vVALH ALUMNI WHEHEKLY
999
DEBATING ORGANIZATION,
President Boise of the Union Speaks—
A Great Advance Made.
Debating at Yale is no longer a lost
art. The sudden burst of enthusiasm
which resulted in our first victory over
Harvard passed as quickly as it came.
But its place was taken by an awakened
general interest which has deepened
steadily until the revival in Yale debat-
ing is to-day an accomplished fact.
Side by side with this steady growth
in general interest, however, was an
equally steady decline in the Union.
As activity increased in the University,
it decreased in the Union. The growth
of outside interest continued, debating
became more and more recognized, but
attendance at the Union steadily dimin-
ished and its future looked dark.
This paradox continued until some
action became necessary. It was felt
that the University debating organiza-
tion should attract the University de-
bating interest, or its usefulness was
gone. Unless the Union could meet
the new conditions which confronted
it and could, as a University organiza-
tion, furnish an adequate field for Uni-
versity activity, it was a failure. It had
failed to do so in the recent past.
Could it do it in the future?
The discussion of this question in the
College press and elsewhere established
two possible causes for the failure:
First—It might be due to carelessness
and neglect in the Union itself, or
Second—It might be due to radical
and inherent defects in its structure.
Opinion was somewhat divided as to
which was the more likely cause. But
the wisdom of trying to revive the
Union by careful attention and a strict
enforcement of all its rules and regula-
tions was admitted by all. With this
in mind, a plan was outlined which, it
was hoped, would be capable of adjust-
ment to the various circumstances as
they arose, and give the best results in
the safest and most conservative
manner,
Resolutions were adopted by the
Union, at a recent meeting, providing
for the strict enforcement of the Con-
stitution in all respects particularly in
regard to those provisions relating to
attendance and the payment of dues.
Comparatively regular attendance is
now required of all members, and dues
must be paid regularly or membership
is forfeited. These regulations had for
some time been allowed to fall into
disuse. Although it is yet too soon to
judge of their full effect, the increased
attendance and greater interest attest
their value.
POWER OF ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE,
The more important provisions of the
present plan, however, relate to the
formation of an Administrative Com-
mittee which shall have charge of Uni-
versity debating. This Committee is
to be composed of three delegates from
the Yale Union, and of one from each
of the recognized class and department
organizations. It will thus be a repre-
sentative body, in touch with all
branches of debating activity and able
to guage more correctly the wishes and
needs of the University in regard to
matters which come under its jurisdic-
tion. This Committee is to have all
power of arranging intercollegiate de-
bates. In its character of a represen-
tative body, it is felt that it can express
more truly the real sentiment of the
University in its relations with Harvard
and Princeton. All denartments of the
University will thus have a voice in
such arrangements as concern them all.
Its decisions will be the voice of the
University and not of any one organiza-
tion within the University.
This Committee is also to have the
power of arranging inter-club and inter-
department debates between the organi-
zations represented upon it, as these
organizations themselves may see fit.
A series of systematically arranged
inter-club debates would, it was
thought, unify and stimulate debating.
interest both in the clubs engaged and
in the University at large.
But the peculiar value of the Admin-
istrative Committee does not lie in its
ability to arrange debates. It rests
upon its capacity for organization.
The most prominent feature of the re-
cent debating renaissance has been its
evident neglect of the Union and its
equally evident preference for class
organization. This departure has been
justified by its success. The numerous
smaller and more informal clubs which
have sprung up through the University
have diverted attention from the Union,
but they have themselves shown an
active interest which the Union never
exhibited in its palmiest days. This
may be due, in part, to their novelty.
It is due, in large measure, to the closer
bonds of personal acquaintance and
personal interest whicu unite their
members. The social factor has
secured more prominence and _ has
strengthened debating in consequence.
SUPERVISION BY THE UNION.
Desirable as these organizations may
be in their ability to encourage and
promote debating, in general, they have
serious defects. As a University sys-
tem they lack centralization and the
sense of responsibility which close con-
nection alone can give. They come and
go, rise and fall according to the senti-
ment of the moment. And while pro-
vision has been made for handing them
down from class to class, their restricted
horizon and lack of Union must neces-
sarily lessen the effect of their efforts.
The Committee of Administration is
designed to meet this need. It is es-
sentially the product of present condi-
tions, the result of the peculiar features
of the debating renaissance. It draws
its strength from the class organiza-
tions, and upon the continuance of these
organizations its existence depends. It
exercises over them no control; they are
left to their own devices. But by
judicious supervision it may supply
their inevitable, inherent defects, focus
their efforts, increase their number as
occasion offers and gradually round out
and perfect a system of class debating
which shall have the essential elements
of vitality and stability—a system which
shall meet the needs of the University.
The place of the Union in such a
system is, at present, in doubt. The
encouraging revival of interest in that
body has demonstrated that it meets a
recognized need. Class organizations
may vanish as quickly as they have
appeared. The Union will remain. It
is the one element of stability, the one
known factor, in a shifting and complex
situatioln. But how best to adapt it to
the present emergency, how best to
utilize its reserve power to solidify the
whole, is a problem which time and -
experience alone can solve. ‘the
machinery for such a solution has been
provided in the Administrative Com-
mittee. And this Committee fills the
paramount need of the present hour in
Yale debating—the need of an organ-
ized system.
Epwarp B, Botsr.
hn a>
ee ee
For Corporation Nominations.
Prof. Franklin B. Dexter, Secretary
of Yale Corporation, has just issued
the following circular to Yale men:
New Haven, Conn., March, 1890.
Sir:—By the provisions of [an] Act of
the Legislature of Connecticut, you will
be entitled to vote, on the 27th day of
June next, for one member of the Cor-
poration of Yale University, to fill the
vacancy caused by the expiration of the
term of the Hon. Frederick J. Kings-
bury (who declines to be a candidate
for re-election); also, for one member,
to fill the vacancy caused by the death
of Edward G. Mason, Esq.
By order of the Corporation you are
invited to send to the undersigned, a
nomination for each of these vacancies,
it being intended that the names of all
persons who are nominated by as many
as twenty-five electors shall be an-
nounced, as soon as possible after May
I, in a circular sent to the electors, with
a form for a ballot.
A blank is enclosed for convenience
is sending nominations.
By order of the Corporation,
FRANKLIN B. DEXTER,
Secretary.
ons"
GL) 1850-1898. |
Jono
“3 Known over the
world as a staple remedy {aj
| In boxes only,
The Class Deacons for 1901 S., who
will have charge of the religious inter-
ests of the class during the remainder
of the course, were chosen on March 15.
They are Southard Hay, Allegheny,
Pa.; Frederick Rust VanVechten, Little
Falls, N. Y., and John Farewell Ferrey,
Lake Forest, Il.
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