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Summary of 1960 through 1969

 

Randall Capps

Dr. Russell Miller's decade of administration slowly transitioned to Randall L. Capps by 1963. Hired in 1962, and department head of Speech and Theater in 1969, Capps would become as prolific a sponsor of forensics at Western as Russell Miller had been. He would play a critical role in the 1987 restoration of WKU's forensic team.

The end of the Congress Debating Club

Between 1958 and 1961 the competitive debate team and the Congress Debating Club clearly began their separate paths. Whereas before debate competition had come from the club membership, as the competitive debate team developed the Congress Debating Club became, in effect, moot. Thus the longest-running club in Western's history dissolved in 1966, after forty-six years. The obvious association between the club and citizenship and government helps us understand where the club's activities went after the formal club dissolved. At the time these archives were compiled, the Political Science Department continued to host moot court.

Further change in competitions

Sources prior to this decade described debate results solely in terms of win/loss ratios. Not a single source yet mined mentions eliminations rounds in debate. Only at the start of the 1960s do articles mention debate tournaments with a "berth" of quarterfinal or semifinal rounds. Whether this reflects a new development or simply the team meeting new styles as it competed further abroad is not clear, though the later seems likely. The team certainly competed further outside the state, and more often, than it had the previous decade. Regarding debate formats, a 1963 article specified that the debates at the Southern Speech Association tournament comprised "four rounds of conventional debate and...two rounds of cross examination debate."¹ As for non-debate events, sources from the later part of the previous decade make no mention of anything beyond oratory. In 1963, however, we've mention again of competition in other speaking and interpretation events at two to three tournaments each year. Some years the debaters would compete throughout the competition year, whereas other students would join in for select tournaments to compete in individual events. By the later part of the 1960s, it became more common for the debate students themselves to also compete in individual events.

The Russell Miller Archives

This page contains the final forensics-related scrapbook kept by debate coach Russell H. Miller, associated with the 1960-61 school year. As before, the bulk of the memorabilia pertains to the theatrical productions of the Western Players, but this selection also includes speech and debate content. Many forensics students also performed in the Western Players.

Russell Miller Scrapbook 1960-61 #2

 

Annual Subsections: 1960 - 1969

 

 

1959-60

Western Debate Associates

Russell H. Miller (sponsor), Lerond Curry (coach); Thomas Pogue (cpt), Leon Remington (co-cpt), Jo Plunk (sec), Elizabeth Rhea (pr), Bill R. Curran, Rachel Eubanks, Robert L. Jones, John Warren Oakes, Charles L. Wade, Harry Zimmerman Anne C. Shaver and Robert H. Schneider represented Western at the Kentucky Oratorical Association contest, but records are lacking. The team does appear to have competed in fewer debate tournaments than it had in previous years, but by selecting tournaments rather than matches the total number of debate rounds was likely the same. On 8 March 1960 WKU joined Tau Kappa Alpha, a national forensic-related fraternity. A copy of the founding charter can be found here.

 

Congress Debating Society

Sponsor: Dr. Willson E. Wood Earl Ray Forsythe, Robert L. Jones, Lena Priestly, Beverly Ritchie, Robert W. Ritchie, Bill Rudolph, Jackie Smith, Charles L. Wade, and Neil C. Ward

 

Campus oratory Ogden: Robert H. Schneider; Robinson: Charles L. Wade; AAUW: Anne C. Shaver; SNEA: Martha Clayton

Sample Ogden and Robinson photo (hover for caption, click to enlarge)

 

 

1960-61

Western Debate Associates

Charles English (coach) Russell H. Miller (director of forensics) Kathy Adkins, Nancy Baugh, Bill R. Curran, Faye Wells Curran, Bob B. Denhardt, Frieda Friedli, Bob Geeslin, Carol Howton, Bill D. Hyatt, Bernard L. Madison, Jerry Moulder, George E. Smith, Jerry Trayler, Ted Urban, Charles Wade, Diddy Wells, and Harry Zimmerman.²

Bob Denhardt won top novice speaker at the Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate Association (state) tournament, on 17-18 March. At the Kentucky Intercollegiate Oratorical Association tournament Kathy Adkins and Jim Skaggs competed, but we lack records of results. The team also competed at the Tau Kappa Alpha national tournament in Louisville on 11-13 May, but we've no record of results.

[Link to 1961 Results Archive]

Congress Debating Society

Sponsor: Dr. Willson E. Wood

Richard G. Anderson, Roger Bates, Earl Ray Forsythe, Bob Hale, Titus Lyle, David Owens, Dean Popplewell, Bill Rudolph, Jerry C. Traylor, Jack Smith, Sharon Stanley, and Bernie Woodward

 

Campus oratory

Ogden: Ted Urban; Robinson: Patrick Chamberlain; AAUW: Susan Moses; SNEA: Kathy Adkins

 

 

1961-62

Western Debate Associates

Russell H. Miller (DoF), Charles English (sponsor, coach) Bob B. Denhardt, Earl Ray Forsythe, Gary Gardner, Virgil Hall, Bernard L. Madison, Carolyn Patton, Barbara St. Claire, George Smith, James A. Smith, and Harvey Zimmerman

The team competed again at the Tau Kappa Alpha National Debate Tournament in Terra Haute, Indiana 18-20 April, with mixed success.³ At the new Kentucky Intercollegiate Forensic Conference at Morehead on 1 April, the team became state champions.⁴ Carolyn Patton and Bob Denhardt placed second in varsity debate.⁵

[Link to 1962 Results Archive]

The KIFC tournament appears to be a new creation, fusing the state debate and state oratorical contests. For some years in the records, the KIFC can be found, and in others the oratorical and debate tournaments instead, suggesting it was not a permanent arrangement from the start.

Congress Debating Society

Dr. William Jenkins (sponsor) Richard G. Anderson, Patrick Chamberlain, Carol Corley, Earl Ray Forsythe, Gordon E. Frank, Jerry L. Hines, Norvella Holbrook, James R. Hubbard, Claudette Hundley, Barbara Jackson, Titus Lile, Pat Richards, Jerry P. Traylor, and Pat Williams

Near the end of the school year the club decided to form a parliamentary debate team for exhibition debates.⁶ Unfortunately, if this went through, no record has been found of its activities.

 

Campus oratory

Ogden: Bernard L. Madison; Robinson: Mike Owsley; AAUW: Carolyn Alston; SNEA: Barbara Reynolds

 

 

1962-63

Western Debate Associates

(back l-to-r) Randy Capps (acting director), George E. Smith, Jim Wood, Earl Ray Forsythe (front l-to-r) Bob B. Denhardt, Carolyn Patton, Kenneth Duncan (not pictured) Brack A. Bivins, Patricia Bottorff, Nixon P. Childs, Charles Horton, Ed Lawrence, M. Reed Morgan, Marvin Rotenberg, and Twynette Shelton; Coaches: Russell H. Miller (DoF), Charles English, and Randall Capps

At the Kentucky Intercollegiate Oratorical Association contest at Centre College 16 March, Nancye Miller won the women's division of oratory.⁷ Miller therefore continued on to the IOA tournament at Northwestern on 2-4 May, but she did not advance. At the Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate Tournament at Bellarmine, Western again won the state championship on 1 December 1962, with the team of Bob Denhart, Ken Duncan, Earl Forsythe, and Carolyn Patton.¹⁵ The team also competed at the Southern Speech Association tournament in Nashville and the Tau Kappa Alpha national tournament, but with limited success.

[Link to 1963 Results Archive]

Records from 1965 claim that Western opened its first debate scholarship in 1963.⁸

 

Congress Debating Society

(back) Glenn Miller, Richard G. Anderson, James M. Reilly, William L. Harmon

(middle) Judy Chamberlain, Larry Birkhead, Mike Gray, Earl Ray Forsythe

(front l-to-r) William Jenkins (sponsor), Jerry C. Traylor, James R. Hubbard, Carol Corley

(not pictured) John Burt, Patrick Chamberlain

 

Campus oratory

Ogden: George E. Smith; Robinson: Brack A. Bivens; AAUW: Nancye Miller; SNEA: Judy Bohannon

 

 

1963-64

Western Debate Associates

(standing l-to-r) Brack A. Bivins, Nixon P. Childs, Bill Oberst, John Lovett, Doug Matyka, Stan Whitaker, Larry Hall, George R. Wilson Jr., Bob B. Denhardt, Pat Fuller

(seated l-to-r) Randall Capps (Director), Ken Duncan, Carolyn Patton, M. Reed Morgan, Dave Shearer, Ed Lawrence; (not pictured) Kathy Dewey and George Smith

On 18 August 1964 WKU joined Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha, a forensic fraternity. The membership charter can be found here. Although the team competed at several tournaments, there is no indication of having competed at a state tournament or at the Tau Kappa Alpha national tournament.

 

Congress Debating Club

(back l-to-r) William L. Harmon, Danny R. Smith, Roger Redman, Tom Bohlinger

(middle l-to-r) Stephen K. Alper, Susan Cowherd, Judy Chamberlain, John M. Burt

(front l-to-r) Richard G. Anderson, Jim Hubbard, Mike Gray, William M. Jenkins (sponsor)

(not present) Mickey Robinson, Glenn Miller, Judy Brantetter, Eddy James

 

Campus oratory Ogden: Edgar Goins; AAUW: Carole Hooper; Robinson: Doug Hundley; SNEA: Margaret Ann Gentry

Sample photo (hover for caption, click to enlarge)

 

 

1964-65

Western Debate Associates

(back) A. Miller, Kenneth Duncan, Roy T. Gentry, Bill Seymour, Carl Lambert;

(middle) Stan Whitaker, L. Thomas, Jim M. Dorris, Leon Remington, J. Harrison;

(front) Randall Capps (Director), Doug Matyka, George R. Wilson, M. Reed Morgan, Frances Mercer, Jeff Green;

(not pictured) Phil Clore and Pem Newberry

The lack of state and national tournament results suggests to this author unfortunate rankings. Invitational tournament results, though, remained strong. Regarding the events available, a few members competed in events like after-dinner speaking and impromptu at a tournament in Florida.⁹

Congress Debating Society

(back) Robert Beck, Susan Cowherd, Jane C. Trevathan, Dr. William Jenkins (sponsor)

(front) William L. Harmon, John C. Lovett, Judy Chamberlain, Tom Evans

In March, the club coordinated a public review of the nature of student government, and offered alternative approaches for representation and procedure.

 

Campus oratory

/no images available/

AAUW: Sandra Hunt; Ogden: Jeffrey Green; SNEA: Mary Louise Jones; Robinson: Rodney Madden  

 

 

1965-66

Western Debate Associates Varsity debate team: Judy Walker, Roy T. Gentry, James M. Dorris, George R. Wilson, Tom Spillman, Doug Matyka, Frances Mercer, M. Reed Morgan; (not pictured) Carl Lambert, Randall Capps (Director) Leon H. Hampton won the men's division of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Oratorical Association tournament.10 [Link to 1966 Results Archive] New member Judy Walker (now Woodring) would later become director of forensics in 1989, retiring in 2010 as Western's longest-serving director.

Novice debate team: (standing) Tommy Evans, Betty Shely, and Bob Purdy (seated) Linda Potter, Mark W. Skillern, Kathy Camuel; (not pictured) David Broderick, David Clark, Paul Hightower, and Jerry Safford

Extra photo (mouse-over for caption) click to enlarge

 

 

Congress Debating Society

John Lovett (pres) and Jane C. Trevathan (sec) welcome new members. Much as the informality of this image perhaps suggests, the club dissolved at the end of the 1965-66 school year. Thus ended the longest-running club at Western.

 

Campus oratory

Ogden: Leon H. Hampton; AAUW: Mary Deweese; Robinson: Steve Ealey  

 

 

1966-67

Western Debate Associates (standing) Dave Clark, Paul Hightower, Bob Purdy; (seated) Pem Newberry, Ellen Graves, Mark W. Skillern, Jack Hanson; (not pictured) William L. Durham and George R. Wilson Jr. At the state tournament, Bob Purdy placed first in discussion, and Judy Woodring placed second in interpretation of literature.11 Larry Winn placed second at the KY Intercollegiate Oratorical Association contest.12 Mr. Winn later became professor of Communication at WKU, and acted as interim Department Head in the 1990s. As for the team, the yearbook notes that the team competed in roughly 300 rounds of debate. [Link to 1967 Results Archive] During the 1966-67 school year, Western transformed into a university: WKU was born.

(standing) Reed Morgan and Randall Capps (Director); (seated) Doug Matyka, Judy Woodring (nee Walker), Catlette Evans Novice members: Gary Bradford (asst coach), Steve C. Todd, Walter Ward, Barney Bull; (not pictured) Wayne A. Ray

Campus oratory

Ogden: Tom Evans; AAUW: Betty Shely; Robinson: William L. Durham; (Not pictured)SNEA: Theresa Crabtree

 

 

1967-68

Western Debate Associates (back) Eklain England, Walter Ward, Wayne Roy; (front) Barney Bull, Steve C. Todd, Bob Purdy At the Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha national tournament in Washington D.C., Tom Evans won the national championship in student congress.13 At the KY Intercollegiate Forensic Conference, Western won the team sweepstakes, and Evans won the state championship in discussion, and placed third in extemporaneous speaking. [Link to 1968 Results Archive]

(back) Barney Bull, Mark W. Skillern, Bob Purdy, Walter Ward, Steve C. Todd; (front) Tom Evans and Wayne Roy; (not pictured) Bill L. Durham

Novice: Eklain England and Steve Loyal; Randall Capps (Director of Forensics), Carolyn Harrison (grad asst), Gary P. Bradford (asst director); (not pictured) John Lyne and Joan Walters

Campus oratory Ogden: Steve Ealey; AAUW: Paula Steen; Robinson: John R. Lyne; SNEA: Rebecca Holbrook The Robinson Oratorical winner, John Lyne--head of his class since his days at College High--is the namesake of the post-2011 iteration of these oratorical competitions: the John Lyne Comm 145/161 Speech Contest.

 

1968-69

Western Debate Associates

(back l-to-r) Charles R. Kirby, John R. Lyne, Steve Loyal, Roy T. Gentry, David Adams;

(front l-to-r) Walter Ward (vp), Linda Moorey, Steve C. Todd (pres), Gary P. Bradford (coach)

(not pictured) Bill DeArmond, Bill L. Durham, Joe Gerard, Richard Hunt, Tom Lawson, Robert Purdy, Wayne A. Ray, Norman Simms, Darryl Smith, Mitchell Taub, Larry Wilcher, and David Willey

Linda Harris won the women's division of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Oratorical Association contest on 1 March, in Lexington.¹⁴

[Link to 1969 Results Archive]

Over this school year, the English Department organized the development of the new Department of Speech and Theater, plucking Dr. Randall Capps to head it. Also, sadly, in 24 November 1968, the prodigious Dr. Russell Hale Miller passed away.

 

Campus oratory Ogden: Leo Burmester; AAUW: Linda Harris; SNEA: Carol Tyree; Robinson: Barrey Peel

Extra photo (hover for caption, click to enlarge)

 

 

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1. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 42, No. 19-Z251" (1963). WKU Archives Records. Paper 2129. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/2129
2. Western Players, "UA68/17/2 Scrapbook 1960-1961" (1961). Student Organizations. Paper 188. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_org/188, p 88.
3. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 41, No. 21-Z251" (1962). WKU Archives Records. Paper 2174. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/2174
4. Randall Capps, e-mail message to author, May 5, 2016
5. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 41, No. 20-Z251" (1962). WKU Archives Records. Paper 2173. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/2173
6. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 41, No. 23-Z251" (1962). WKU Archives Records. Paper 2176. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/2176
7. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 42, No. 18-Z251" (1963). WKU Archives Records. Paper 2128. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/2128
8. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 44, No. 20" (1965). WKU Archives Records. Paper 3867. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/3867
9. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 44, No. 14" (1965). WKU Archives Records. Paper 3880. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/3880
10. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 45, No. 15" (1966). WKU Archives Records. Paper 4693. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/4693
11. The name of the state tournament is not given. "Debate Team Gains Trophy." College Heights Herald, Vol. 44, No. 10-Z251 (15 December 1966), 7
12. none, "UA12/2/2 1967 Talisman pt. 1" (1967), 117. WKU Archives Records. Paper 382. http://ditigalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_382
13. WKU President's Office, "UA3/3/1 Annual Awards & Senior Day" (1968). WKU Archives Records. Paper 3108. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/3108
14. WKU Student Affairs, "UA12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 48, No. 20" (1969). WKU Archives Records. Paper 2101. http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/2101
15. The Louisville Courier-Journal 2 December 1962.

 

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