DEBATING DURING THE YEAR

The intercollegiate debates between Princeton, Yale and Harvard during the past year resulted in exactly the same way as last year. Princeton again won both her debates and with them the intercollegiate championship. Harvard for the fourth consecutive time defeated Yale and lost to Princeton. Yale lost both her debates.

The debate between Princeton and Harvard was held in Sanders Theatre on March 20, 1908. The subject, which Harvard submitted, was: "Resolved, That further material increases in the United States navy are undesirable." The University was represented by I. Dimond '09, I.L. Sharfman 1L., and H. Hurwitz '08, who presented the negative case. The Coolidge Prize of $100 for the best undergraduate work in the trials for the Harvard team was won by H. Hurwitz '08. R.W. Kelso '04 coached the team. The chairman at the debate was Professor Hollis, and the judges were Hon. J.R. Dunbar of Boston, Dean G.W. Kirchwey of the Columbia Law School, and Dean H.W. Rogers of the Yale Law School. Their decision, divided, was in favor of Princeton.

The eighteenth annual debate with Yale was held in Woolsey Hall, New Haven, on May 1. Yale submitted the subject: "Resolved, That it would be for the best interests of Cuba that the United States, before the end of the next two years, cease to have any part in the government of that island, reserving only those rights included in the Platt Amendment." The Harvard speakers--J.S. Davis '08, I.K. Lewis 2L., and S.F. Peavey 2L.--chose to argue the affirmative, and they were opposed by E.O. Proctor '09, H.F. Bishop 1L., and W.W. Wynkoop '08, of Yale, on the negative. The Coolidge Prize was won by J.S. Davis '08 in the trials for the University team, which was coached by Hon. A.P. Stone '93 of Boston. Judge S.E. Baldwin h.'91, of the Supreme Court of Errors of Connecticut, presided at the debate. The judges, Professor H. VanDyke of Princeton, Professor W.G. Everett of Brown, and Dean C.F. Emerson of Dartmouth,--awarded the decision to Harvard unanimously.

The New Debating Club System.

The intercollegiate debates summarize most of the active debating interest at Harvard during the past year, for, within the University, most of the debating has been of an informal nature. Early in the year the Debating Council voted, that, in its opinion, debating interests could best be furthered by the organization of informal groups of men, of congenial tastes, who wished to meet and discuss questions of public or college interest. Five such groups, with a total membership of about 85, grew up during the year and held informal discussions, to which the Council stood ready to send critics. Because of the informality of the whole system, however, it did not accomplish very much.

Pastcur Medal Debate.

Since there were no rival clubs to compete for the Pastcur Medal this year, it was decided to award it to the best speaker in a debate, both teams for which were chosen by trials open to all members of the College. This debate was held on December 13, 1907, on a subject chosen with the approval of the French Department: "Resolved, That the French government was justified in passing the Separation Act." G.I. Lewis '08, A.C. Lurie '09, and P.L. Butler '09 were chosen to speak on the affirmative; and A. Horwitz '10, D. Haar '11, and C.H. Raymond '10 on the negative. The affirmative speakers were coached by E.R. Lewis '08; the negative speakers by L.L. Sharfman 1L. The judges--Professor C.H.C. Wright '91, of the French Department, Professor II. B. Huntington '97, and Mr. S. Curtis '05, of the English Department--awarded the decision to the negative and unanimously awarded the Pasteur Medal for the best work of the evening to D. Haar '11.