Speech and Debate Moments in History

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Below is an existing list of items to which we'd like you to react. This list is not all inclusive and may be missing something that surprises you. Please make those notes as you go and remind us about important moments we've missed at the end of the survey. Thank you for making this a collective effort to reflect our history in an accurate, inclusive, and meaningful way.

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* 1. Check the items you feel are worthy of consideration for a timeline highlighting important historical moments in our organizational history?

1925 The National Speech & Debate Association was founded in 1925 by Bruno E. Jacob at Ripon College in Ripon, WI. It gained 100 schools in its first two years.

In 1927, a monthly Bulletin, forerunner of Rostrum, made its appearance.

The first chapter manual was published in 1928.

Jeweled pins to designate degrees and gold insignia for instructors were authorized in 1930.

1930-31 In August, the Executive Director proposed to the Board that it sponsor a National Tournament. The first national high school debate championship was held at Ripon College, May 7-9, 1931, with 49 schools from 17 states competing. Miami, Oklahoma, won the first title. District tournaments were held for the first time.

1930-31 Mrs. W.S. O'Banion becomes the first woman to coach a National Champion Debate team.

1932-33 Growth continued in spite of the economic depression and reached 400 chapters. All National Tournament winners appeared on an NBC network program, and CBS again carried the championship debate.

1934-35 The national office was moved to the University of Denver where Bruno Jacob engaged in graduate study.

1934-35 The first meeting of all Board members took place, and ten amendments to the constitution were proposed to adapt league rules to growth and to the rapidly increasing number of debate and speech tournaments. Rostrum replaced the earlier Bulletin.

1934-35 Rostrum replaced the earlier Bulletin.

1935-36 The first class of national honorary members was inducted.

1935-36 Black student Caleb Thompson of Peekskill HS (NY) wins Dramatic Declamation after successfully challenging a decision to segregate him from white competitors during National Tournament competition.

1936-37 The League office was returned to Ripon College. National Tournament teams were rated instead of given win-loss decisions in the first five rounds.

1937-38 The first National Congress was held in conjunction with the National Tournament.

1939-40 Cross-examination in debate was first used in the National Tournament.

1940-41 A loose-leaf system of keeping credit point records was supplied to every chapter.

1941-42 The National Tournament was suspended for the war. The Congress met in the Wisconsin State Capitol and received a letter of commendation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1942-43 A war emergency schedule of credit points for service speeches to school and community audiences was established.

1942-43 A diamond-set key was authorized for coaches attaining 1,000 credit points.

1943-44 The Leading Chapter Award was instituted. The constitution was amended to add a principal and a superintendent to the Board of Directors and to expand the office of district chairman to a three-member District Committee with power to grant charters.

1944-45 A schedule of points for community service speeches was written into the constitution.

1944-45 The National Congress was suspended in compliance with a ban on conventions. A national contest in Extemporaneous Speaking was held instead at Northwestern University, preceded by regional contests at Denver, Iowa City, Nashville, and Washington, PA.

1945-46 The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) assumed control of national contests and restricted entry to one student from a state in each event.

1946-47 A single national speech tournament was again held with 96 contestants from 22 states. To discourage marathon speaking in quest of points, the Board limited award of points to three rounds a day.

1948-49 At its annual meeting, the Board made all members of the District Committee elective by chapters.

1948-49 League President Karl E. Mundt was elected to the United States Senate.

1949-50 Debate was restored to the National Tournament by dropping two interpretation events. This action was necessary to secure tournament sanction from the principals’ contest committee.

1950-51 The League published a comprehensive 25th Anniversary book to record the achievements of its members. The membership fee was raised to $2.

1951-52 Congress was restored to the National Tournament, with one session held in Faneuil Hall, Boston. Interpretation was dropped.

1952-53 The League was incorporated.

1954-55 Dramatic Interpretation was restored as a National Tournament event.

1956-57 The 100,000th individual membership was recorded in December.

1959-60 Charter requirements were raised and charter chapters were limited to 1,000. The charter fee was set at $10 a year.

1959-60 A double ruby was authorized for both students and coaches.

1960-61 District Tournament rules were changed to apportion entries according to chapter size, the limit of 1,000 charter chapters having been reached. Affiliate membership for schools awaiting a charter vacancy was established.

1968-69 The 300,000th individual membership was recorded in March.

1972-73 A chapter award was presented to the leading school in each of the 44 districts. An award was authorized for the leading affiliate school in the nation.

1974-75 The Golden Anniversary (1925-1975) was observed.

1975-76 The League acquired its own building after 50 years on the campus of Ripon College.

1976-77 Humorous Interpretation was added as a main event for District and National Tournaments.

1977-78 Carmendale Fernandes (CA) became the first female president. The League had 1,315 chapters and 694 affiliates.

1977-78 The Hall of Fame was established and Bruno E. Jacob was named the first of 11 inductees. Mr. Jacob was named by acclamation.

1979-80 Lincoln-Douglas Debate was established as an event.

1982-83 Videotaping of National Tournament final rounds was initiated.

1982-83 United States and Foreign Extemp were established.

1983-84 Qualifiers to the National Tournament came exclusively from districts.

1988-89 The “California Plan” option was made available for conducting speech events at district tournaments.

1994-95 Kristen Langwell and Rachel Gressel become the first all-female Policy Debate National Championship team.

1995-96 The National Junior Forensic League was founded for middle schools.

1995-96 Duo Interpretation was added as a national event.

1995-96 The 900,000th member was recorded.

1998-99 Lindsay Littlefield (ND) was the first female “All American” point leader.

1999-00 The Academic All American Award is established to honor students with both high academic achievement, as well as competitive forensic experience.

1999-00 The first Middle School National Tournament was held at Fr. Ryan High School in Nashville, TN.

2000-01 Dr. Joan Keston of the Public Employees Roundtable was the first female to be named a national honorary member.

2001-02 Chapters began recording points online through the League’s own first website, following a site hosted on the University of Vermont’s “Debate Central” by Dr. Alfred C. “Tuna” Snider.

2002-03 A new event, Public Forum Debate, was created.

2004-05 Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr, becomes the organization's first African American on the Board of Directors.

2005-06 The national office holds its first Summer Leadership Conference for district chairs in Ripon, WI.

2005-06 Aaron Timmons becomes the first African-American elected to the NSDA Hall of Fame.

2006-07 Run-off rounds in debate are discontinued and laptop computers are allowed in Policy Debate at the National Tournament.

2007-08 Long-held values were enumerated in the Code of Honor, which highlights integrity, humility, respect, leadership and service. The inaugural National Student of the Year Award was presented to Kyle Ackerman of Downers Grove South High School in Illinois.

2009-10 Supplemental Debate is introduced and saw a record number of entries.

2009-10 The top six non-graduating contestants in each main event automatically qualify to the following year’s National Tournament.

2010-11 Computers are allowed in Public Forum, Congressional, Lincoln-Douglas, and Policy Debate as well as Extemporaneous Speaking preparation at the district and national tournaments.

2010-11 Point recording limitations/caps were abolished.

2010-11 Leland HS (CA), coached by Gay Brasher, was the first school to exceed 1,000 degrees.

2011-12 District Committees were restructured with five full voting members elected, abolishing the alternate position.

2012-13 Student members are allowed to vote on proposed debate topics through a new weighted voting system where coach votes are worth 75% and student votes are worth 25%.

2012-13 In a historic vote, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to change the name of the organization to the National Speech & Debate Association.

2013-14 The National Speech & Debate Association expanded to 110 districts with the addition of the Florida Oceanfront and Yellow Rose (TX) districts.

2015-16 In the fall of 2015, the Board affirmed that, beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, all memberships, including middle schools, in the National Speech & Debate Association must be school-based.

2015-16 Jacqueline (Jacci) Young (MO) joined Tim Sheaff as co-emcee of the National Awards Assembly.

2016-17 Cornelia Fraser becomes the first African American female to compete in the Public Forum final round. She and partner Rafey Khan became National Champions.

2016-17 Jacquelyn “Jacci” Young becomes the first African-American woman elected to the NSDA Hall of Fame.

Question Title

* 2. Please mention any other notable dates and events, whether tied to NFL/NSDA history or powerful speaking moments in history, that would complement our timeline. Be as specific as possible with the date and/or year if you know it. Thank you!

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* 3. Anyone we should reach out to for more ideas or historical perspective? We are especially interested in capturing history from diverse sources and perspectives.

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* 4. Optional: Tell us about yourself so we can gauge the diversity of our responses.

Name

State

How do you feel you add diversity?