The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, December 9, 1927 Page: 3 of 6
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THE TMftg8HBR"««0UtT0M, TtXA*
THREE
EAtLY HSTORY OF DEBATING CLUBS
OR CAMPOS; FIRST FORMED IN 1914
The early history of debating o-
eietiei on tho Etoe Campus has been
related to a Thresher reporter by
William M. Nathan, former member
of one of the first elubs fostering de-
bates at Rice, and now a practicing
Houston attorney.
Mr. Nathan tells in vivid details
of how the early wanglers solved
their troublesome problems and how
the men students of Rice responded
whole-heartedly and spontaneously to
the call tor debaters and declam-
ers.
His interview in part states:
The Clubs were formed in the early
spring months of 1914 as a result of
a desire on the part of men students
of Rice to develop themselves in pub-
lic speaking and further their gener-
al literary work. The response was
made equally by the town men as
well as by those from the halls, the
percentage of attendance being usu-
ally equally divided. This entailed
some sacrifice on the part of the
town men, for It must be remembered
that in those, days Main street, which
Is now a beautiful highway, was then
little better than a cow lane. There
was one street car an hour coming
out from Eagle Street and if con-
nections were missed with that car.
It meant that the future Demosthenes
would have to take a lonesome walk
out to the Institute. Accordingly many
of the men from town arranged to
stay at school, rather than go in, and
would grace the tables of the Com-
mons, with their presence at the Fri-
day evening meal.
At the very outset, it was deter-
mined that the clubs' activities
should not be restricted to debate
and declamations, but that the work
should be of a general literary char-
acter. Usually a book review and
a paper on some current event would
be presented at every meeting of the
clubs, so that the societies could be
considered cultural in all their as-
pects. The members called to their
assistance various members of the
Faculty, including Professors Querard,
Caldwell, Blayney, Arbuckle, McCants,
and Axson. These gentlemen did much
to encourage the work carried on,
aB by their presence they lent a cer-
tain dignity to the meeting and they
were always free in their criticisms,
frank in pointing out defects in delivery
and English or misstatements of his-
torical facts and further would con-
tribute to the program whenever a
paper was assigned. In other words
while they were more or less spon-
SECOND
NATIONAL
Main at Rusk
CAPITAL - - - $1,000,000
SURPLUS $ 750,000
"Crowing with Houston"
Individuality
Clothier* & Tailors
Special Price Tuxedos
for
RICE STU DENTS
$29.50 and Up
HART & NUSSBAUM
1009 Preaton Ave.
Gasoline, Oils, Tires, Tubes
and Aooessories.
Cart Washed, Polished and
Creased.
V. H. CAIN AUTO
SUPPLY STATION
Phones Hadley 0704-7190
V. H. CAIN, Prep.
8218 Main tt at Stuart.
Bora, they were at the same time
members and free relations were main
tained, creating a spirit which was
most wholesome and salutary.
At the beginning of 1915-16, the two
clubs had developed a feeling of
strong solidarity and competition be-
came very keen between them. Mem-
bership In the clubs was highly prised.
The limiting of membership was a nat-
ural result of the desire on the part
of the student body to derive the bene-
fits of the clubs work. Several mer-
chants of Houston began to evince a
warm interest in the work and medals
and trophies were hung up for the
winner In an annual contest between
the two clubs. The first annual con-
test was held In April of 1916. In de-
bate the Owl Literary Society was rep-
resented by Eugene R. Millis, present
managing editor of the Houston
Chronicle and J. Newton Razor, prom-
inent local attorney, while the Rice-
onian Debating Society was repre-
sented by James P. Markham and
Wm. M. Nathan, both now Houston
attorneys. The decision was in favor
of the Owls and the debate was at-
tended by an audience which filled
the Faculty Chamber to capacity.
During the same year a State Ora-
torical contest was held. In the con-
test to represent Rice at the state
meeting, both of the debating socie-
ties were eliminated by a campus pro-
duct and campus organization, name-
ly, Miss Elizabeth Kalb, represent-
ing the E. B. L. S. Miss Kalb's de-
clamation on "Peace" was repeated
when she went to Austin and won
for her first place in the final contest.
The reaction of all the men in the
clubs was as above stated, sponta-
neous and co-operative. Men who
have gone through the clubs look back
upon them as being the instrumental-
ity of the if ability to speak on their
feet, of having inculcated forensic
ability and last but not least of hav-
ing engendered a. love for literary
values not found in the other regular
campus curriculum.
Last year the debating society idea
was renewed on the Rice Campus
with the organization of the "Stump"
club. Last year preliminary organi-
zation was worked out and this year
the club plans to engage in several
Intercollegiate debates.
R
"PUSSY-FOOT" JOHNSON
SAYSC0LLEGESN0T
WET AS ^REPRESENTED^
New York, N. Y. (By New Student
Service)—''All this talk about the
young folks going to the dogs and
driLking themselves blind is pure non-
sense. ... Colleges are apt to have a
reputation for being wet because the 1
shortcomings of a few students get:
into the papers as typical of all stu-
dents. If two or three college fellows
get drunk and cause a fuss, the story
can promptly be found in all the news-
papers, but no mention is made of the
10,000 or 20,000 students who osten-
sibly do not drink.'
That was W. E. "Pussyfoot" John-
son's dispensation to the college man,
as reported in the Harvard Crimson.:
Mr. Johnson evidently has faith, for j
he lightly dismissed the uncovering of :
a still in an Iowa State University
fraternity house, as insignificant when
compared to the "400 or 500 colleges
In the country that have no stills."
Iowa State' University is less com-
placent, and while several members
of the Sigma Chi fraternity are under
arrest on charges of maintaining a
still in their cellar, and its alcoholic
products in their rooms, other fra-
ternity heads are making clear that
liquor is found on "the most Ideally
regulated campuses." They deny, of
course, that the situation is as serious
as "commonly held."
Purdue students will have opportu-
nity to survey the liquor problem from
a more abstract viewpoint some time
before the opening of Congress, when
Senator William E. Borah will meet
In debate on the campus some nation-
ally known proponent of modification,
in a discussion on the Eighteenth
amendment. The debate has_been ar-
ranged by the Purdue public speak-
ing department.
Whatever the degree, student drink-
ing countinues to demand the atten-
tion of presidents and courts. When
Dr. William Mather Lewis recently
was inaugurated as head of Lafayette
College, he lost no time in making
clear that "There is no place at La-
fayette for men addicted to the use of
liquor, and we do not intend to have
them here."
When two midshipmen from the
Naval Academy were arrested recent-
ly after a supposed "drinking bout,"
as the press reports called It, the
court placed no charges against the
two men, but Instead started efforts
to stamp out the Annapolis sources of
intoxicant.
Almost coincident with the an-
nouncement of the Intercollegiate Pro-
hibition Association that it would
start a drive on college wets, numer-
ous law violations sprang up, much
as if to show the association that it
hasa fertile field in which to operate.
Dear Aunt Epple:
Last week I went to the picture
show and saw "The aorUla." Ever
since, I haven't felt at ease unless
I swing on the light fixture and hop
upon the window sill. Can you tell
me what's the matter?
Love and kisses,
Mike.
• * •
Dear Mike:
The symptoms you have described
lead me to believe that you are in
love. See Frances.
Aunt Epple.
P. S. Did you thiuk you were writ-
ing to S. M. U.?
• *
Dear Aunt Eppie:
What would you think of a certain
party who happened to see you park-
ed on the Devonshire road in a Pack-
ard and turned the light on you?
Yours for justice,
Bill Bennett.
Deur Bill:
in the first place, I wouldn't be
parked on the Devonshire road in a
Packard. They are too conspicuous.
Aunt Eppie.
* * *
Dear Auntie:
Some of the girln in my club don't
know that they are supposed to eat
ice cream with a fork. Now, I would
like to inform them in a polite way
of the more subtle rules of etiquette
and how to do it is the question.
Thanking you kindly,
Ruth Blackwell.
Dear Ruth:
Offer a prize to the girl who makes
the fewest breaks in a week. I would
suggest a hand-tooled copy of "The
Hot Tamale Man's Diary."
Aunt Epple.
* * *
Dear Aunt Eppie:
I am studying to be a doctor. In
my class there is a married lady. But
that is only the beginning. This is
the story: she always has important
business to transact with the prof
after each lecture. Now Aunt Eppie,
I am worried for fear some day she
will slip and break a few buttons in
her haste to see him. Do you know
of any non-skid preparation to apply
to the soles of one's shoes?
J. R.
P. S. Mr. Nicholas wants to know
too.
Dear J. ,R.
I 'am not allowed to offer sugges-
tions as to advertised products, but'
I do know of a homely remedy which
might be effective. Place banana
peelings at strategic points in the
room.
Aunt Ep.
NEW FORD COMES TO
VISIT SALLYPORT ON
MOHPAY; STUPES RIDE
It's here now—the new Ford. And
It made Its debut at Rice last Mon-
day at 13:30. Mobs of people gather-
ed round. Somebody thought it was
a new government artillery wagon. |
Somebody else said It was a secret'
service mail truck. But they couldu't
fool us. We knew.
Old J. T. Blllups and Herb McCon-
nell made the announcement after
examining the engine thoroughly. Bil-
lups Is going to be a doctor so he
ought to know. Mrs. Hamilton said
she thought it sounded swell, aud
Catherine Brooks said, "Thank Ford
for ankle room."
Epley-Wilson and Co. (including
Ogg and Daly) got brave enough to
go riding. Tom said the man tried
to show them that you simply
couldn't turn the car over, but it
surely made him sick. Well, when
they got back, the movie outfit was
all ready, so Ford was parked at an ad-
vantageous angle in the Sallyport and
photographed. Turp got in the pic-
ture. Mr. McCants helped the direc-
tor to pose students in admiring
groups around the car. They did.
But we almost forgot to tell you
what it looked like. In case you
haven't been one of the fifty thousand
to wait in Hue at the agency, here is
a detailed description: radiator like a j
Ford, back like a Ford, front like a
Ford, sides like a Ford looks like a
Ford, runs like a Ford, and is a Ford.
Step right, up and give your orders.
R
Geese are flying south early, in-
dicating a severe winter. Or perhaps
it is propaganda framed up with the
geese by coal barons.
he is getting into practice for the
baseball Beason.
What can the matter be with
"Gilda." the shaking Chevrolet? Oh—
Carmichael was driving down the
street towards Francis' house and tore
out the rear end—Gosh but ain't he
powerful?
I see where Mrs. Dees hasn't open-
ed her mouth yet—I wonder how she
eats. Must be terrible for a woman
not to be able to talk—she could tell
the jury that she was sitting In front
of the Texan cleaning her Hesoliver
when it accidentally shot and killed
her husband who at that time was just
coining out of the show—why no jury
in the world would convict, if she is
pretty; sobs copiously; and says she
is sorry and won't do it again.
Speaking of shiftlessness, Tom
Barr is so lazy that it takes an Act of
Congress to move him out of bed in
the morning. And even then he tries
to veto it. But don't worry Tom, you
may be a great M. D. some day.
The advantage of a radio in compar-
ison to somel adies that we know is
that the radio can be shut off.
LISTENING IN ON
A BULL-PEN
Say kid I see where Bo McMillan
hasn't signed a contract for next year
and that the Rice Alumni want him
for our coach. I heard "Bo" has ap-
plied for the position of head coach
at Rice—well one can never tell about
these newspaper reports.
We have pretty good material for a
team next year, IF, they all make the
grade. Now there is Kennedy, Stop-
pel, Ward and Morgan— all pretty
fast men for the backfield—Bill whose
that Brunette I saw you with in the
Sallyport after English? Oh that's
Phyllis Mitchell, an unenrolled stu-
dent at Rice—gosh nhe ought to sign
up.
What's all of that noise? That's
the East Hall Football team holding a
secret -practice on its own front lawn.
They ought to have a FAST backfield
Vitli Cabiness, Brunson, Bracey and
the rest of the track team. I suppose
Tolle is going to be yell leader for
East Hall, judging from the hollering
he is doing from the-window. Maybe!
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EXPERIENCED COACH
Let me ooach you In Math, B. A.,
Ice Skating, Profanity, Basketball, or i
Conversation. I am equally adept at
all of them. Hode Furman—Adv.
FOR THE BEST
OF GOOD •WEASONS
BETTER TASTE!
miW
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FTT A yr R S- I OFtA
IffiK
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The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, December 9, 1927, newspaper, December 9, 1927; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230093/m1/3/: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.