to
pick men qualified on the particular
question for the intercollegiate ION.
test.
Under the present system. the can
didate for intercollegiate honors has
to try out in an intel society debate a
different question and thus he has to
work up two debates. This will be
obviated under the new plan.
The main objection which was
brought against the plan was that the
men who were trying out for the in
te~rcollegiate contests would not take
an interest in the society debates and
thereby the literary societies. which
are not now in a fiourishing condi-