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, conduct parliamentary
drills, and practice extemporaneous and other forms of public speaking.
Each society annually offers gold medals for excellence in debate and
oratory, and each organization yearly contends for the possession of the
Harrison Trophy.

All intercollegiate contests are managed for the Societies by the Debating
and Oratorical Council. It sends competitors for the prizes of the
Central Oratorical League, the Southern Inter-State Oratorical Association,
and the Virginia State Oratorical Association. During the session
of 1908-1909, it will conduct a triangular debate with the University
of North Carolina and Washington and Lee University. Its present officers
are W. B. Buford, President; Maurice Hirsch, Vice-President; W. N.
Neff, Secretary; C. W. Paul, Adjunct Professor of Public Speaking,
Treasurer; and J. C. Jamison, Assistant Treasurer.

MEDALISTS.

1907-1908.

               

Jefferson Society Orator	Samuel Clay Williams.
Washington Society Orator	George Marvin Warren.
Inter-Society Debater	Samuel Clay Williams.
Magazine Medalist for best Essay	James Cook Bardin.
Magazine Medalist for best Story	Jean Ross Irvine.
Magazine Medalist for best Verse	James Cook Bardin.
Colonial Dames Prize for the best Essay on Virginia Colonial Subject won by	Robert Edward Lee Strider.
Linden Kent Prizes for best Essay on an unexploited Virginia author won by	Weldon Thomas Myers.

The University of Virginia Magazine, designed to encourage
literary work among the students, is published by the students with the
advisory assistance of the Linden Kent Memorial School of English
Literature, eight months of the session.