Evening star., 1942-01-18
phiIodemic Society
Debaters 10 Compete
For Merrick Medal
New Three-Yeur Course
Worked Out at 6. U.
To Meet Emergency

Georgetown University's Philo-
demic Society, now In its 1llth year.
will hold its annual competition for
the Merrick debating medal at $50
pm. tomorrow in CASTOR Hall.
Richard T. Merrick, one of Wash
fngton's most distinguished lawyers
In the years after the Civil War,
founded the medal 68 years ago for
competition among members Of the
Philodemic Society of the college Of
arts and sciences. Mr.. Merrick was
the father-in-law Of Dean George
E. Hamilton Of the Georgetown Law
School and like the latter was .
member Of the debating society dur
ing his student days.
The subject for tomorrow's debate
Is, Resolved, that the Federal Gov
ernment should regulate by law all
labor unions in the United States"
-Four of the leading members Of the
club will enter the contest, and the
medal, with q cash bonus Of $50,
will be awarded to the best individ-
ual speaker. regardless Of whether
his dde wins or loses the debate.
Nine Debates ON Schedule.
William v. Finn Of Cincinnati,
Ohio, and Robert Neu of Washing
ton will argue on the negative side
Of the question. The former is pres
ident Of the Philodemic Society as
well as president Of the Student
Council. Mr.. Neu has one Of the
best scholastic records among the
college students. On the Affirmative
team are william L. Blum of Gin
cinnAti and Peter j. King of Con-
cord, N. H., the former recording
secretary of the society. James
Coyle, vice president, will be chair
man Of the debate.
Th Philodemic Society, Oldest COL
Iege club Of its kind in the United
States, has just announced q sched-
ule Of nine intercollegiate debates.
Georgetowns varsity debating teams
have always been chosen from the
membership of the society, and the
moderator and coach. the Rev. John
]. Toohey, S. j., has established
record Of only two or three defeats
In more than Is years.
The schedule, which is subject to
change, opens February % with
Bucknell University as the oppo-
nent. Other debates will be held
with the University of Florida, COL
lege Of William and Mary, Rhode
island State College, Rutgers Uni
versity. Harvard University. RAN
dolph- Macon College, Princeton
University and the University of
Maryland. It is the heaviest sched-
ule in recent years. and one or two
Of the contests may be dropped.
New Wartime Schedule.
One reason for lessening the lead
for the Philodemic debaters Is the
new wartime schedule at the college
which soon will go into effect. This
Il being worked out by the Jesuit
colleges In the Maryland-New York
province. Details are not yet COM
pleted.
Georgetown University has agreed
b principle, however. to q three-year
academic course for the college dur
Ing the emergency. The Very Rev.
Arthur A. OLeary, S. j., president,
b Withholding any formal announce
hent Of changes until the entire
schedule has been revised and agreed
Upon.
The Rev. David v. McCauley. S. J.,
dean Of the Georgetown Medical
School, announced last week that for
the duration Of the emergency the
bchool will admit students who have
completed at least three academic
PEARS Of collegiate work Of high
Daliber.
Examinations Advanced.
The remaining term for the year
le41-42 at the college will be COM
pleted almost according to the orig
Inal schedule made out last summer.
final examinations will be advanced
two weeks, however, In order to hold
the commencement exercises during
the last week in May instead of the
vecond week in June. There will be
. summer recess of four or five weeks
With classes resuming in July and
continuing to the end of September,
The end of the first term of the new
hree-term year.
The second term would begin at
the end of the first week in October
and would last until January 30.
The third term is from the begin
ping OF February to the end of May.
Vacation periods would be limited to
three.
Changes may be made in this
schedule. It indicates, however, how
the college will function. BY block
ing some of the courses it will be
possible for the student to cover in
three years the entire ground work
Of the former four-year schedule. |
While the new schedule necessitates
more intensified studying, univer-
sity ofncials believe the hours can be
20 arranged that there will be no
sacrifice of academic standards.
1nh HoeSe E1k mn