Debate Rages at Mount Holyoke November 6 and 7

November 1, 1998

In preparation for international competition in the Philippines during December, the best collegiate debaters from Canada and the United States will gather at Mount Holyoke November 6 and 7 for the American Parliamentary Debate Association's World Preparatory Debate Championships.

Convening for two days of competitive debate rounds and seminars, students will learn the ins and outs of World-style debating, which will be the standard debate style at the world tournament in Manila this December. North American college students use American or Canadian Parliamentary debate rules in their competitions and are largely unfamiliar with World-style, which differs from the American and Parliamentary forms in that research notes can be brought to competition, and topics are always serious. The Church is dead; Clinton should be impeached; and competition does more harm than good are examples of World-style topics.

As many as eighty debaters and twelve prestigious judges, many of whom are World Debate champions, are expected to attend this practice session. Judges will come to Mount Holyoke from England, Canada, and all regions of the United States and are considered to be among the best debaters in the world.

Mount Holyoke's debate team, which was founded in 1896, was asked in 1995 by the student-run American Parliamentary Debate Association to host the first World Preparatory Debate Tournament. This year, the College competed against New York University during the National Debating Championships last April for the privilege of hosting this prestigious gathering.

Events begin Friday, November 6, in the afternoon and conclude with an award ceremony Saturday afternoon. In addition to five competitive debate rounds, highlights of the event include three seminars in World-style debating , one demonstration round that will kick off the event, oral critiques by judges following debate rounds, and social activities. A grand final round, open to the public, will conclude the championship.

This is the third time that Mount Holyoke's Speech and Debate Society has hosted this event, which was also held at the College two years ago.

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