The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-04
HOLD DEBATING AND ATHLETIC
CONTESTS AMONG ALL HIGH
SCHOOLS.
IN WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
THAT SUBJECT CHOSEN FOR DE-
BATE THIS YEAR-FINALS TO
BE HELD AT UNIVERSITY
OF VIRGINIA.

| Greatly encouraged by the interest
taken by the schools of Virginia in the
/ Virginia High School Literary League
organized In Novem Der, 1913, the liter
airy societies and athletic ass citation
OF the University of Virginia have de-
termined to broaden the scope of
activities this year and to convert the
league into a Virginia High School
Literary and Athletic League.
Secretary J. II. Binford, of the vir-
| GINA Cooperative Education Asso-
citation, has received letter from
Charles G.. Maphis. professor of sec
! ondary education at the University or
= Virginia, explaining the plan and re-
| questing that the association aid In
encouraging high schools throughout
the State to join the league.
| 1t is proposed to have elimination
contests at every high school joining
/ the league, the winners to take part in
| the debating and athletic finals to be
held at Charlottesville next spring.
| The Virginia High School Literary
! League was organized In November,
! 1913, by the literary societies of the
/ University of Virginia. Before Febru-
/ airy eighty schools had enrolled in
the league and ea61 was paired with
another in the neighborhood for pre-
1 liminary debates. The subject de-
bated was compulsory education and
3 the twenty winning high schools re-
ported TO the university on April 80
/ for the finals. BY Thursday night all
i but nine of the schools had been elimi
mated and finally on Friday morning
only five were left, These We're Brook
/ neal, Buena Vista, Charlottesville,
Richmond and Manassas. After a.
series of semi-flnai debates the con-
7 test narrowed down to Charlottesville
and Buena Vista. the judges DECIDING
! in favor of Buena Vista.
! SO successful was the movement
during its first year that plans are
being laid for other than debating
contests. In addition to debating
and public reading the league win
also hold several athletic contests,
under the direction of the general
athletic association of the University
OF Virginia. They will include State
contests in baseball. basketball and
track meets. The subject for debate
/ this year will be woman suffrage.
In his letter to Mr.. Binford. Pro-
fessor Maphis thus explains the new
purpose of the league:
DR.. Maphis Explains.
II am sending you under separate
cover several copies of the bulletin of
the Virginia High School Literary
League. This bulletin contains the
announcement of the subject for de-
bate this year and also a complete
I plan for high school contests in
I basketball, baseball and track events.
| Through this league. 1t is hoped that
] the work in debating and also the
| athletic contests will be greatly stimu-
lated and in a measure standardized.
A large number of schools have al
ready manifested lively interest in
the work OF the league and I am
writing this to request that whenever
you have opportunity, speak an en-
encouraging word for the league and
advise schools to Join.
lit is not necessary that a school
should have material immediately
ready to win a contest in order to join.
The league is intended to encourage
small schools as we'll as large ones to
organize and carry on this work, and.
OF course. whenever they become
strong enough we are glad TO have
them contest for final place. But the
great value Of the league will consist
| of the organization of the work IN
all the schools"
Every secondary school in Virginia.
whether public or private, is entitled
to participate in the debates and the
athletic contests Rules and regula-
tons for all the events have been
drawn up. These rules, together with
all information desired, are published
in the latest bulletin of the league,
which is obtainable from Professor
Charles G.. Maphis, of the University
of Virginia.