Iowa Wesleyan College - Croaker Yearbook (Mount Pleasant, IA)

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 ERMIL FRYE Although not a simon-pure product of Iowa Wesleyan’s department of oratory, Frye secured a sufficient amount of his training here to warrant us in taking the credit for his splendid record at the state contest. His debating experience and his platform ability make him well fitted as a college orator. His oration, “The Spirit of the True Republic,” was logically and clearly developed. He pointed out the weaknesses in the American government and offered a solution for them. The ballot, he declared, was the means by which the government of the United States was to be kept pure and true to the ideals of its founders.

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©ratorp The mere mention of oratory in the state of Iowa brings to one’s mind immediately Iowa Wesleyan College. Her record in oratory is yet to be equaled by any of the sixteen colleges of the state. In the last four years Wesleyan orators have not been lower than fourth place. Two firsts, a second and one fourth in a student generation is a record that any college in the state might well boast of. The fact that Wesleyan has always ranked well toward the top in state contests is not to be attributed to shear luck. The laws of probabilities would have decreed long ago that wc step aside for a time and permit other schools to claim the honors. The reason that Wesleyan leads the state in oratory is because Wesleyan makes orators. The present head of the department of expression is directly responsible for the recent victories of Wesleyan’s representatives on the platform. She is a graduate of Wesleyan and of the Columbia School of Expression, Chicago. It is seldom that a woman can train a man in art of oratory with any marked degree of success, but Miss Ingersoll has proved the exception to the rule and from seemingly impossible orators has developed men who ranked among the highest in the state. Her method of instruction is direct and forceful; she demands that the speaker be intensely in earnest about his subject, that he present it in a clear, concise manner. In addition to the annual try-out for the state oratorical contest, Freshmen and Sophomore oratorical contests arc held each spring. Only those who have taken work in either the Freshman or Sophomore oratory classes are eligible for these contests. This year thirty Freshmen have signified their willingness to enter the Freshman contest, and sixteen Sophomores will take part in the Sophomore struggle. Last year Glen Frye was awarded first place among the Freshmen and Dave Armbruster second place. The contest was very close, and several other contestants were dangerously near the winners. No winners were picked in the Sophomore contest last spring. The contest took on the form of an elimination and it was thought best to do away with the judging. The Sophomore oratory banquet in the spring is one of the big functions of the college year. MISS INGERSOLL

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debate Debating has always been considered one of the “fine arts” at Wesleyan, and has been developed accordingly. Wesleyan’s record in debate, although not as brilliant as her record in oratory, is one of which we may be well proud. Dr. Luebbers, the head of the department of economics, acts as coach of the debating team, and to his untiring energy and marked ability may be attributed Wesleyan’s successes on the forum. A man of much experience in college debating, he understands the things which are necessary in the building of strong argument. At the time of this writing the preliminaries for the college debate have not been held, so it is necessary to run last year’s teams. The Freshman preliminary has been held, however, and six real debaters have been unearthed from the mass of high school talent at hand. The question to be debated by the Freshmen against the Knox Freshmen is, “Resolved, That a course in military training should be made compulsory in all colleges of the United States.” Last year the Knox teams wired at the last minute that they would be unable to debate our Freshmen, and the two contests went to us by default. The triangular with Simpson and Upper Iowa ran out last year and was not renewed. Simpson was the winner of the triangular, with Wesleyan second and Upper Iowa third. The members of the two Wesleyan teams were all strong debaters. The affirmative team, composed of Barnett, Weston and Johnson, won a clear-cut three to nothing decision from Upper Iowa on the local floor, while the negative team was forced to accept a two to one defeat at Simpson. The team which represented us at Indianola was composed of Burns, Frye and Hunter. This year a dual debate is to be held with Upper Iowa University, the question to be, “Resolved, That a system of single tax, constitutionality conceded, should be adopted by the United States.” The try-out for places will be held on the twenty-fourth of April, and about a dozen men have signified their intention of entering the preliminary. R. E. LUEBBERS Coach