--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Widtsoe, John A. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 11 published: 1912-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John A. Widtsoe, "Debating and Its Future," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 11 (September 1912): 1013–1017.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15011unse 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: improvementera15011unse start_page: 1013 end_page: 1017 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15011unse publication_year: 1912 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 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Debating and Its Future Debating and Its Future BY DR. JOHN A. WIDTSOE, OF THE GENERAL BOARD Y. M. M. I. A. It is now three years since systematic debating was introduced as an incidental feature of our Mutual Improvement activity. No attempt has been made to force it upon the associations. General instructions concerning debating have been given at the M. I. A. conferences and in the Era ; and the officers have been encouraged to give the subject a fair trial. In order to take stock of the results of our debating activity, especially for the purpose of planning for the future, a short questionaire was sent to all the stake superintendents. Unfortunately, nearly one-half of the stakes failed to answer. The reports received, were, however, of unusual interest, and may well be taken to represent the present status of debating in the Mutual Improvement Associations. From other sources it appears very probable that the work would look even more favorable, had all the stakes made the requested reports. Statistical In fifty-six stakes, debating formed a part of the M. I. A. work; in six stakes no debates were held. In about 475 wards there was at least one debate ; while in 233 wards no debates were held. That is, a little more than two-thirds of all our ward associations engaged in systematic debating. About 304 wards, or fortythree per cent took part in inter-ward debates. In a number of stakes the ward competition was repeated until a stake championship was established. Not less than 800 M. I. A. debates were held in the Church during the year ; or an average of nearly thirteen for each of the sixty-two stakes of Zion. Nearly 3,000 members took part in these debates. The debates were preceded by about 250 public speaking contests in which not less than 2,000 members took part. As far as our reports show, the largest number of ward de- *Read at an officers' meeting of the General Y. M. M. I. A. Conference, June, 1912. 1014 IMPROVEMENT ERA. bates in proportion to the wards occurred in the following stakes : Pioneer, 1.54 debates per ward; Uintah, 1.50; Pocatello, 1.43; North Weber, 1.07, and Taylor, 1.00 debate per ward. The proportion of inter-ward debates to the wards in the stake was largest in Uintah stake where five out of six wards had such debates ; followed closely by Nebo stake, which had 14 interward debates among 18 wards. These leading stakes were followed by South Sanpete, North Weber and Utah stakes. These statistics show that M. I. A. debating is assuming large proportions, and that it is participated in by the large majority of our associations. Moreover, the record of this year's leaders in the work, is evidence that success in debating is not confined to any particular section of the Church. Pioneer stake, which leads in ward debates, is in Salt Lake City, the oldest section of the Church in the west ; Uintah stake, which is so near the record of Pioneer as to be almost identical, represents true frontier conditions, where the advantages of our modern day are reached with difficulty. Questions for Debate The questions that have been debated throw much light on the relation of debating to the M. I. A. work. The General Board has published from year to year a list of suggestive questions for debates. Nearly all the stakes have used several of these questions ; but in almost every instance other questions have also been used. An analysis of these topics, especially chosen by the associations, shows that the topics bear direct relationship to the life of the community. Thus in a large number of rural communities the relative value of dry-farming and irrigation has been discussed; in a sugar beet section, the relative value of sugar beet growing and dairying ; in a sheep district, the advisability of maintaining National Forests ; in a sparsely settled country, the wisdom of establishing a county high school; in a county where a high school has been established, the proper place of manual training in high school work, and in one stake where probably the last election was not just up to M. I. A. standards, the mutuals dared to discuss the merits of woman's suffrage. It is clear that our debating has not been a perfunctory following of General Board instructions; it has been made part of DEBATING AND ITS FUTURE. 1015 the public life — yet it is good to notice that questions of partisan politics have been left out altogether. Causes of Success The statistics gathered indicate also at least one cause of success in debating — the one great cause in all success. It was thought by many, when M. I. A. debating was first undertaken, that only in the proximity of libraries, schools and other concentrated educational activities, would the work prove successful. The statistics already given disprove this view. The success achieved in any stake seems rather to have been proportional to the interest given it by the stake officers. For instance, one of the stakes in Salt Lake City heads the list of proportional ward debates ; another of the stakes in Salt Lake City reports that it had done absolutely nothing in debating, but explains that the time has been devoted to music and related activities. Uintah and Taylor stakes, both on the frontier, are leaders in this year's work, but another stake reports that little has been done because of the handicap of pioneer conditions. In practically every case, the success in debating, excepting the intrinsic value of the subject itself, has come when the M. I. A. officers have worked the debating branch of their business. Good results appear always to have followed the appointment of a stake committee having special charge of debating. General Results of the Work With remarkable unanimity, the superintendents declare that the M. I. A. debating work has resulted in good. Some write with unbounded enthusiasm ; all with conviction : one confines himself to the statement that "the results have been very good." It is really surprising to note the enthusiasm with which the conservative leaders of the M. I. A. write of the results of their work in debating. One outlying stake suggests that it is the best step taken in M. -I. A. work. Another, in one of our most populous centers, declares that nothing else has given greater life to the associations and helped more to increase attendance. Still another writes that through debating many non-members have been drawn into the associations, and have become permanent members. Yet another exclaims : "We have not enough of them ;" and yet an- 1016 IMPROVEMENT ERA. other remarks that in his stake the work has tended to make the boys think more. Practically everyone reports that new members have been drawn into the associations as a result of the work in debating; and that new interest in all the M. I. A. work has developed as a result of these friendly contests. Making due allowance for the loyal friendliness of the M. I. A. officers to all phases of the work, it is evident that our debating activity has had a stimulating effect upon the attendance and interest ; and has increased the general popularity of M. I. A. work among young and old. The Future Numerous excellent suggestions came from the reporting superintendents. One stake suggests that the debaters should be chosen on the basis of their work with the Manual. While this could not be made the full basis of choice, yet, clearly, only faithful members of the M. I. A. should be given the privilege of contesting for membership on the teams, and thus a premium could be put upon general excellence in M. I. A. work. Another good suggestion is that regular nights be set aside at the beginning of the M. T. A. year, for the various ward debates. This superintendent goes even further by suggesting that the dates might be the same throughout the Church. We may in time reach such uniform action, though probably not soon ; but the spirit back of the suggestion, that the work be planned systematically and considerable time ahead, merits the greatest commendation. Only by systematizing work, can great results be obtained. The suggestion made by another superintendent, that trophies be provided for the winners of debates has already been made in earlier conferences. Medals, properly inscribed, or small cups, can be secured for small sums. Contributions for such purposes can usually be obtained from men or business houses whose interests are in the communities where the debates are held. Undoubtedly the General Boards would be willing to contribute to trophies for those attaining a stake championship. Questions must be chosen with great care. A small list of suggestive questions will be published in an early number of the Era; but as heretofore many must be found by the stakes and wards. Free use should be made of all public libraries in gather- DEBATING AND ITS FUTURE. 1017 ing information. The committee of the General Board having debating in charge will be glad to give what help may be desired. It may be of interest to know that thousands of volumes have been taken out of the libraries of the State to help the M. I. A. debaters. At least one college library has had demands for helps which involved sending books hundreds of miles to active mutual workers who were preparing for debates. It may be emphasized, as it was a year ago, that increased attention should be given to oratorical contests, to precede the debates, and to be the basis for choosing the teams. It may be well to begin such contests at the very opening of the year. They furnish excellent practice in public speaking, and are always of general interest. Two or three nights given to such work could be profitably spent. Debating is not conducted for the purpose of winning, however valuable the incidental item of victory may be. We desire to train our members in the methods of gathering information on any subject; of organizing knowledge into an orderly system of thought ; of sifting truth from error, and of stating the truth clearly and convincingly to others. By public speaking contests and by debating practice, properly conducted, these objects may be accomplished. The fear that debating in our mutuals would become harmful quarreling, has shown itself to be largely without foundation. Instead, it is already showing its power for mental and spiritual development. We need, however, to keep before us the meaning and methods of correct debating as outlined in the last two M. I. A. conferences and as is repeated in the manual for 1912-13. Surely the practice in public speaking, in correct reasoning and courteous discussion, will not only help the individuals, but as our boys and girls go into the mission field, the benefits of this phase of M. I. A. activity will become apparent. Debating and all other branches of our Church activity are only evidences of the high destiny of the people, the fulness of which lies in the God-given doctrine to the Prophet Joseph, "The glory of God is intelligence."