The Harvard Debating System.

The present system of debating at Harvard is principally due to the greatly increased interest that has been taken in the subject of late and the consequent increase of opportunities for speaking. Four years ago the debating opportunities of an upperclassman or Sophomore were entirely limited to College courses unless he succeeded in making the "Union" or the "Forum," which were at that time the only debating societies in the College. Admission to these was only gained after the applicant had proved his merit in a trial debate, and once admitted he was only able to debate before the club three times at most during the year. Furthermore, the rivalry between the clubs seldom showed itself in inter-club debates, and as yet, inter-class debates were unheard of.

In recent years increased interest in debating in the separate classes, as well as in the University as a whole, has made it necessary to enlarge the opportunities for debating. In 1898 the class of 1900 organized the first active class debating club, although there had been occasional Freshman clubs earlier. Later this club was reorganized under what is known as the "camp system," which until last year was the prevailing organization of the three upper class clubs. The system of camps is based on the Yale Wigwam and is essentially as follows: The club first elects its officers, among whom are two captains. The captains then divide the remaining members into two camps which oppose each other in weekly or fortnightly debates during the year. It is the duty of the captains to choose questions for debate, to procure judges-who are usually members of the University Debating Club - and to open and close the argument for their side. It is usual; too, for each camp to elect a vice captain to act in the event of the captain's absence. It is also the captain's duty, at some time before the debate, to assign points for their men to look up and present. In this manner is prevented needless repetition of a point advanced and a logical presentation of their case is assured. At the end of the year the losing camp often gives a dinner to the winning camp and the club's existence is ended.

The chief value of the camp system lies in the greater spirit that it infuses into the debates. But it has the further advantages of affording its members a taste of the sort of preparation that must be made for a University debate and also of making the men thoroughly acquainted with each other.

The University Debating Club, to vary what perhaps might have become a monotony of regular camp debates, arranged a class championship contest in debating and a series of debates with outside organizations. In the case of these it is customary too old the outside debates during the first half year and the inter-class series during the second half. The speakers for these contests are chosen by competitive debates and are coached by members of former University teams. These debates have a value peculiar to themselves; for they give a large number of men a chance to speak before varied audiences, and in the case of outside debates the men have practical experience of other styles of speaking than that used at Harvard.

This year such debates will be continued and increased in numbers, but the dates and places of these will not be announced until later.