Bancroft Literary Association and Carrollton-Wight Literary Society
Encyclopedia
The Bancroft Literary Association and the Carrollton-Wight Literary Society are two competing forensic societies at the Baltimore City College
. Founded in 1876 and 1878 respectively, the Bancroft and Carrollton-Wight Societies are the oldest literary societies at a public high school in the United States
. Historically, the two societies competed mainly between themselves. That rivalry culminated each year with an annual debate. In the 20th century the societies began to compete with other schools. Their most notable rival was Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
—City College's chief rival in sports and academics. The societies also competed against other high schools and even against several colleges.
The Bancroft and Carrollton-Wight Societies disappeared for a time in the 1980s and early 1990s, but were revived in the late 1990s. The Bancroft Literary Association and Carrollton-Wight Literary Society now exist as the Baltimore City College speech and debate team. The Bancroft Literary Association competes in speech events which include Dramatic Interpretation of Literature
, Declamation
, Extemporaneous Speaking
, and Original Oratory
. The Carrollton-Wight Literary Society competes in debate events which include Student Congress
, Lincoln-Douglas Debate
, Policy Debate
, and Public Forum Debate
. Although, there are some students that participate in both societies, in general a rivalry persists between members of the two societies. However, except for rare occurrences the societies no longer compete directly, preferring to participate in interscholastic competitions.
to exist at City College was called the Peabody Lyceum
. The group held its first meeting on October 4, 1859 under the direction of Professor Lovejoy. Meetings were conducted using parliamentary procedure with members being fined for poor decorum. Admission to the society was based on an individuals ranking in his class. The society would request the names of the top performing students and then invite those students to appear before the society. After a student's appearance before the society, the student's admission would be debated and upon a 2/3 vote an individual would be granted membership to the Peabody Lyceum. Each meeting members would be selected to perform declamations or debate one another. The society continued for nearly a decade, however on June 11, 1869, with tensions in the group mounting over the removal of one of its members, the president of the society moved to adjourn sine die. A second literary society formed several years later, calling itself the Sheppard Society, but it dissolved shortly before the creation of the Bancroft Society.
, the American historian and U.S. Secretary of the Navy. At that time it was the only extracurricular activity at the school. William Elliott, Jr., principal, explained the role of the Bancroft Literary Association in the annual report to the Board of School Commissioners in 1878:
A second, competing society was established in 1878 as the Carrollton Society, named after Charles Carroll of Carrollton
. In 1897, following the passing of Professor Charles C. Wight, professor of English and history, the Carrollton Society was renamed the Carrollton-Wight Literary Society. An annual debate was held between the two societies starting in 1880. Much like their predecessor the Peabody Lyceum, the societies conducted meetings according to prescribed parliamentary procedure. However, unlike their predecessor, membership to the societies was open to all members of the student body.
Though the societies competed principally between themselves, several debates with other high schools were conducted in the early 20th century. In 1906, after several years of defeat, City won its first debate against rival Central High School
of Philadelphia in the so called "inter-city debate". The topic of the debate was, "Resolved, that it would be to the best interests of the people of the United States for the Government to own and operate its railroads." Three debaters from Central affirmed the resolution, while three opposing debaters from City negated the resolution. The panel of judges included John P. Poe, former Maryland Attorney General and dean of the University of Maryland School of Law
.
In 1908 City met rival Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
in the first of a series of annual debates. The debate against Poly was considered by members to be the highlight of the year. The members of the literary societies continued seeking opponents at other schools and even debated against several college teams. In 1935, the societies triumphed over the freshmen team from New York University
. The same year the societies also competed against Johns Hopkins University
, George Washington University
, University of Maryland
, and Washington College
. Nevertheless, the societies continued to hold an annual debate. The fiftieth annual debate of the Bancroft and Carrollton-Wight Societies conincided with the centennial of City in 1939. In addition to providing forums for the development of student debaters, the societies focused on declamation
and oratory
. Starting in 1914, the societies began bestowing medals upon four graduating seniors with the best declamatory, debating, extemporaneous speaking, and essay skills.
. The team is currently under the direction of Patrick Daniels. The Bancroft Society competes in speech events, such as Declamation
, Dramatic Interpretation
, Extemporaneous Speaking
, and Original Oratory
. The Carrollton-Wight Society competes in events which include Student Congress
, Lincoln-Douglass Debate, Policy Debate
, and Public Forum Debate
. On April 1, 2008 the Baltimore Community Foundation announced the creation of the Gilbert Sandler Endowment for the City College Speech and Debate Team in honor of Sandler, who is an alumnus and longtime supporter of the team. The endowment is intend to provide financial support for the team in perpetuity and currently has a principal of $252,000.
In 2009 the policy debate team of William Stokes and Nicholas Vail earned the first Tournament of Champions (Debate)
bid in the history of Baltimore City at the Wake Forest National Earlybird Tournament. The team advanced to the semifinals where they were defeated by the eventual champion Montgomery Bell Academy. In Spring 2010, the City
team of Stokes and Vail competed at the Tournament of Champions (Debate)
.
In 2010 the policy debate team of Kaine Cherry and David Neustadt earned the second TOC
bid in the history of Baltimore City College at the Lakeland District Invitational.
In September 2010 Gareth Imparato earned the first invitation to the Lincoln-Douglass Tournament of Champions (Debate)
by advancing to the semi-finals at both the Wake Forest Earlybird and the Yale Invitational Tournaments (one of onlt two students qualified for the TOC at this time.
While Gareth was competing at Yale, the policy team of Dikshant Malla and David Neustadt earned a bid to the TOC at the Georgetown Day School Tournament.
was not a traditional part of the literary societies. However, it has been incorporated into the speech and debate program. Teams from City College have represented Baltimore City in the Maryland State Championships 2 times since 2001. In 2001, the team made it to the finals, before being defeated. The team advanced to the state championships again in 2006, after defeating the 2005 State Champion Squad from Richard Montgomery High School
. However, City College was defeated in the semifinal round by the Park School of Baltimore
.
Baltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
. Founded in 1876 and 1878 respectively, the Bancroft and Carrollton-Wight Societies are the oldest literary societies at a public high school in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Historically, the two societies competed mainly between themselves. That rivalry culminated each year with an annual debate. In the 20th century the societies began to compete with other schools. Their most notable rival was Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is a US public high school founded in 1883. Though established as an all-male trade school,it now is a institution that emphasizes mathematics, the sciences, and engineering. It is located on a tract of land in North Baltimore at Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane,...
—City College's chief rival in sports and academics. The societies also competed against other high schools and even against several colleges.
The Bancroft and Carrollton-Wight Societies disappeared for a time in the 1980s and early 1990s, but were revived in the late 1990s. The Bancroft Literary Association and Carrollton-Wight Literary Society now exist as the Baltimore City College speech and debate team. The Bancroft Literary Association competes in speech events which include Dramatic Interpretation of Literature
Dramatic Interpretation
Dramatic Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions...
, Declamation
Declamation
Grand National Tournament in Declamation is a public speaking event of the National Catholic Forensic League. One can qualify for the annual NCFL Grand National Tournament in Declamation through their local qualifying tournament...
, Extemporaneous Speaking
Extemporaneous speaking
Extemporaneous Speaking, also known as extemp, is a competitive event popular in United States high schools and colleges, in which students speak persuasively or informatively about current events and politics...
, and Original Oratory
Original Oratory
Original Oratory is a competitive event in the National Forensic League, National Catholic Forensic League, and other high school forensic competitions in which competitors deliver an original speech on a subject of their choosing, though the speech must be factual....
. The Carrollton-Wight Literary Society competes in debate events which include Student Congress
Student Congress
Congressional Debate is a form of high school debate in the United States and Pakistan. The National Forensic League , National Catholic Forensic League , many national debate tournaments, State Forensic Associations, and the IEEE Pakistan Student Congress all offer Congressional Debate as an event...
, Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln–Douglas debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
, Policy Debate
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
, and Public Forum Debate
Public forum debate
Public forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League, Texas Forensics Association, and National Catholic Forensic League competitions....
. Although, there are some students that participate in both societies, in general a rivalry persists between members of the two societies. However, except for rare occurrences the societies no longer compete directly, preferring to participate in interscholastic competitions.
Prehistory
The first student literary societyLiterary society
A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of literature or a specific writer. Modern literary societies typically promote research about their chosen author or genre, publish newsletters, and hold...
to exist at City College was called the Peabody Lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
. The group held its first meeting on October 4, 1859 under the direction of Professor Lovejoy. Meetings were conducted using parliamentary procedure with members being fined for poor decorum. Admission to the society was based on an individuals ranking in his class. The society would request the names of the top performing students and then invite those students to appear before the society. After a student's appearance before the society, the student's admission would be debated and upon a 2/3 vote an individual would be granted membership to the Peabody Lyceum. Each meeting members would be selected to perform declamations or debate one another. The society continued for nearly a decade, however on June 11, 1869, with tensions in the group mounting over the removal of one of its members, the president of the society moved to adjourn sine die. A second literary society formed several years later, calling itself the Sheppard Society, but it dissolved shortly before the creation of the Bancroft Society.
History
Baltimore City College's current speech and debate program began with the establishment of the Bancroft Literary Association in 1876. The society was named for George BancroftGeorge Bancroft
George Bancroft was an American historian and statesman who was prominent in promoting secondary education both in his home state and at the national level. During his tenure as U.S. Secretary of the Navy, he established the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1845...
, the American historian and U.S. Secretary of the Navy. At that time it was the only extracurricular activity at the school. William Elliott, Jr., principal, explained the role of the Bancroft Literary Association in the annual report to the Board of School Commissioners in 1878:
A second, competing society was established in 1878 as the Carrollton Society, named after Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was a wealthy Maryland planter and an early advocate of independence from Great Britain. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later as United States Senator for Maryland...
. In 1897, following the passing of Professor Charles C. Wight, professor of English and history, the Carrollton Society was renamed the Carrollton-Wight Literary Society. An annual debate was held between the two societies starting in 1880. Much like their predecessor the Peabody Lyceum, the societies conducted meetings according to prescribed parliamentary procedure. However, unlike their predecessor, membership to the societies was open to all members of the student body.
Though the societies competed principally between themselves, several debates with other high schools were conducted in the early 20th century. In 1906, after several years of defeat, City won its first debate against rival Central High School
Central High School (Philadelphia)
Central High School is a public secondary school in the Logan section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Central, the second-oldest continuously public high school in the United States , was founded in 1836 and is a four-year university preparatory magnet school...
of Philadelphia in the so called "inter-city debate". The topic of the debate was, "Resolved, that it would be to the best interests of the people of the United States for the Government to own and operate its railroads." Three debaters from Central affirmed the resolution, while three opposing debaters from City negated the resolution. The panel of judges included John P. Poe, former Maryland Attorney General and dean of the University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
.
In 1908 City met rival Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is a US public high school founded in 1883. Though established as an all-male trade school,it now is a institution that emphasizes mathematics, the sciences, and engineering. It is located on a tract of land in North Baltimore at Falls Road and Cold Spring Lane,...
in the first of a series of annual debates. The debate against Poly was considered by members to be the highlight of the year. The members of the literary societies continued seeking opponents at other schools and even debated against several college teams. In 1935, the societies triumphed over the freshmen team from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. The same year the societies also competed against Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, and Washington College
Washington College
Washington College is a private, independent liberal arts college located on a campus in Chestertown, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782...
. Nevertheless, the societies continued to hold an annual debate. The fiftieth annual debate of the Bancroft and Carrollton-Wight Societies conincided with the centennial of City in 1939. In addition to providing forums for the development of student debaters, the societies focused on declamation
Declamation
Grand National Tournament in Declamation is a public speaking event of the National Catholic Forensic League. One can qualify for the annual NCFL Grand National Tournament in Declamation through their local qualifying tournament...
and oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
. Starting in 1914, the societies began bestowing medals upon four graduating seniors with the best declamatory, debating, extemporaneous speaking, and essay skills.
Speech and debate
The existence of the societies continued through the 1970s, but became dormant in the 1980s and early 1990s. Then in 1997, largely due to efforts of former member Gilbert Sandler and the financial support of the Abell Foundation, the speech and debate program was resurrected. City College is a charter member of the Chesapeake Region of the National Forensics League, and founding member of the Baltimore Catholic Forensic League, and of the Baltimore Urban Debate LeagueBaltimore Urban Debate League
The Baltimore Urban Debate League , is an American, non profit, urban debate league, which is intended as an educational and mentorship program for inner city middle school and high school students in Baltimore, Maryland....
. The team is currently under the direction of Patrick Daniels. The Bancroft Society competes in speech events, such as Declamation
Declamation
Grand National Tournament in Declamation is a public speaking event of the National Catholic Forensic League. One can qualify for the annual NCFL Grand National Tournament in Declamation through their local qualifying tournament...
, Dramatic Interpretation
Dramatic Interpretation
Dramatic Interpretation is an event in National Forensic League high school forensics competitions...
, Extemporaneous Speaking
Extemporaneous speaking
Extemporaneous Speaking, also known as extemp, is a competitive event popular in United States high schools and colleges, in which students speak persuasively or informatively about current events and politics...
, and Original Oratory
Original Oratory
Original Oratory is a competitive event in the National Forensic League, National Catholic Forensic League, and other high school forensic competitions in which competitors deliver an original speech on a subject of their choosing, though the speech must be factual....
. The Carrollton-Wight Society competes in events which include Student Congress
Student Congress
Congressional Debate is a form of high school debate in the United States and Pakistan. The National Forensic League , National Catholic Forensic League , many national debate tournaments, State Forensic Associations, and the IEEE Pakistan Student Congress all offer Congressional Debate as an event...
, Lincoln-Douglass Debate, Policy Debate
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
, and Public Forum Debate
Public forum debate
Public forum debate, also known as crossfire debate, PFD , is a style of debate practiced in National Forensic League, Texas Forensics Association, and National Catholic Forensic League competitions....
. On April 1, 2008 the Baltimore Community Foundation announced the creation of the Gilbert Sandler Endowment for the City College Speech and Debate Team in honor of Sandler, who is an alumnus and longtime supporter of the team. The endowment is intend to provide financial support for the team in perpetuity and currently has a principal of $252,000.
In 2009 the policy debate team of William Stokes and Nicholas Vail earned the first Tournament of Champions (Debate)
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
bid in the history of Baltimore City at the Wake Forest National Earlybird Tournament. The team advanced to the semifinals where they were defeated by the eventual champion Montgomery Bell Academy. In Spring 2010, the City
Baltimore City College
The Baltimore City College , also referred to as The Castle on the Hill, historically as The College, and most commonly City, is a public high school in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. The City College curriculum includes the International Baccalaureate Programme and emphasizes study in the classics...
team of Stokes and Vail competed at the Tournament of Champions (Debate)
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
.
In 2010 the policy debate team of Kaine Cherry and David Neustadt earned the second TOC
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
bid in the history of Baltimore City College at the Lakeland District Invitational.
In September 2010 Gareth Imparato earned the first invitation to the Lincoln-Douglass Tournament of Champions (Debate)
Tournament of Champions (debate)
The Tournament of Champions is a high school debate tournament held annually at the University of Kentucky on the first weekend of May. It is the most prestigious tournament on the "national circuit," representing some of the most competitively successful debaters from the nation's most prestigious...
by advancing to the semi-finals at both the Wake Forest Earlybird and the Yale Invitational Tournaments (one of onlt two students qualified for the TOC at this time.
While Gareth was competing at Yale, the policy team of Dikshant Malla and David Neustadt earned a bid to the TOC at the Georgetown Day School Tournament.
Mock trial
Mock trialMock trial
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
was not a traditional part of the literary societies. However, it has been incorporated into the speech and debate program. Teams from City College have represented Baltimore City in the Maryland State Championships 2 times since 2001. In 2001, the team made it to the finals, before being defeated. The team advanced to the state championships again in 2006, after defeating the 2005 State Champion Squad from Richard Montgomery High School
Richard Montgomery High School
Richard Montgomery High School is a secondary public school located in Rockville, Maryland.Richard Montgomery High School is named for Richard Montgomery, an American General who died while attempting to capture the British-held city of Quebec...
. However, City College was defeated in the semifinal round by the Park School of Baltimore
Park School of Baltimore
The Park School of Baltimore is a private, co-educational K-12 school located in Brooklandville, Maryland, USA, just north of the city of Baltimore. The campus lies to the south of Old Court Road in Baltimore County...
.
Notable alumni
Bancroft Literary Association
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Carrollton-Wight Literary Society
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