DACTYLOLOGY CLUB HUSS HA DEBATE Est.1956: Row 1: T. Mercury, L. Thompson (sponsor), A. King, M. Jamerison, M. Hoehn, E. Wood, A. Young, S. Evdoxiadis (sponsor). Row 2: J. Tabor, M. Griffith, V. Mcintosh, V. Ellis, M. Mclaughlin, M. Starks, D. King, K. Cotter, N. Milton. Harding University Student Speech and Hearing Association est. 1953: Row 1: M. Allen, E. Wagoner, V. Reinhardt, A. Fichter, C. Sims, B. Jones, C. Harris, J. Baber, L. Raynor. Row 2: D. Tucker, A. Moore, K. Kelton, A. Goff, C. Gastineau, A. Wilmsen, C. Wallace, H. Vandiver, D. Wilkerson, K. Denney, A. Browning, E. Burks. Row 3: C. Davis, B. Holland, H. Field, E. Ford, K. Kasper, T. Perez, C. Curtis, D. Bolt, A. Cook, R. Gerber, M. Heroux, A. Emmet, A. Kelton, J. Fouss, S. McCarthy, K. Ellis. Est.1924: Row 1: P. Garner(sponsor), C. James, H. Moore, D. Stokes, H. Waldron. Row 2: G. Piershale, R. Money, J. Hoehn. TRADITION DEBATE CHERISHES 90-YEAR HISTORY Few student organizations boasted an establishment date earlier than the 1920s; however, the debate team was formed in 1919 at Harper College, one of the two colleges that merged to become Harding College in 1924. The debate team traveled to tournaments in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee and Alabama, where team members competed in public debates. Professor of Speech and debate sponsor Dr. Pat Garner had extensive experience, having been involved with the Harding Debate Team for 50 years. He was a participant during his time as a student in the 1960s and began coaching the team in the 1980s. "Dr. Garner is the perfect coach," senior Kalvin Graham, a member of the debate team said. "He encourages us to debate, to learn and [to] explore. He has a seemingly infinite range of knowledge and helps us think through our arguments; his critiques are always invaluable." During tournaments, each team was required to bring a few judges to officiate the debates. Garner rotated team members into the role of judge so they could gain a new perspective. "Debate has shaped my way of thinking," Graham said. "You can never truly understand the other side of an issue until you are forced to argue for it. It's truly mind opening, and I think that is a strong reason for the fact that this team has been around for so many years." Garner also considered the debate program a tool for teaching and empowering students. Having worked with debate - for so long, he was firmly convinced of its value to academia. "It's great mental exercise for students," Garner said. "They really get to see different perspectives. It's very educational." Debate was not only a team but also a class. Some team members attended the practices and tournaments for COMO 151, beginning intercollegiate debate. Junior Harrison Waldron, a member of the class, said that debate kept him focused on current events. Waldron was impressed by his own increased knowledge of the world. Schools were not separated into divisions for debate, so Harding had debated against prestigious schools including Harvard, Dartmouth and the University of Southern California. Arguing against students at Ivy League schools added a competitive edge to Harding's debate team, inspiring them to remain aware of current events and to always conduct research, which could make all the difference in a debate. "I love the research," Garner said. "I love seeking information from the best available sources and using it to win. But you can't research while you're in a debate. That's all done prior to the debate, so you have to rely heavily on critical thinking skills, and I love that too." The debate team accumulated hundreds of trophies over their first 90 years at Harding. With such a strong history behind them, the team looked forward to a future of many more successes. Cole Mokry
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