Whitman College Forensics

A Newsletter of the Whitman College Forensics Team, Vol. 4, No. 2, May, 1998

Click here for Spring 1998 Team Picture

The Team That Bonds Together Wins Together

Team members Carrie Mitchell, Tony Torres, Aaron Walters, Kristen Weaver and Akshay Garg smile for the camera.

What do Disneyland, bowling, and the game of Risk all have in common? These three experiences and many more are just a few of the good times which the team has spent together. What better way to celebrate a job well done than to spend even more time together?

Over the winter holiday, the CEDA/NDT team spent nearly two weeks at the USC-Long Beach swing tournament. Understanding the importance of having fun, the team dragged Dr. Jim to Disneyland… or was it the other way around? ? Everyone had a blast and came home with plenty of souvenirs.

On weekends during the regular school year, the team also takes time to unwind by hitting the bowling alley, watching movies, and playing Risk, a game where players try to take over the world.

Schoolwork, practicing speeches, and preparing for debate are all important, but relaxing and getting to know each other is also time well spent. After all, the team that bonds together celebrates wins together!

Whitman Establishes New Travel Safety Standards

After the team's brush with danger this past October, the college has set strict measures for travel to ensure passenger safety. New driver standards require anyone behind the wheel of a Whitman vehicle to complete an extensive driver orientation program involving a three-hour class focusing on defensive driving, preventing fatigue, and learning about emergency procedures. Van speeds must not exceed 60 mph, less depending on weather conditions. Drivers must also stop every two hours to avoid fatigue, and on any trip longer than five hours, there must be at least two qualified drivers.

Improved transportation safety includes the purchase of five new vans and a Suburban. The school will replace these vehicles on a three-year cycle with yearly general inspections & monthly tire inspections by an outside agency. Specific weight and load restrictions will also be enforced.

The goal of these new requirements is to provide a safe learning environment for academic and co-curricular programs. Coaches and students are pleased with the quick and thorough nature of new measures, especially the new standards for tire safety! Since the van accident team members have recovered and look forward to traveling in brand new, comfy vehicles!

Abby, Claire Cowen, Adam, Jim, Ryan, and Sean Collins eat Chinese food following a hard day's work!

Aaron Walters enjoys being on the speech and debate team at Whitman

Dovell-Gose Speaking Contest

At this year's annual Dovell-Gose persuasive speaking contest, Dr. Jim and Diana had a very hard time deciding who deserved gold! After the votes were counted, the team's very own Jessica Clarke spoke with enough gusto and conviction to dominate the women's competition. Jessica's award-winning speech discussed how cultural relativism hampers the way countries interact. Jessica argued that action is warranted in troubling situations because we should recognize an individual's humanity before ethnicity. Second place went to Karen Skantze who discussed the Communication Decency Act and censorship in the U.S. Third, but by far one of the more outspoken contestants, team assistant Abby St. Lawrence, left an impression on the audience with her stunning analysis of "hello communication."
The men's competition was just as gripping while surprisingly enlightening! Tony Torres captured everyone's attention and first place with a speech about a male contraceptive pill, similar to a female birth control pill, being developed in Scotland. Taking second David Pietka explained how problems associated with alcohol are more damaging than smoking, yet tobacco receives more attention than other legal substances. Third place went to Derek Banducci for discussing government bureaucracy and ineffectiveness. Congratulations to all of the winners!

There's a Doctor in the House!

Jim Hanson works in his office in front of the computer where he completed his Ph.D.

After many, many long years of toil and trouble, Jim Hanson, Whitman's fearless director of forensics, has finally finished his dissertation!!!! Yells of joy could be heard all across Walla Walla!! Better yet a bottle of champagne and "It's about time" congratulation cards were waiting for Jim when he returned from California. A celebratory vacation in California you ask? No, well, not yet anyway! Jim, excuse me, Dr. Jim, received his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California

Dr. Jim is very excited with his newfound free time and has already informed Glenn Kuper, coach at the University of Puget Sound. Glenn and Dr. Jim had a bet to see who would be first to finish his dissertation. As their titles in this article suggest, Dr. Jim won and is eagerly waiting to claim victory, namely that Glenn gets to judge all rounds for Dr. Jim at one tournament. Congratulations Dr. Jim, we knew you could do it!!! The only question is: when are you going for a second Ph.D.?!

Robert Withycombe Recognized as Outstanding Coach!

At Whitman's college tournament Bob Withycombe was recognized by the Northwest Forensics Conference for 12 years of dedication, caring, and contributions as a coach for Whitman College and to the speech and debate community. Over the years Bob has coached more than 400 students and judged between 10-15,000 competitors, which is a whole lot of handwritten comments on ballots! Although he has hung up his coach title and now serves as chair of the rhetoric department and humanities division, Bob always makes time to listen to speeches and help run tournaments. Bob's sense of commitment over the past 20 years is why the community recognized him!

Becoming involved with forensics as a competitor in 1968, Bob has been coaching ever since 1971. Bob's first coaching job at South Salem High School in Oregon, lasted nine years. Bob qualified students to NFL Nationals in every event (policy debate, Lincoln-Douglas debate, and all speech events). Then in 1980, Whitman College recruited Bob to turn their already successful team into a nationally competitive squad, and he did just that. In the early '80's, Bob led his team to two back-to-back nationally ranked seasons. In two years at Nationals, Whitman placed 10th & 5th in CEDA, 5th & 2nd in speech and was ranked number one in the Northwest. Over those two years the squad brought home 1st place at every tournament which the squad attended. Whitman was unbeatable!

Larry Richardson, former Western Washington University Director of Forensics and Jim's former coach, awards Bob Withycombe an honorary degree for his outstanding contribution to the forensics community.

Bob has also tabulated, assisted, or directed a half dozen national CEDA tournaments. Bob served on CEDA topic selection committees for six years researching, discussing, and writing debate topics. Writing topics may seem easy, but writing competent and interesting topics which people like takes a lot of time and effort! During his years as director of forensics, Bob helped to start the Northwest Forensics Conference, one of the most emulated and valued debate organizations in the country. The goal was to further a sense of community and teach strong argumentation and delivery skills at tournaments. Bob was also one of the first serious promoters of CEDA debate in the Northwest.

Bob's coaching philosophy is very "big picture" oriented, as is his admonition that "that would be a good thing." Bob's advice is always to have fun and to take pride in one's accomplishments. Three cheers to Bob for 20 years of taking the time to coach and here is to 20 more years of involvement. Congratulations Robert Withycombe!

Congratulations to Karen Skantze, who we believe is the first rhetoric major (political rhetoric major) at Whitman since 1955. Karen's achievement is exemplary of the revitalized rhetoric department.

Carolyne Kamau shows who is best in Individual Events

Individual Events Rock!

Whitman saw tremendous success in individual events, especially at its own tournament this year. Adam won junior extemporaneous speaking and Matt placed second while David Kearney placed fourth in senior division. Holding his own in novice extemporaneous speaking, first year student Aaron Walters placed third by discussing the internet's affect on China. Every Whitman competitor entered in extemporaneous speaking brought home a trophy, and the team looks forward to future success in this event.

Continuing the team's goal to inform the world about current issues, first year student Tony Torres placed fourth in junior informative speaking. Tony has placed in this event at every tournament and has already started to research for next year's competition. Following Tony's success first timer Rose Alappat won novice informative speaking and first year student Kristen Weaver placed fourth with her topic on government seizure of property. (Hey, don't take Kristen's well-earned trophy!) In novice impromptu, one of the largest events, new comer and first year student Thad Tierney smooth-talked his way into fourth place by discussing the virtues of female communication.

In a new event, extemporaneous-Lincoln-Douglas debate, Sean Harris brought home the gold. Extemp LD gives students thirty minutes to research and prepare a case in support of or against a topic. Later in the year at DSR-TKA Nationals, Matt placed ninth in fierce competition in NFA Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Matt debated changing U.S. policy toward Taiwan and is looking forward to next year's topic about the internet.

Whitman is very proud of its individual event participants! Throughout the season, Whitman brought home more trophies from a wider ranger of events. With strong returning members the team looks forward to continue building a bridge to greater success next year!

Keep Reading! Part 2 of the Spring 1998 Newsletter