Northwestern University - Syllabus Yearbook (Evanston, IL)

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QRTYWEQEERNQQEARBOO g -sr ff times The Year in rator and Debate Yi' . . , . ctoiy ls the standard by which, in intercollegiate contests at least. everyone instinctively measures sttccess. and properly interpreted it is perhaps as Qlllsl as any single standard. Win at all hazards, far from being a laudable sentiment, is one of the serious dangers of all ctrllltsls which call into plav the spirit ot rivalry: but it still remains true that gi wholesome and robust col- lege spirit, the spirit which means devotion-a willing- ness to make sacritices for ,-Xlma Mater, can scarcely ltr' built up around a continuous series of defeats. folle-'e - ,. spirit explains victory an-l begets further victory. To encourage the growth ul' such a sentiment. In extend the stimulus of a laudable incentive for excellence in dt-finite activities to the lar-'est possible number of stu- g c dents. to demonstrate the efficacy of concentrated force. to secure the immeasurable educational results which all ttf these objects imply. may fairly be regarded as the real purpose of all intercollegiate contests. l l row this viewpoint the year has brought perhaps its fair measure of success in matters of intercollegiate N oratory and debate. XYith first place in the Northern Y ftratorical League contest the visible signs uf success are XYII.l..XlvII E. llt'VllVHliISS not lacking. ln addition to the victory, Northwestern has this year for the first time secured a place on the final contest of the llamilton Club. The debating contests, held simultaneously at Evanston, Chicago, and Ann Arbor on January seventeenth, did not result as favorably for Northwestern. The net result of two years' experience under the triangular arrangement is a tie between Chicago and Northwestern, Michigan being easily winner with four favorable decisions. A hopeful side of the debating situation is the cor- dial and increasing support which the teams have lieen given by the student body. ln contrast to the deadening effects likely to follow repeated defeat, temporary reverses are being utilired to make clear the weak spots in the armor, and to lay the foundation for future victory. Beyond the record of decisions, several facts stand out as a result of these contests. ln the matter of argument solely. no impartial critic would be likely to rank us as inferior to our oppon- ents. The men undertook to get as near as possible to the bottom of an intricate economic an-l legal problem. The arguments used were in each case believed by the man using them, whatever his ideas on the whole question, to be yalitl for the side of the resolution he was supporting, Such an attitude is the only one which can sufticiently overcome the serious objections often justly urged against debate as a University exercise. The limitation of time, both for preparation and for delivery and the necessity of producing the desired effect, encourage a tendency toward superticiality which lhllst be steadfastly resisted if the permanent educational value of debate is to be accepted by thoughtful men. .X line nf argument which is not believed to rest upon a sult- stantial foundation of truth is scarcely worthy of the dignity of University men. This side of Xorthwesterifs debate work during the present year has been maintained on high ground. Uur failure to win the contests can in both cases he attributed very largely to matters of presentation. ln the opinion of the judges, our opponents surpassed us in force and incisiveness sulliciently to overcome any advantage we may have had in argument. Uur men did not show the same training as their opponents in keeping their strong arguments constantly and repeatedly ' ' -fff FOLIO H W IO

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f j F A , in fi ff-fi - ,- X,-. QA T ' s f -w I qjlffg. .e L Prizes and Honors University GAME PRIZE-EXCELLEXCE IN DEBATE IQIRL C. .ARNUIII Sxxi H. GILIIERT VIUIIN II. Iiuxs Iirvuiuxn B. Ronsms liieiimuft I . E.xl,LRx' I,o1uxi: -I. XY1I1'r13s1m2 KIRK PRIZIi-EXt.'EI-LENk'Ii IX ORIGIXAI. ORATf'rRY Fzrxi 55501141 Ynuxux R. I,or-vias Enom' Img-xxcrwL's CECIL RHODES SCHOLARSHIP FROM ILLIXUIS C. YVENMQL1. D.fXX'II1 College of Liberal Arts Prices in lkfuzlizztg' CIZIKZYA' IIRAGDUX PRIZE-ADIfLI'lIIC LITERARY SOCIETY Fifi! Safmzd Lumxw: -I. AYIIIIIESIIVE Fu' BI. SE.x'roN IIEERINH PRIZE-ROf91iRS DEIEATING SOCIETY Firxt Ssumza' Ju' R. Truxi-px: EDWIN F. Lu: RAYMOND PRIZE- IIINKIAN LITERARY SOCIETY Fifi! SECUIZIZ7 Fmzm Anxoui 'I'11oxi.xs M. DAH31 HARRIS PRIZE-IN POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE R.xl.1'1I E. l'lEII.1I.-KN. A.I5. SARGENT PRIZE-EXCELLENCE IN DECLABIATIUN Firm' Sscmzd Imrclxns J. AVHITESIDE Enom' Bo-:mints College of Law HENRY SARGIZNT TOXYLE PRIZE-FGR PROFICIENCY IN PUBLIC SPEAKING First Second A1,Ex.xNDrR P. Llxnsxy, A.B. Joiix L. GUST. PH.B. CALLAGHAN PRIZE-BEST SCHOLARSHIP T1IROI'GI'IOL'T TIIE COFRSE Snirrl. A. Srrurss GEORGE VVASIIINGTON CNIYERSITY PRIZE-BEST ESSAY ON COMPARA- TIVE LAXV Open for competition to students in all Law Schools in North :AI'll6l'IL'l and South Ama-rim SUNLEY' RICH, PLS. 5 +- FO Llo If - .99 IS

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q . - v L '1 - -t-s- s.4N a . before the judges and audience. Readiness-areloitness in turning sharp corners, is in most cases the result of long practice. Our problem is in no sense that of substituting finish and oratorical etiectiveness for excellencies which our teams have already shown, but rather to insist as never before upon valid argument as a first requisite of all legitimate debating, and to supplement this by a further development of power in presentation, lt is unfortunate that the men who have had experience in inter-collegiate debate can rarely be pursuadecl to enter further contests. New recruits, however able, and however faithfully they may prepare. cannot be expected to do the work of veterans. In this regard some of our oppo- nents have unquestionably a decided advantage over us. The freshman debate with Chicago, inaugurated this vear, will naturally draw out the good material early in the course. If the men who enter this contest but continue their debating interests, our fair share of victories should be insured. lt will perhaps be necessary to bring abottt some readjustment of our system before all of the desired results can be secured. Two years ago the plan of selecting debaters from a series of inter-society debates was abandoned and a free-for-all contest substituted. XYhile the present method makes it easier to secure the available material from the professional departments, there is a grave question whether the men are obliged to undergo sutiicient preliminary practice. lf the old system of society contests could be extended to the professional schools, University represen- tatives would go to the final contest with a much larger fund of experience than is secured by the present method. ln the matter of instruction, moreover, we are perhaps laboring at a disadvantage. Desultory assistance can never secure the results of detinite consecutive training. Systematic instruction will not only help to win victories, but will keep the educational viewpoint in the foreground. The time has perhaps come to emphasize more pointedly than has yet been done the need for regular faculty instruction along these lines. In order for any formal measures to produce the results at which we are aiming. they must be reinforced by enthusiastic and pe1'sistent support from every member of the L'niversity. The enthusiasm shown by a large part of the student body over the contests which have taken place during the present year, is indicative of what may be expected when our instruction and organiza- tion have been perfected. XVII.l..XRlD Ii. Horcntitss. W . I 1 d ' 3 Debate an ratorical Association ir tt , H This association was organized to promote the interests QQ of debate and oratory at Northwestern University. lt is ' Ie' N ll composed ol- all students and the faculty of the College of I tfnvrl I ,- W l . ,. . . . . , . . I '1lll'llliit'TN5l' Liberal Arts. Ihe allairs of this organization are intrusted to a board composed of four student members, one from e T each of the four debating societies, three faculty members, ,LQ f Ee Z-file-f and one resident member of Delta Sigma Rho, Pizor. l,VII.I,.XRD E. IIOTCHKISS Chairman Rvtrir HEILMAN . . Secretary PRoF. Btiitxxiui LI IQXYER PROP. Noitxrtx D. llxiuus RAY L. HULL, for Ilinman At G. F. F,it,t,EY. for Adelphic XVALTEI: E. Haitov. for Rogers CLYDE F, ARM1'rrxor:, for Cleosophic FOLIO Sri 7 ZO