Between 1892, when Harvard and Yale met in one of the first intercollegiate debates, and 1909, the year of the first Triangular Debate of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, the rhetoric, symbolism, and metaphors used in athletics were used to frame these early debates. Debates were covered on front pages of college newspapers and emphasized in yearbooks, and team members even received the equivalent of athletic letters for their jackets. There even were rallies sending off the debating teams to matches. Yet, the debates never attained the broad appeal that athletics enjoyed. One reason may be that debates do not have a clear winner, as is the case in sports, and that scoring is subjective. In addition, with late 19th-century concerns about the impact of modern life on the human body, athletics offered hope that neither the individual nor the society was coming apart. COUNT 5
QSN1 In what year was the first debate between Harvard, Yale, and Princeton? ANS1 1909 QSN2 When was the first debate between Harvard and Yale? ANS2 1892 QSN3 How were debates shown to the college students? ANS3 front pages of college newspapers QSN4 What did members of the debate team get for their service? ANS4 the equivalent of athletic letters for their jackets QSN5 Why do debates not have a distinct winner? ANS5 scoring is subjective