Chapter XXXV: Appendix: E

DEBATING AGREEMENT FOR A LEAGUE COMPOSED OF FIVE INSTITUTIONS

CONSTITUTION OF THE CENTRAL DEBATING CIRCUIT OF AMERICA

ARTICLE I

OBJECT.—The object of this organization shall be to foster interest in debate by holding an annual contest in December on the Friday evening one week before the opening of the holiday recess.

ARTICLE II

DEBATING BOARDS.—Each university shall create a debating board a majority of whose members shall be of the faculty. The members of this board shall be chosen annually as each university may deem wise. The debating board shall have general supervision of all debating matters of the league affecting its university.

ARTICLE III

QUESTIONS.—On April first each university shall submit to each of the others a question properly stated for debate. On April fifteenth each university shall send the five questions to each of the others arranged in the order of its choice. The question ranked highest by all the universities shall be debated by all the teams. In the case of a tie the selection from the tying questions shall be made by the President of Yale University.

ARTICLE IV

TIME AND ORDER OF SPEAKING.—Each speaker shall have seventeen minutes; twelve minutes for opening and five for rebuttal, but the order of rebuttal speeches on either side may be changed at the wish of the speakers on that side. The negative shall lead in the rebuttal. The visiting team shall support the negative.

ARTICLE V

JUDGES.

(_Contests for 1906–1907 and 1910–1911_)

_Contesting states._ │_Place of contest._ │_Residence of Judge._

Minnesota │Iowa City │Illinois Iowa │ „ │Nebraska

Nebraska │Urbana │Iowa Illinois │ „ │Wisconsin

Iowa │Madison │Illinois Wisconsin │ „ │Minnesota

Illinois │Minneapolis │Iowa Minnesota │ „ │Wisconsin

Wisconsin │Lincoln │Iowa Nebraska │ „ │ „

(_Contests for 1907–1908 and 1911–1912_)

Illinois │Iowa City │Minnesota Iowa │ „ │Nebraska

Wisconsin │Urbana │Iowa Illinois │ „ │ „

Minnesota │Madison │Illinois Wisconsin │ „ │Iowa

Nebraska │Minneapolis │Wisconsin Minnesota │ „ │ „

Iowa │Lincoln │Minnesota Nebraska │ „ │ „

(_Contests for 1908–1909 and 1912–1913_)

Wisconsin │Iowa City │Illinois Iowa │ „ │Nebraska

Minnesota │Urbana │Wisconsin Illinois │ „ │Iowa

Nebraska │Madison │Illinois Wisconsin │ „ │Minnesota

Iowa │Minneapolis │Wisconsin Minnesota │ „ │Nebraska

Illinois │Lincoln │Iowa Nebraska │ „ │ „

(_Contests for 1909–1910 and 1913–1914_)

Nebraska │Iowa City │Minnesota Iowa │ „ │Illinois

Iowa │Urbana │Wisconsin Illinois │ „ │

Illinois │Madison │Minnesota Wisconsin │ „ │

Wisconsin │Minneapolis │Nebraska Minnesota │ „ │Iowa

Minnesota │Lincoln │Iowa Nebraska │ „ │ „

On April first each university shall submit judges according to the above schedule.

When a single state furnishes the judges for any contest it shall submit a list of 24 names to each of the two competing universities. These lists shall be duplicates.

When two states furnish the judges they shall each submit a list of 12 names.

When a state furnishes judges for two or more contests it shall make up its several lists as impartially as possible with reference to the distribution of able men.

Convenience and economy for the attending judges shall be a factor in their nomination in so far as may be consistent with the choice of able men.

Not later than the first of October preceding the contest the visiting university shall send to the entertaining university a list of six candidates for judges chosen from the proper rolls. Not later than the same date the entertaining university shall send to its opponent a list of twelve judges chosen from the proper rolls. Each university shall arrange the opponent’s list of candidates in the order of its choice.

Each university shall have the right to challenge any or all of the number of the candidates submitted by its opponent on presentation of good and sufficient reason. The challenge list, together with objections, shall be returned at once to the sender. The list shall be completed and re-submitted not later than October twentieth.

It is further understood that any person recommended for judge who is a relative, actual or prospective, of any contestant, or who is an alumnus of either university, or who holds or has held, any official relation with either university may be rejected.

The secretary of the entertaining university shall notify the judges by a joint note, the form of which shall be as follows;

The state universities of (name) and (name) will hold a joint debate at (place) on (date). The specific wording of the proposition for debate is, “Resolved, that &c—

We shall consider ourselves especially favored if you can be with us at (place) to hear and judge this contest. (Insert a sentence here stating the names of the other judges who have been invited or who consented to serve.)

We shall of course meet your entire expense. Trusting that we may have an early and favorable reply, we remain,

Respectfully yours,

A. B., University of ————
C. D., University of ————

The entertaining university shall sign the names of both secretaries to the letter and shall enclose a stamped envelop addressed to each for the reply.

Before the contest the judges shall be entertained at a hotel and every semblance of an effort to influence them will be regarded as dishonorable conduct.

The secretary will secure two judges from the list of the entertaining university and one from the list of the opponent adhering strictly to the order recommended by the respective universities. But if any name or names should be found on both lists they shall be first invited to serve.

The university submitting a list of names shall always report on the qualifications of the judges in the following respects; I. Occupation. II. Where educated. III. Politics. IV. Religion. V. Official relations with any university of the league at any time.

ARTICLE VI

INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES.—Each judge shall be instructed to decide for himself what constitutes effective debate, except that he shall consider both thought and delivery. Without consultation he shall vote affirmative or negative on the merits of the debate, _not on the merits of the question_. He shall sign, seal and deliver his vote to the presiding officer who shall open the votes and announce the decision.

ARTICLE VII

EXPENSES.—Each university shall pay all the expenses of its own debaters. All other expenses of the contest shall be paid by the entertaining university.

ARTICLE VIII

CONDUCT OF THE DEBATES.—In the contests of this league all communication with the debaters, by prompting or otherwise, is forbidden; also the introduction of both private correspondence and charts is debarred.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS.—This constitution may be amended by the authorized representatives of the universities at any special meeting or by correspondence providing twenty days notice be given of the changes desired.

ARTICLE X

SCHEDULE.—The schedule for debates shall be as follows:

_First Year_ Minnesota shall send a team to Iowa City
Nebraska “ “ “ “ “ Urbana
Iowa “ “ “ “ “ Madison
Illinois “ “ “ “ “ Minneapolis
Wisconsin “ “ “ “ “ Lincoln

_Second Year_ Minnesota “ “ “ “ “ Madison
Nebraska “ “ “ “ “ Minneapolis
Iowa “ “ “ “ “ Lincoln
Illinois “ “ “ “ “ Iowa City
Wisconsin “ “ “ “ “ Urbana

_Third Year_ Minnesota “ “ “ “ “ Urbana
Nebraska “ “ “ “ “ Madison
Iowa “ “ “ “ “ Minneapolis
Illinois “ “ “ “ “ Lincoln
Wisconsin “ “ “ “ “ Iowa City

_Fourth Year_ Minnesota “ “ “ “ “ Lincoln
Nebraska “ “ “ “ “ Iowa City
Iowa “ “ “ “ “ Urbana
Illinois “ “ “ “ “ Madison
Wisconsin “ “ “ “ “ Minneapolis