Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-30
DEBATING UNION ACTS
AS SOC|AL|z|NC AGENCY
An Educational League Which Has
Been Brought to Great Power
in North Carolina.
HISTORY OF BIG MOVEMENT
No Other State Ever Has Conducted
Such Comprehensive Debates. 1000
BOYS and Girls Taking Active Part.
and 81 Counties Participating.
BY &. II. W1NTERS.

CHA PEI HILL, y. c., MAY 29.-Since
the first interscholastic debate held in
this country twenty-two years ago this
form OF intellectual activity IN high
schools and COLLEGES has undergone
various stages Of development The
constant aim, however, has heen TO
Treasure the intrinsic merits in forensics
4 and a the same time correct the evils
in the methods OF deba ting.
The early form of debating took
shape in rivalry between groups OF
students In the same school or college.
Rival debating societies came a con-
7 seQuent outErowth. and later interCol-
legiate debating grew in favor. Among
the pioneer societies in american uni
versities fostering intersocicty debates
were the Philanthroric and Dialectic
Literary Societies of the University OF
North Carolina. They came into en-
istence in 1895. The notable part
PLAYED by these societies in training
men for public leadership and in the
art % parliamentary procedure is
matter OF record The work of these
tao hardy nurseries OF democracy has
been OF an original nature and national
in scope
Dr Albert r Hart OF Harvard Uni
versity. III his chapter on The Art of
Debate" in Brookings and Ring
waits Briefs for Debate" BAYS that
the machinery for debate takes its
most effective form in two rival So
cicties. such as the Wing and clio AT
Princeton the Philanthropic and pia-
lectic OF the University Of North Caro-
lima. the PhiloleNian and Barnard. OF
Columbia and the Union and Forum.
of Harvard.
. NEW LIFE is INJECTED
INTO PROGRAM OF SERVICE
But since that appraisal of many
years ago OF these two debating So
cieties new life has been injected into
fheir service An eDOChdl
+ chapter was inserted in their century
old usefulness when IN 1912 big idea
was promulgated and crystallized into
working shape.
An in,crcollesiate debater conceived
the notion that the high school lads
Of North Carolina aspired to test their
intellectual acumen on the contest
platforms. c. r. Mcintosh. now CHIEF
clerk to the State superintendent of
public instruction. the originator Of the
idea. urged the Two societies to take
concerted action in the formation Of
Statewide debating league. The
logical question obtained. why should
not these societies be the means OF
inter!acing the lower and upper parts
of tine States educational system"
The inception OF the proposed state
wide league, where, by a system OF
pyramids, the championship in debate
OF whole state could be determined,
took root in the shape OF committee
Societies. six students, one member
Of the faculty. and state inspector of
secondary schools constituted the com
mittee. The duties Of this body were
to investigate all the merits of the
contemplated debating league, ascer-
tain the means OF financing the new
institution and draft resolutions look
ing to the establishment of the union.
The committee reported faV"rah!N on
it's deliberations and christcned the
.srL S..t,. Nah n \ in
Union of North Carolina Plans were
inaugurated for the conduct of the
first Statewide contest in 1918.
1t was decided tina the projec; should
be financed by the two literary Socic-
ties The provision for a trophy To
he awarded the championship team
each year was made in tho form OF
cup The cup was named in honor of
former Governor Charles L .\ycock.
whose oratorical and debating pro-
pensities were encouraged by the Phil-
anthropiC Society of the university.
The Aycock Memorial Cup was 10 he
The trophy The names Of Individual
winners and school represented in the
championship contest are yearly in
scribcd on this cup, and in tho event
that any school wins the cup for two
years in succession II becomes the prop
er,v OF that school. Three annual con-
tests aVe'.tailedi.to wrcst the property
from the control Of the intercollegiate
debaters Of the university, and the
donors OF the championship trophy
MACHINERY Is VESTED
IN CENTRAL AUTHORITY
The machinery in the conduct of the
State wide contests of the league was
deemed advisable to he vested in
central authority. under the auspices
of the PhilanthropiC and D!alectic So
cieties \ permanent secretary was
named. upon whose shoulders the re-
sponsibility of directing the contests
should largely rest f r Rankin. a
graduate Of the university, was chosen
secretary and permanent Office. was
equipped from which he could direct
the destinies OF the union. The ad-
vantaees Of State university super
vision of high school debating league
are outspoken The university with
its resources Of their departments Of
public speaking. and time and means
for thoroughly knowing the whole
field of debate, renders "A college al :
together capable Of givine assistance
in the selection Of = query Too. the
university could supply bihliorra PHI. es
and debating handbooks for use in
the league. Another advantage in uni
versity supervision is the stimulus al
fording the high school debater 10 be
come ambitious for further honors
when successful in high school debates
and the chances are he will be in
spired TO acquire a college education.
The complicated task confronunc
the debating league vas the drafting
of regulations governing all the pros
pective schools IN the union Every
high school In the state was invited
to enlist membership. The method of
organization was the plan OF "trtan-
gular" grouping Evcry school tha,
entered vas grouped with TWO other
schools for triangular debate. each
school putting out Two teams one n,
the affirmative side of the query and
the other on the negative Every
school winning both the affirmative an
negative sides Of the areumen, are
entitled TO send both teams 10 Chape,
Hill 10 compete for the state cham.
pionship and the Aycock Memorial C-.,r
The regula lions govcrnin. III. urfo,
were embodied in fifteen brief nara.