The formation of the team predates the establishment of the college itself as the debate society was founded within the Maine State Seminary.
Professor Jonathan Stanton, who taught at Bates from 1863 to 1918, was instrumental in encouraging the early debate societies at Bates in the 1860s and the sophomore debate prize.
In 1869 the State of Maine gave separate charters to two of Bates' first debating and literary societies, the  Polymnian Society and Eurosophian Society.
As early as the 1870s, women were participating the debate contests at Bates.
From 1901 to 1903 William Trufant Foster led the Bates debate program.
Bates' debate society was eventually headed by Bates alumnus and teacher Brooks Quimby, Class of 1918, and became the first intercollegiate international debate team in the United States.
Quimby Debate Society has been noted as "America's most prestigious debating society."
During the 1930s, the debate society was subject to 'The Quimby Institute' which pitted each and every debate student against Brooks Quimby himself.
This is where he began to engage heated debate with them that stressed "flawless assertions" and resulted in every error made by the student to be carefully scrutinized and teased.

During the Chase presidency, the college's debate team became intercollegiate and associated with the college's academic reputation.
The debate society became the first college debate team in the United States to compete internationally.

In February 1920, the debate team defeated Harvard College during the national debate tournament held at Lewiston City Hall.
After this, Bates was established as a dominant force in collegiate debate.
In 1921, the college's debate team participated in the first intercontinental collegiate debate in history against the Oxford Union's debate team at the University of Oxford.

In 1922, The New York Times called Bates "the power centre of college debating in America."
Oxford's first debate in the United States was against Bates in Lewiston, Maine, in September 1923.
The formation of the team predates the establishment of the college itself as the debate society was founded within the Maine State Seminary. Professor Jonathan Stanton, who taught at Bates from 1863 to 1918, was instrumental in encouraging the early debate societies at Bates in the 1860s and the sophomore debate prize. In 1869 the State of Maine gave separate charters to two of Bates' first debating and literary societies, the  Polymnian Society and Eurosophian Society. As early as the 1870s, women were participating the debate contests at Bates. From 1901 to 1903 William Trufant Foster led the Bates debate program. Bates' debate society was eventually headed by Bates alumnus and teacher Brooks Quimby, Class of 1918, and became the first intercollegiate international debate team in the United States. Quimby Debate Society has been noted as "America's most prestigious debating society." During the 1930s, the debate society was subject to 'The Quimby Institute' which pitted each and every debate student against Brooks Quimby himself. This is where he began to engage heated debate with them that stressed "flawless assertions" and resulted in every error made by the student to be carefully scrutinized and teased.
During the Chase presidency, the college's debate team became intercollegiate and associated with the college's academic reputation. The debate society became the first college debate team in the United States to compete internationally.
In February 1920, the debate team defeated Harvard College during the national debate tournament held at Lewiston City Hall. After this, Bates was established as a dominant force in collegiate debate. In 1921, the college's debate team participated in the first intercontinental collegiate debate in history against the Oxford Union's debate team at the University of Oxford. 
In 1922, The New York Times called Bates "the power centre of college debating in America." Oxford's first debate in the United States was against Bates in Lewiston, Maine, in September 1923.
Brooks Quimby Debate Council