History Happened Here . . .
DEBATE TRADITION
Debates, often hosted by literary societies, have been a significant part of student life at Tusculum. Open to the campus and the broader community, debates often focus on current events. For instance, in 1871, as the suffrage movement gained momentum, students debated "whether the elective franchise should be extended to the women of the United States." In 1878, the Philomathean Literary Society debated "Should Females Pursue the Same Course of Studies Established in Male Colleges?"
Philomathean and Philologian Literary Societies' program for a debate on May 2, 1919. This student debate centered around whether the United States should enter the League of Nations. Outside of Tusculum, this question was a major point of discussion across the nation following World War I. From the Tusculum Archives.
Today, Tusculum students keep the debating tradition alive. The Tusculum University Debate Team won first place at the Tennessee Valley Invitational in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2023.
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Site contributor:
Samantha Nelson, Student, Tusculum University