2-15-2000

The Voice of Edwin is the weekly newsletter of the Edwin Lawrence Debate Union at the University of Vermont, an endowed co-curricular program which trains students in debating and sponsors national competition and community events. Alfred C. Snider is the Director. 802-656-0097 voice, 802-238-8345 mobile, 656-4275 fax, asnider@zoo.uvm.edu email, and http://debate.uvm.edu/ldu.html web site.
The LDU meets every Monday night at 6 PM at 475 Main Street.

IN YEAR 100 OF VERMONT DEBATE, A NEW SQUAD RECORD


Education and personal growth and development are the primary goals of the Lawrence Debate Union. These goals are pursued through debate competition. Competition, and all of our attempts to win debates, are the means through which we pursue our goals. However, in many instances, the number of debates and the wins achieved are a measure of how, in some ways, the squad is doing.

While the LDU discourages students from evaluating themselves based on their individual win-loss records, the overall record of the squad is more revealing. It is often used as a motivator for all students. Every debate, whether a team is 5-0 or 0-5, is of equal importance to the overall squad win-loss record. Novice, JV, varsity -- all students and all debates are important to the team. We list our overall record in every newsletter as an indication of this.

In the 1994-95 season the LDU had an excellent and deep squad. Debaters like Maxwell Schnurer, Gordie Miller, Jethro Hayman (future Debater of the Year in the East), Annalei McGreevy, Cleopatra Jones (future Debater of the Year in the East) , Andrea Looby, Tanya Coburn, and many others made that year a huge success. At the CEDA National tournament that year the last debate won by UVM before elimination was #300. It was an impressive achievement given our limited budget and the fact that almost no UVM students have high school debate experience. It was thought the record of 300 wins would be very hard to break.

Until now. Last weekend, at the Rockland Community College tournament, the last round won was #301. In true LDU style that number was reached by two novices, Teddy Malley and Jen Knops, in their 3-0 semifinal victory over a team from Marist College. The scary part about 301 wins is that we have FOUR tournaments left. Now the only questions are, how high can we go, and how can any future team beat the record that the 1999-2000 squad will set?

To get 300 wins, for example, a single team would have to go 6-0 at FIFTY debate tournaments, or five teams would have to go 6-0 at TEN debate tournaments.

The 301 win mark is also impressive given that the squad is currently 39 wins over .500. The record was set because of the QUALITY of the students as well as the SIZE of the team. Tournaments like Rochester, Binghamton, and Cornell, where UVM entered as many as 17 teams and all but ONE team was .500 or better are an indication of this.

Every student on the squad contributed to this record breaking performance, as well as every coach, judge, donor, supporter, and friend. We did this together, as a group, and we are very proud of each and every one of us and also proud of the UVM debate tradition of Edwin Lawrence and Robert Huber which made it all possible.

EXCELLENCE AT ROCKLAND!

Six UVM teams produced a 24-15 record this weekend at Rockland Community College. Sarah Snider and Casey Gervais (a novice) were 6-0 in the Open Division before losing in the elimination rounds and finishing THIRD. Aaron Fishbone and Peter Winfield (both JV) were 4-2 and finished FIFTH. Greta Lockwood and Liz Robinson (novice) were 3-3 in the Open Division. Sarah Snider was voted the #1 debater, Aaron Fishbone #5.
In the Novice Division Jen Knops and Teddy Malley were 5-1, won their semifinal debate 3-0, and then lost a contested final round 2-1 to finish SECOND in Novice. Craig Winfield and Ben Luntz were 3-3 (Craig had to receive emergency medical attention and forfeited a round but returned to win the next two debates) while Eric Chartan and Mike Phippen (Mike's first tournament ever!) were 2-4. Eric Chartan was named the #2 debater in the Novice Division.

HEART OF AMERICA IN KANSAS IS NEXT

Sarah Snider & Helen Morgan along with Tuna. Leave from Burlington Friday at 7 AM with Rae as driver. Return on Tuesday with driver TBA.

SPRING, 2000 SCHEDULE
JOIN US, HELP US, FUND US, HOUSE US, JUDGE FOR US
2/19-20 Univ. of Kansas
2/25-27 East Regionals at UVM
3/3-5 Nov Nats, JV Nats, Towson
3/17-20 CEDA Nats in KC
3/24-27 NDT in KC

MEETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

LONG TERM RESEARCH WITH HELEN - WED 11 AM
MEETING WITH BURLINGTON HS ABOUT STARTING A DEBATE TEAM - WED 2 PM

WORK WEEKEND TO PREPARE FOR REGIONALS
SATURDAY 12-5 PM WITH RAE
SUNDAY 12-5 PM WITH JACKIE

EAST REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT UVM, FEBRUARY 25-27, 2000.

The CEDA East Regional Championships and the NDT District 8 Qualifier will be held at UVM. We need to be good hosts as well as excellent competitors.
TASKS: Sat. Lunch Ted & Jen, Water bottles Rae, Coffee & bagels Tuna, Transportation Rae, Clean-up ALL, Packets ALL, Ballot runners Jackie, Student meeting Sarah, Housing coordinator Jackie, Gauze as speaker Rae.

WE STILL NEED JUDGES TO HELP US SO WE CAN ENTER OUR TEAMS!


PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD DEBATE INSTITUTE 2000
http://debate.uvm.edu/wdi.html

VERMONT HIGH SCHOOL STATE TOURNAMENT SEEKS JUDGES
MARCH 11, 2000 IN MONTPELIER
CONTACT: wdritschilo@rutlandhs.k12.vt.us

UPCOMING PUBLIC DEBATES

March 14 - Live internet debate vs. English Speaking Union in London. Sarah, Jen, Jackie, Ted, Peter, Andy, Ben are interested in being involved.

GotNotes Debate - Rae & Ben are assembling teams.

1999-2000 Season WINS LOSSES %
Previous 277 247 52.8%
Cornell 24 15  

New Total

301

262

53.4%

Email us!