NEGRO DEBATERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 27 June 1938, Page 14

NEGRO DEBATERS

AMERICAN COLLEGE TEAM

TOUR OP DOMINION

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day.-* Striking examples, in themselves, of the cultural influences ol the famous Le Moyne University, Tennessee, amongst the negro population or North America, two members of tne college debating team, together with their manager, arrived yesterday by the liner Aorangi on a tour ot tne Dominion.

The visitors comprise Professor Boris G. Alexander, professor of government and economics and coach of debate at the college, who is acting as manager, and two gradua e students, Mr. James S. Byas and Mr. Charles W. Gilton. “Debating was once looked upon as* a kind of ’sissy* sport, but there is no longer any such prejudice, it ranks very highly as an extra-mural activity,” Professor Alexander said. “The work of negro poets has been expressed in many languages, and the artistic ability of the race is well known, yet the ability ol the negro to express his mind on economic, social, international and inter-rami questions is known to only a limited circle, even in 1 our own country. Actually, Le Moyne College has established a unique record m inter- ( sectional and inter-racial debates. According to Professor Alexander, it is the first time a negro debating team has toured abroad, and, he said, the members were keenly mtei csted in meeting New Zealand university students.

Three special subjects had been prepared for debate, one of the most interesting being: “That continued world peace is impossible, as well as undesirable."