Abstract The University of Tennessee Forensics Debate team, now known as the Tennessee Speech and Debate Society, is the student-run and alumni-funded speech and debate team on the University of Tennessee campus. Beginning in the 1800s, the organization can be traced back to both the Chi Delta Literary Society, founded in 1836, which dedicated itself to public discourse, as well as the Barbra Blount Literary Society which empowered young women to become advocates to those around them. This collection...

Abstract This collection houses a ledger containing the constitution and minutes of the Philomathic Debating Club of Yorkville, Tennessee from 1879 and 1880. The issues debated during this period included "Resolved: That frequent indulgence in female society is beneficial to the young man," "Resolved: That money has more influence over man than woman has," "Resolved: That ambition has been productive of more good than evil", and "Resolved: That nature proves the existence of a God more than the...