Debating Plans.

At the request of J. H. Moffatt of Princeton, Chairman of the Intercollegiate Debating Committee, a conference on debating is to be held at New Haven, Oct. 20. Each of the three universities interested, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, will be represented by one member of the Faculty and by one undergraduate. This meeting is very much needed, for, since the last conference, held in 1896, many questions have come up and been settled only temporarily for the debate in question. Hence it has seemed timely and advisable that a more definite agreement be reached upon several important points. Last year, for example, the time of preparation for debate was extended from six to eight weeks. In addition to deciding whether that change shall be permanent, the conference will probably fix the dates of the three debates, discuss the idea of limiting competition to undergraduate or certain schools, and re-consider the question of Faculty coaching. There also seems to be a general sentiment in all three universities that a different system of judging should be established to the extent that judges be given certain definite instructions, printed or oral, by which to decide the debate.

It is proposed this year to make some changes in the scope of the University Debating Club. Owing to the establishment of class debating clubs, and to the complete installment of that system in all four classes, the usefulness of the University Debating Club as an organization to carry on weekly debates has been diminished to a minimum. As a result, the club ceases to be particularly active. In view of the changed conditions, therefore, its work will be confined to executive functions, to the arrangement of the trials for the intercollegiate debates, and of debates between the Class Clubs, as well as to the task of furnishing coaches and critics for the Freshman and Sophomore Clubs; general oversight, in short, of debating interests. Membership, therefore, would be largely honorary, and would probably be made up of University debaters and the presidents of the Class Clubs. The necessary running expenses could then be met by a small assessment on the Class Clubs.

The debating activities of the College will begin next week with the first meetings of the class clubs. The Seniors will meet Monday night, the Juniors on Tuesday night, and the Sophomores and Freshmen in the latter part of the week. To a large extent the clubs will be reorganized on the plan adopted last year, and an effort will be made to interest new men in debating.