<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> World Schools Debating Championships: London, England, 1992

WSDC 1992: London, England
Article from "Rostrum" Magazine

INNOCENTS ABROAD: MANCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL AT THE WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Manchester (MA) High School Debate Team recently returned from London, where we participated in the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) from February 6-16. Members of the debate team who made the trip were NFL members Max Arnaud, Matthew Graves, Owen Davis, Colleen Melia, Amanda Bafaro, Brett Loffredo. Meighan Cappello, Jennifer Campbell, Brian Kaczynski, Tricia Mitchell, Ana O'Beirne, Billy O'Donnell, and Layne Salter. Chaperones included Lauren Averill, Joan Davis, and Debate Coach Tim Averill.
Averill's original idea for the London trip was for the team to celebrate its 20th anniversary by travelling to Europe to give exhibitions of American debating, allowing all members of the team (including those who were unlikely to qualify for nationals) to participate. As we planned the trip, our contacts in London suggested that Manchester compete as the USA team in the WSDC, and in November we accepted the invitation. The competitive team of Max Arnaud, Amanda Bafaro, Owen Davis, Matthew Graves, and Colleen Melia participated in eight debates, winning one (vs. the Netherlands), losing "majority decisions" (1-2) in three (vs. Pakistan, Israel, and Scotland), and losing "unanimous decisions" (0-3) in four (vs. England, Ireland, New Zealand, and Bangladesh). Our students who were not on the competitive team were very active as well. They participated fully in the "floor debates" after each competitive round, and they presented a discussion of American policy and L-D debate at King's College School in Wimbledon.. In addition, all members of the team had ten days to see London, take in two plays, and enjoy the original HARD ROCK CAFE.
The Manchester Debate Team was very impressed with the quality of argument and delivery of the international champions. Our opponents were self-confident citizens of the world. We spent the first several debates learning the style and techniques of parliamentary debate, and by the end of the championships, we had become competitive. Our US policy debate background showed in our speed of delivery, which hurt us, and in our use of evidence which was more precise than required, with not enough reliance on our own reading and general knowledge. Most importantly, we had the opportunity to get to know students from all over the world, to share ideas and opinions, and to assess our educational system by comparison.

THE WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The World Schools Debating Championships were first held in Australia in August 1988. Since then there have been competitions in Canada and Scotland. The London Tournament was the fourth in the series and was won by New Zealand, the first team to repeat as winners. Previous winners were Canada and Scotland.
Each year the size of the competition has increased. In 1992, thirteen countries participated in the London event: Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, England, Ireland, Israel, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, the United States of America, and Wales. Most of the teams were chosen from national competitions specially arranged with the world championship in mind. Countries who are members of the World Schools Debate Council but who did not participate in 1992 include Belgium, China, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Kenya, New Guinea, and Singapore. All debates are conducted in English.
Each team debates eight times during the preliminary rounds, which are followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the Grand Final. Debates are held at various sites selected by the host country. In London, for example, Manchester debated in eight different schools, including Eton College (where we visited the "Chariots of Fire" filming site) and Westminster School (next door to the Abbey).There is a separate contest to select the best individual speaker (1992- Dominic Johnson of England), and a special award is given to the best team for whom English is not the native language (1992 - Pakistan).
Future World Schools Debating Championships will be held in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada (1993); New Zealand (1994); and Cardiff, Wales (1995).

COMPETITION RULES- WORLD SCHOOLS DEBATING CHAPIONSHIPS

The debates follow a parliamentary paradigm. The proposition (affirmative or government), proposes a resolution of value or policy, and the opposition negates it. There are three speakers on each side for each debate. Each of the six main speeches lasts eight minutes, with points of information from members of the opposite team permitted during the middle six minutes. These points of information are part of the speech time and last about 15 seconds. There is no limit on the number of points of information that can be made, but accepting the points is up to the speaker. After the main speeches, there is a two minute pause, followed by one reply speech of four minutes from each side, beginning with the opposition. This reply speech may be given by the first or second speaker of each team.
When the competitive part of the debate is concluded, the three-judge panel retires to consider their verdict and a short floor debate is held. Members of the audience are encouraged to contribute to this. When the judges indicate that they are ready, the floor debate is concluded and a non-binding vote is taken on the motion. Finally, the verdict is given, which may be unanimous or a majority decision. [See sample ballot below]. Despite the fact that the judges do discuss their decisions as a jury, about half of the decisions in 1992 were majority decisions.
Some debates are on topics that are sent to the debaters several months before the competition, although the side on which each team is speaking is only announced at the beginning of the tournament. Other debates are on topics announced at one-and-a-half hours' notice and prepared by the teams with no assistance from their coaches.

For the 1992 debates, the USA team from Manchester was assigned the following topics:

This House believes that Nuclear Energy is worth the Risk.
This House believes that Today's Heroes are Hollow.
This House believes that Money is Corrupting Sport.
This House would abolish all Monarchies.
This House would copy the Japanese.
This House would legalise voluntary Euthanasia.

Manchester was also assigned the following 90-minute preparation topics: 1) Resolved; that this house welcomes the fall of Communism; 2) Resolved: that this house would close down Hollywood; and 3) Resolved: this house believes that the war against discrimination has been fought badly.

THE DEBATES

The debates were very enjoyable. The emphasis is upon "public persuasion" and the careful use of a relatively small amount of evidence. Although the team is encouraged to have an advocacy position, the ethos of individual speakers is what carries the debate (judging is done by adding the "marks" given to individual speakers). Humor and wit are required and rewarded. The points of information, essentially open cross-examination during the constructive speeches, are vital to establishing that ethos. The speaker may accept or decline points of information, and is evaluated on how well the point is taken and turned to advantage. The questioner may also be rewarded for points of information which substantially damage the speaker's logic, research, or composure.
The rules of evidence were very loose, with the speaker's own knowledge almost as important as any documentation. The depth of research for the prepared topics was, by American standards, shallow; on the other hand, the depth of personal knowledge and education was, by any standard, impressive and even a bit overwhelming for the American team. The international teams were especially strong in the 90 minute preparation debates, in which they displayed an awareness of history, culture, and philosophy that would be characteristic of college graduates in the United States.
Manchester Debate did videotape many of the debates, and we hope to use these videotapes to illustrate the techniques of World Schools Debating to future American competitors if the USA can assemble a team for 1993 in Canada.

A PROPOSAL

The United States of America has never sent a truly national team to the World Schools Debating Championships. Sue Wenzlaff of St. Frances de Sales attended with a team in 1988. Other teams from private school leagues were formed to compete in Canada and Scotland. Manchester's attendance in 1992 limited to varsity members from our NFL Chapter and was part of a broader interest in bringing American debate to London and emphasizing participation by all members of the varsity team.
After having coached my team at the WSDC this year, I believe that the USA should take steps to assemble a truly national team for the 1993 contest, which will be held in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. The team would seek corporate underwriting and would ask for the sponsorship of the NFL or the National Debate Coaches Association. Applications to participate on the team could be made by students who appeared in elimination rounds in policy debate, L-D debate, extemporaneous speaking, and Student Congress at the 1992 NFL National Speech Tournament. Additional tryouts/interviews/auditions could be held at several major tournaments in the Fall of 1992, and a team selected by November 30.

Coaching the team could be a rotating responsibility, and coaches could also indicate their interest. For convenience, I would be happy to organize the team and select the coach. There is no reason that the USA cannot field a very fine and competitive team, and our experience was that the benefits to the participants were worth the sacrifice of time and effort. I'd love to discuss this proposal with interested coaches at Fargo in June.

Tim Averill has coached debate at Manchester High School since 1971. His team won the NFL and TOC policy debate championships in 1987. Mr. Averill is a Key Coach of the Barkley Forum, and founder of the Beverly Bocce Players Association.

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