University of Virginia Library

STUDENTS' LITERARY SOCIETIES.

Connected with the University are two literary societies of long
standing—the Jefferson Society and the Washington Society. At
weekly meetings in their respective halls, they hold debates and
practice extemporaneous and other forms of public speaking. Jointly
they form the Congress of the Debating Union and follow a procedure
similar to that of the national House of Representatives.
Each society annually offers gold medals for excellence in debating
and oratory, and each organization contests for intersociety prizes

All intercollegiate contests are managed for the societies by the
Debating and Oratorical Council. It sends competitors for the prizes
of the Southern Inter-State Oratorical Association and the Virginia
State Oratorical Association, and conducts a triangular debate with
two other universities. Its present officers are N. T. McManaway,
President; J. T. Gilette, Vice-President; C. T. Steger, Secretary; C.
W. Paul, Adjunct Professor of Public Speaking, Treasurer, and R. C.
Long, Assistant Treasurer.