Whitman Speech and Debate Team History Page Whitman’s storied history in Forensics. Beginning in the 1890s with literary societies, to a full fledged nationally traveling squad in the 1930s, to today’s diverse squad, Whitman is proud of its history.

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Historical Info Longest Serving Coaches, Assistant Coaches Speech-Rhetoric-Film Department History Info History of Senior Awards Errors? Updates? Pictures? Stories to tell? Email Jim at hansonjb@whitman.edu Click the Coach-Year You Want Jim Hanson, 1992-Continuing. 1 Bob Withycombe, 1980-1993. 2 Remy Wilcox, 1969-1980. 2 David Larry Arlington 1970-1972. 3 William Veatch, 1967-1970. 3 Dean McSloy, 1954-1969. 3 John Shepard, 1952-1954. 4 Harold Sims, 1951-1952. 4 Lloyd Newcomer, 1946-1951. 4 Ray Keesey, William R. Davis, 1945-1946. 4 John Ackley, 1934-1945. 5 Roy McCall, 1931-1934. 5 Mark Harris, 1929 - 1931. 5 Angelo Pelligrini, 1928-1929. 6 William Earl Beem, 1926-1928. 6 George Henry Lewis, 1925-1926. 6 Mr. Leiforest F.W. Sawtelle, 1919-1925. 7 Milton Simpson, 1916-1919. 7 Prior to 1916. 8

	Jim Hanson, 1992-Continuing (co-director 1992-1993) 1993-1994 1994-1995 1995-1996 1996-1997 1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 The 1994-present Newsletters from the "Hanson" years Rhetoric minor begins in 1997 (Department is renamed from Speech), Rhetoric and Film Studies major begins in 2002.
	Bob Withycombe, 1980-1993 (co-director 1992-1993; Professor continuing) 1980-1981 1981-1982 1982-1983 1983-1984 1984-1985 1985-1986 1986-1987 1987-1988 1988-1989 1989-1990 1990-1991 1991-1992 1992-1993
	Remy Wilcox, 1969-1980 (assisted 1969-1972) 1972-1973 1973-1974 1974-1975 1975-1976 1976-1977 1977-1978 1978-1979 1979-1980
	David Larry Arlington 1970-1972 1970-71 1971-72
	William Veatch, 1967-1970 (assisted 1967-1969)  1969-1970 Speech major ends in 1969
	Dean McSloy, 1954-1969 1954-1955 1955-1956 1956-1957 1957-1958 1958-1959 1959-1960 1960-1961 1961-1962 1962-1963 1963-1964 1964-1965 1965-1966 1966-1967 1967-1968 1968-1969
	John Shepard, 1952-1954 1952-1953 1953-1954
	Harold Sims, 1951-1952 1951-1952
	Lloyd Newcomer, 1946-1951 1946-1947 1947-1948 1948-1949 1949-1950 1950-1951 Speech department is established in 1947
Ray Keesey, becomes head coach beginning in December W. R. Davis, acting director during the first part of the year	Ray Keesey, William R. Davis, 1945-1946 1945-1946
John Ackley W. R. Davis, DSR Faculty Advisor	John Ackley, 1934-1945 1941-1942 1942-1943 1943-1944 1944-1945 1937-1938 1938-1939 1939-1940 1940-1941 1934-1935 1935-1936 1936-1937 Roy McCall coached the Wrangler club for frosh men from 1934-1936
No picture of Roy McCall has been found W. R. Davis, DSR Faculty Advisor	Roy McCall, 1931-1934 1931-1932 1932-1933 1933-1934
No picture of Mark Harris has been found W. R. Davis, DSR Faculty Advisor	Mark Harris, 1929 - 1931 1929-1930 1930-1931
Angelo Pelligrini, Coach, and W.R. Davis, DSR Faculty Advisor	Angelo Pelligrini, 1928-1929 1928-1929
Coach William Beem and W.R. Davis, DSR Faculty Advisor	William Earl Beem, 1926-1928 1926-1927 1927-1928
George Lewis, Coach, and W.R. Davis, DSR Faculty Advisor	George Henry Lewis, 1925-1926 1925-1926
Dorothy Gardiner George Marquis No picture available of Leiforest Sawtelle nor of E.L. Keezel	Mr. Leiforest F.W. Sawtelle, 1919-1925 with George Marquis with Mrs. E.L. Keezel 1923-1925 (women’s coach) no women’s coach/program, 1921-1922 with Dorothy Gardiner, 1920-1921 (women’s coach) 1919-1920 1920-1921 1921-1922 1922-1923 1923-1924 1924-1925 In 1920, Speech becomes a distinct section of the English department
No picture available of Milton Simpson	Milton Simpson, 1916-1919 1916-1917 1917-1918 1918-1919
Professor Boas with Bratton, Davis and Haines; no picture of Franklin is available	Prior to 1916 Prof. Ralph Phillip Boas assisted by Walter A. Bratton, and for 1913-1916, William R. Davis, for 1913-1914, and for 1912-1913, Prof. Franklin and Haines 1912-1913 1913-1914 1914-1915 1915-1916
Charles Haines George B. Marquis (picture from 1919)	Professor Charles G. Haines and Mr. George B. Marquis 1911-1912
	Norman Frank Coleman and George Marquis and President Penrose with the Debate Council Mabel Buland serves as women’s coach 1910-1911 1908-1909 1909-1910 1910-1911
Professors Hendrick, Bratton, Coleman, and Lyman, no picture of Austin Rice is available	Professors Walter A. Bratton, Archer W. Hendrick and Norman F. Coleman 1907-1908 Professors Walter A. Bratton and Prof. Archer W. Hendrick 1906-1907 Austin Rice with Professor Walter Lyman, Archer W. Hendrick, and Walter A. Bratton 1904-1905 1905-1906
	Athenaeum and Phrenakosmian (Men) and Libethrean And Philolithian (Women) Societies. 1903-1904
	Athenaeum and Phrenakosmian Societies 1899-1900 1900-1901 1901-1902 1902-1903
	Atheneum Society. Whitman’s “team” becomes established and then the next year, attends its first intercollegiate speech (1897) and also debate competitions (1898). 1896-1897 1897-1898 1898-1899
	Atheneum Society begins competition 1891-1896
	Pre-intercollegiate competition 1882-1891 These are the early years prior to the beginning of the debating societies and intercollegiate competition for Whitman. Even so, Whitman College had speech, rhetoric, logic, and oratory as key components of its curriculum.

Whitman's Speech and Debate program has a history of excellence and we plan to explore that history as we continue with the tradition in our current program.

Questions should be directed to Jim Hanson at hansonjb@whitman.edu