University of Virginia Library

History and Introduction

Few things are taught in our high schools today that will be of
greater service to the men and women of the next generation, especially
those who are to become leaders in their communities, than
a course in public speaking. Yet in past years training along this
line has been minimized in our secondary schools. In fact the vast
majority of them have given their pupils practically no such training.
The members of the Jefferson and Washington Literary Societies
of the University of Virginia, realizing the importance of establishing
such courses, determined to inaugurate some plan by
which debating and public speaking could be encouraged in the secondary
schools.

Consequently the Virginia High School Literary League was organized
by the societies in November of 1913. A bulletin was published
containing a question for debate and sufficient material to
write an intelligent argument thereon. Before the first of February
eighty schools had enrolled in the league and each was paired with
another in its neighborhood for a preliminary debate. The winners
of these preliminary debates were entitled to come to the University
of Virginia to participate in the final contest. The question for
the debate was, "Resolved: That a law be passed in Virginia compelling
all children more than seven and less than fifteen years of
age, who are not physically unable, to attend school at least sixteen
weeks each year (waiving all question of constitutionality)."

On the morning of April 30th twenty high schools, each of which
had already defeated some other school in its community, reported
at the University of Virginia ready to debate. Each school was
paired by lot with another school for the first preliminary debate
which began promptly at 3 o'clock. By Thursday night all but nine
of the debating teams had been eliminated. These nine were again
paired among themselves and finally on Friday morning there were
only five successful teams still in the race. These were Brookneal,
Buena Vista, Charlottesville, John Marshall and Manassas. After a
series of semi-final debates the contest rested between Buena Vista
and Charlottesville. At the final debate Friday night Buena Vista
won over Charlottesville by a two to one vote of the judges.

The faculty and students of the University of Virginia put forth
every effort to entertain the debaters while in Charlottesville. The
visiting teachers were the guests of the Colonnade Club whereas the
debaters were entertained by the girls and boys of the Charlottesville
High School and the students of the University. Meals were
served at the Tea Room to all the visitors without cost. Free tickets
were given them to the moving picture theatres, and on Friday
afternoon the Chamber of Commerce gave the debaters an excursion
to Monticello. After the final contest on Friday night a reception
was given to the visiting teams. The Tea Room recently built at
the corner was beautifully decorated for the occasion. During the
course of the evening many of the faculty of the University and also
representatives from the various schools were called upon to speak.

Altogether the reception was quite a success and all went home feeling
that they had spent a most pleasant evening.

Thus the Virginia High School Literary League was inaugurated
and already the results prove that the work of the league was not in
vain. No less than one hundred schools reported that in one way
or another they had begun to prepare their pupils to speak in public
and that they would be ready to join the league this fall.

The work of the league will be extended this session so as to include
a contest in public reading. For some time there has been
great need in the Virginia high schools of a more thorough training
in reading aloud. In order to stimulate work along this line, Dr.
Chas. W. Kent, Linden Kent Memorial Professor of English Literature
in the University of Virginia, is offering a twenty-five-dollar
gold medal to the winner of the public reading contest. This medal
is to be presented in the name of the Linden Kent Memorial School
of English Literature.

In addition to the debating and public reading the league will also
hold several athletic contests. These will be under the direction of
the General Athletic Association of the University and will include
a state contest in baseball, a state contest in basketball, as well as
a track meet. The purpose of such contests is not only to encourage
training in athletics but also to standardize the athletic requirements
of secondary schools throughout the state.

It is earnestly hoped that every secondary school in Virginia,
whether public or private, will become a member of the league and
give us its hearty support in its work. We require no dues. We
merely ask you coöperation. Whereas the committee is very anxious
to have every high school in the state enter all these contests, it
realizes that many of them are not at present prepared to do so.
Therefore each school is invited to take part in any one or as many
of the contests as it sees fit. Upon receipt of this bulletin send the
name of your school to the Secretary of the Virginia High School
Literary and Athletic League, University, Virginia, and designate in
which contests you would have your school participate, also ask for
any information you desire in regard to them.