ROUND TABLE TO OUST ROSTRUM IN DEBATING

A recent criticism in the New York Times, has prompted E. H. Rowe 1L, debating team coach, to select the Harvard debating teams hereafter by a method unique in the history of debating at Harvard, it was announced in a statement last night to the CRIMSON. The new system will eliminate, to a large extent, the old method of holding a series of tryouts to determine the personnel of the team. Instead of this procedure, a number of round table discussions will be held, which all candidates will be required to attend. At these discussions the candidates, assisted by the coach, will draw up in organized form all that may be said on either side of the question which is to be debated.

The criticism charged that the Harvard debaters were lacking in conviction, and were even desirous of arguing the other side of the question of their recent debate with Columbia University. Under the present plan of selecting the teams, this fault of the debaters has proven somewhat difficult to obviate. The new plan of having a series of discussions before any debater prepares a brief for either side of a question will give the candidate an opportunity to form his own opinions of the subject, and to hear all of the points that can be fairly and accurately expounded in the argument for each side.

After selecting which side he wishes to uphold, and what particular aspect of the question interests him most, the candidate will then prepare his brief, and will have a series of individual conferences with the coach to assemble his argument.