University of Oregon - Oregana Yearbook (Eugene, OR)

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h YOUNG MEN,S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

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'VV -7 7w . .er-rw-v-Wmvrr'rtftfwff-P W WI -3 r A, - v - is. r; QDratorg anb Debate Oratory and Debate constitute one department of student body activities, whose importance is more and more gaining the recog- nition of the University. Each offers a training most essential for a young man or woman in any line of work, who aspires to a po- sition of prominence in his community. The contests each year are sufhcient in number to make the work interesting. The Inter-Collegiate Oratorial Contest is held each year. The first takes place in March between all the colleges in Oregon -seven in numberawhich constitute the Inter-Collegiate Ora- torial Association. The Inter-State Contest is held in June be- tween the universities of Oregon, Idaho and Washington. All students are eligible to its tryouts for these contests. In debating, competition is getting stronger, year by year. Oregon has entered into the Triangular Debating League with Idaho and Washington, which, requires two teams, debating op- posite sides of the same question. The affirmative team stays at home and the negative debates at Seattle and Moscow in alternate years. Last year Oregon won from Washington and lost to Idaho. Preparation for these debates is gained in the Literary Societies, in whose halls forensic battles are waged every Saturday night. Once every month the two societies come together in joint debate. With two years of this preparation conscientiously taken, a stu- dent is then well able to represent his University in the Inter-State debates. 1 , In April of each year a gold medal is awarded to the best de- bater in college. This contest is known as the Alumni Medal Debate. Three contestants are elected by each society. who pre- pare themselves thoroughly upon each side of the question. One hour before the contest they draw lots to determine the sides they shall defend and the position in which they shall speak. There are many things which might detract your attention from this work, but if you allow yourself to be sidetracked you will often regret it. You may not realize its value now but you will when it becomes too late. Do not lose your nerve if your first or second attempt is not a marvelous success; but try until you win out. Our best orators and debaters were men whose first en- deavor was marked by utter failure. 32 rm? t Amitaiu IQ.1 . -w .c