1903-1904 Whitman Speech and Debate Team

 

Faculty

Athenaeum and Phrenakosmian Literary Societies

Libethrean And Philolithian Societies for Women begin.

 

1903

 

The Athenaeum and Phrenakosmian Literary Societies, meeting weekly, furnish opportunity to the young men for profitable practice in the important work of debate and oratory. The Libethrean and Philolithian Literary Societies have been organized by the young women of the College ‘for the development of literary culture and social life. An Inter-collegiate Debating Association was formed in 1898, including the University of Idaho, the Washington Agricultural College and School of Science, and Whitman College. Two annual debates are held each year under the Yale-Harvard debating rules. To develop power and taste in oratory still further a College Oratorical Association has been es­tablished. This association is a charter member of the Inter-Collegiate Oratorical Association of the states of Washington and Idaho, embracing the Washington Agricultural College, the University of Idaho and Whitman College. The first contest occurred in Walla Walla, May 25, 1897. 

 

ORATORY— TV. Demosthenes—D’Ooge’s De Corona. Hellenic history, oratory and statesmanship. Comparison of the world’s great orations. Sophomore Course. Two hours a week during the second semester.

 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE.  Professors Hendrick and Lyman, Assistant Professor Cobb. 

I.          Rhetoric and Composition—Recitations and interviews, with occasional lectures. Reading of the following selections In Connection with the study of Rhetoric: 1904: Garnett’s English Prose, selections from Scott to Carlyle inclusive, omitting those from Southey and Landor. Four long themes with occasional page themes. Four themes of not less than 600 words each are required each semester. Subjects for themes are posted two weeks or more before the themes are due. Each theme is carefully read, the mistakes are marked, and general criticism is written on the outside. The instructor then meets each student, hears him read his theme, points out the faults and merits of his writing, and suggests lines of reading. Textbook; Hill’s Principles of Rhetoric.            

Freshman Course. Two hours a week throughout the year.   (a)—American Literature— A study of the leading American authors for the past hundred years, beginning with Pranklin and coming down to the present day. Especial atten­tion will be given to Longfellow, Hawthorne, Emerson, Lowell and Holmes. A large amount of supplementary reading will be required; also frequent written reports. Recitations and lectures. Text, Pancoast, Introduction to American Literature.  Versification. A knowledge of elementary principles, such as are to be found in Gummeres Poetics, part III. Sophomore Course. Two hours a week during the first semester. II.

(h)—Argumentation. A study of the process of argument by analysis and construction. Writing of arguments. Oral debates. Individual criticisms and interviews. Text book; Baker, Principles of Argumentation. Composition; The writing of at least four original compo­sitions. There will be no examination on this part of the work, but marks assigned for compositions written during the term will count as one paper at the semester examinations. Sophomore Course. Two hours a week during the second semester.

 

1904

 

DEPARTMENTS AND COURSES OF STUDY         

45  Composition. Lectures, recitations, and written exercises. Short themes are written in class and longer ones are re­quired fortnightly. The themes are criticized in detail by the instructors, consultation hours are appointed, and each student is required to discuss his work with his instructor. Baldwin, A College Manual of Rhetoric. Four hours per week throughout the year. Open to all students. Required of all candidates for the baccalaureate degrees.

2.  Composition. A study of words, the sentence, and the paragraph; lectures on the various kinds of composition —exposition, criticism, description, argument, narra­tion. Exercises are assigned dealing with the different forms of writing discussed. A limited amount of illus­trative reading is required. Two hours per week throughout the year. Open to students who have completed Course 1.

3. Composition. Lectures on the art of writing, with special reference to the different forms of prose literature. The various masterpieces of prose literature are discussed. Written work is required dealing with the kinds of writ­ings discussed in the lectures. Two hours per week throughout the year. Open to students by special permission of the instructor.

4. Argumentation. A study of the processes of argument by analysis and construction; writing of arguments, oral debates, individual criticisms, and interviews. Baker, Principles of Argumentation. Two hours per week either semester. Open to students who have completed Course 5. Omitted in 1904-1905.]

5. Oral Expression. Vocal training and interpretative read­ings; practice in the preparation and delivery of short speeches. One hour per week throughout the year. Open to all students.

6. Public Speaking. Practice in the preparation and deliv­ery of speeches; a study in the masterpieces of oratory. One hour per week throughout the year. Open to students who have completed Course 5.

 

THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF WHITMAN COLLEGE is an organization which has charge of the general activities of the student-body. Athletics of all kinds, the glee-clubs, debate, literary societies, and college publications are under its con­trol. Any student or instructor of the institution is eligible to membership. THE ATHENAEUM AND PHEENAXOSMIAN LITERARY SOCIE­TIES, meeting weekly, furnish opportunity to the young men for profitable practice in the important work of debate and public speaking. THE LIBETHREAN AND PHILOLITHIAN LITERARY SOCITIES have been organized by the women of the College for the development of literary culture and social life. THE COLLEGE ORATORICAL ASSOCIATION is a society whose aim is to develop power and taste in public speaking. It is a charter member of the Intercollegiate Oratorical Asso­ciation embracing the University of Idaho, Washington Agri­cultural College and School of Science, and Whitman Col­lege. The first contest of this association took place in Walla Walla, May 25, 1897. THE INTER-COLLEGIATE DEBATING ASSOCIATION was formed in 1898, including the University of Idaho, the Wash­ington Agricultural College and School of Science, and Whit­man College. Two debates are held each year under the Yale-Harvard debating rules. GLEE CLUBS are maintained by both the young men and young women. The men’s glee club makes a trip each win­ter through the adjoining territory.

 

World News

·        “At Kitty Hawk, Virginia, the Wright brothers make their first engine powered air flight.”

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·         “Alexander I Obrenovich and his wife Draga Mashin were assassinated in the Royal Palace in Belgrade by dissident Serbian Army officers.”

·        “At a meeting in London, the Russian Socialist Democratic Labor Party split into two factions. The first faction, led by Vladimir Lenin, was called the Bolsheviks, and believed that party rule should be restricted. The other group, known as the Menshiviks, believed in a more open party structure.”

·        “Henry Ford began selling the "Model A" auto for $850.”

·        “President Theodore Roosevelt sent the first message across the Pacific Cable. The message connected San Francisco and Manila.”

·        “Helium, which occurs only very rarely in nature, was discovered in Daxter, Kansas.”