--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 13 number: 5 published: 1910-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Suggestions for Debates," *Improvement Era* 13, no. 5 (March 1910): 471–472.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera135unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera135unse start_page: 471 end_page: 472 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1910-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera135unse publication_year: 1910 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1910, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Suggestions for Debates MUTUAL WORK. 471 all young people but two. Easily staged. Modern costumes. Two interior scenes. Plays one hour and forty minutes. The Berrypickers. A lively operetta for junior classes; requires at least twenty-four, would be better with double that number. and Dresses pretty, but not elaborate. Can be tastefully arranged with little difficulty. One outdoor scene. Plays forty minutes. Makes an excellent evening's entertainment in connection with such desirable short dramas for amateurs, as Bread on the Waters, Above the Clouds, Among the Breakers, Down by the Sea, The Last Loaf, etc. Our Boys. Comedy in three acts, by Henry J. Byron. Suitable for professionals and carefully drilled amateurs. Six male four female characters. Modern costumes. Scenery easily arranged. Three inte- rior scenes. Plays two hours. Comrades. Drama in three acts. Suitable for professionals and carefully drilled amateurs. Four male, three female characters. Mod- ern costumes. One interior scene, variations arranged with little difficulty. Plays two hours. Suggestions for Debates. Before a debate, the two teams, or associations, or sides, should formulate a written agreement covering the following points: 1. The time and place of the contest. 2. The time for submitting the question and by which team it shall be submitted. 3. The time for the team receiving the question to return its choice of side. 4. The number of debaters on each side and the length and order of their speeches. 5. The method of choosing judges. The Committee on Debates, Contests and Lectures, consisting of Dr. John A. Widtsoe, B. H. Roberts, Joseph F. Smith, Jr., A. W. Ivins, Ed- ward H. Anderson, makes the following suggestions: In selecting a question for debate care should be taken to choose a subject upon which difference of opinion may fairly exist, in fact one upon which public opinion is divided. Questions should be chosen, the study of which will be worth the while of the debaters and the discus- sion of which will be beneficial and enlightening to the hearers. Each team may consist of either two or three debaters. The contest will probably be long enough with two on a side, 472 IMPRO VEMENT ERA Principal speeches should be from ten to fifteen minutes in length. A good order is as follows: first affirmative speaker, 15 minutes; first negative, 15 minutes; second affirmative, 15 minutes; second negative, 20 minutes, 15 for his principal speech and 5 for closing rebuttal and summary for his side; followed by a five-minute closing rebuttal by one of the affirmative speakers. If desired the five-minute closing rebuttal may be given as a second speech to the first negative speaker instead of adding it to the time of the second speaker, but the affirmative must al- ways close the debate. Another plan which has some advantage over the first is to give each man a principal and a rebuttal speech. No person should be retained as a judge who is not acceptable to both sides. It should be the primary purpose of each team to present clearly and fairly the arguments for its side and to defend its position with as much information and logical argument as possible. This requires much care- ful study and preparation. Mere assertion of one's own opinion has no argumentative force and should be avoided. Attempted flights of oratory should also be omitted. It should not be forgotten that there are two sides to every contro- versy, and that there is room for perfectly honest and friendly differ- ences of opinion on most questions. The debates should be opened and closed by music and prayer, and conducted in an academic spirit of fairness and with a view to getting at the truth. It is no disparagement to be defeated in a contest so con- ducted. Respectful courtesy should be shown on both sides, and all person- alities avoided. In referring to the debaters on the opposite side, no names should be used, but rather the expression, "the gentleman or speaker on the affirmative," or "negative," as the case may be. Improper motives should not be attributed. Only small, petty minds do that. A debate should never degenerate into mere conten- tion. It is held to get information, gather knowledge, and ascertain the truth, and not to gain personal advantage. The wording of the question should be agreed upon by both sides, and a definition of the terms should be thoroughly understood. The de- baters should confine themselves to the points of the question, and not permit themselves to treat topics not germane to the issue. A chair- man should be chosen to conduct the debate, who will announce the sub- ject, the name of the judges, the respective speakers, and the decision of the judges, and see that the debate is carried on in fairness.