Old South Orations and Debates

RESULTS

Fall 2007

SCORE AFTER 9 DEBATES
The Chosen People Literary Society	The Black Southerners Literary Society	The “Clan” Literary Society	McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society
2	3	2	2

WITH THE FINAL SCORE A 3-WAY TIE FOR SECOND PLACE, ON DECEMBER 10, 2007, WE HELD A “SOUTHERN HISTORY BEE.” THE THREE SECOND-PLACE SOCIETIES PARTICIPATED. WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE OLD SOUTH BEING RANDOMLY PULLED FROM A BOX, EACH MEMBER OF EACH TEAM HAD TO BEAR THE SPOTLIGHT AND ANSWER IN TURN. IF THE INDIVIDUAL COULD NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION CORRECTLY, HE OR SHE SAT DOWN. WHOLE TEAMS WERE EVENTUALLY ELIMINATED THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND THE FINAL “RANK” FOR EACH SOCIETY WAS DECIDED.

THE FINAL RESULTS:

FIRST PLACE (EARNING TWENTY POINTS ADDED TO THEIR FINAL GRADE):

The Black Southerners Literary Society

SECOND PLACE (EARNING TEN POINTS ADDED TO THEIR FINAL GRADE):

The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society

THIRD PLACE (EARNING FIVE POINTS ADDED TO THEIR FINAL GRADE):

The “Chosen People” Literary Society

FOURTH PLACE (EARNING THE “EXERIENCE” OF HAVING PARTICIPATED):

The “Clan” Literary Society

RECAP OF THE SEMESTER’S DEBATES AND OUTCOMES:

Friday, September 21: What was a more important influence on the Old South, climate or immigration?

Black Southerners Literary Society (climate) v. The Chosen People Literary Society (immigration)

The Black Southerners Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 13 to 11.

Friday, September 28: What was more important to the Old South, cotton or tobacco?

The Clan Literary Society (cotton) v. The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society (tobacco)

The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 15 to 11.

Wednesday, October 3: What was more important to the Old South, corn or livestock?

The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society (corn) v. The Chosen People Literary Society (livestock)

The Chosen People Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 17 to 7.

Friday, October 26: Was the plantation system efficient?

The Clan Literary Society (affirmative) v. The Black Southerners Literary Society (negative)

The “Clan” Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 29 to 15.

Friday, November 2: Who was more zealous: defenders of slavery or abolitionists?

The Chosen People Literary Society (defenders of slavery) v. The Clan Literary Society (abolitionists)

The “Clan” Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 30 to 7.

Friday, November 9: Did the code of honor ultimately do more good or more harm to the culture of the Old South?

The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society (more good) v. The Black Southerners Literary Society (more harm)

The Black Southerners Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 10 to 9.

Friday, November 16: Was the Old South truly hospitable?

The Black Southerners Literary Society (affirmative) v. The Chosen People Literary Society (negative)

The Black Southerners Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 13 to 8.

Friday, November 30: What was the most important cause of the Civil War, Slavery, States’ Rights, or Northern aggression?

The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society (slavery) v. The Clan Literary Society (states’ rights) v. The Black Southerners Literary Society (northern aggression)

The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 14 to 7 (Clan Literary Society), to 5 (Black Southerners Literary Society).

Friday, December 7: Is modern day West Texas more reflective of the culture of the Old South, the Old West, or Antebellum New England?

The Chosen People Literary Society (Old South) v. The Clan Literary Society (Old West) v. The McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society (Antebellum New England)

The Chosen People Literary Society won this debate with a vote of 14 to 12 (McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society), to 7 (Clan Literary Society).

THE TEAMS:

The Chosen People Literary Society	The Black Southerners Literary Society	The “Clan” Literary Society	McMurry Muckrakers Literary Society
Bocanegra	Britton	Clements	Corbin
Devora	Edwards	Esquivel	Flores
Franco	Harwell	Hernandez	Parkinson
Pettit	Poorman	Smith, J.	Smith, K.
Sonnen	West	Wood	Worley