History

Debate at Mary Washington College has a long and storied history that can be traced to the literary societies that appeared shortly after the College’s founding in 1908. In the near future this section of the website will be expanded as we dig through the archives to discover our history. Below are a few pictures found in the Battlefield.

	The 1933 Debating Club Officers: Olivia Wheeler (President) Lucille Akers (Vice-President) Georgia Jessup (Secretary and Treasurer) Beulah Beall (Chairman of Program Committee) Sponsors: Dr. George E. Shankle Professor Oscar H. Darter Members: Lucie Akers, Beulah Beall, Phyllis Currie, Susie Dickinson, Elizabeth Hart, Margaret Hisey, Georgia Jessup, Rosalyn Moore, Ruby Lee Norris, Marion Ratner, Frances Curtis Smith, Olivia Wheeler
1948 Forensic Club Top Row: Sprinkle, Ellett, Saunier, Bullis, Williams, Zipf, Minor, Wright, Hoffman Middle Row: Powell, Birkenmeyer, McWhorter, Harper, Stallings, Cladakis Bottom Row: Whitaker, Timberlake, Harmon, Dunnavant, Haas
	The Original Dixie Classic Debate Tournament? Debating at the Dixie Warm-up Tournament – The Dixie Novice Tournament was held on the Mary Washington campus in December 1947. Wake Forest hosted its first tournament in 1951 while the now better known Dixie Classic tournment started in 1956
1967 Debate Club Top Row: M. Christian, A. Reynolds, R. Wicher, A Chatterton, P. Grubbgs, E. Wallard Bottom Row: B. Sweet, Dr. Jessen, Dr. Fickett Absent: S. Brown, V. Dannell
	1968 Debate Club Eleanor Woollard (President) Martha Christian Susan Stumpf The 1967-1968 Intercollegiate Debate Resolution was RESOLVED: “That the federal government should guarantee a minimum annual cash income to all citizens.”
1971 Marcia Rogers and Joy Taylor

The 1933 Debating Club

1948 Forensic Club

The Original Dixie Classic Debate Tournament?

1967 Debate Club

1968 Debate Club

1971