Awards and Second Radio Debate

The Failing-Beekman Awards, presented at Commencement, honored the best student orators with substantial prizes — $150 for first place and $100 for second. In this year, Claude Robinson won with his oration “The Open Mind,” while Lawrence Cook earned second place with “White Goods.” These awards symbolized the continued centrality of oratory in higher education, elevating public speaking as a cornerstone of good citizenship.

At the same time, Oregon Forensics was embracing modern technology. For the second time, the University engaged in a radio debate against Stanford. Oregon’s team, Ivan Houston and Joe Frazer, broadcast their arguments live from the Portland Oregonian tower over KGW radio, while Stanford’s team delivered its case from the KLX station of the Oakland Tribune.

The debate addressed a pressing national issue: “Resolved that the present immigration law be amended to admit Japanese on the quota basis.” Audiences across the Pacific Northwest tuned in, sending their decisions to newspapers and university extension offices. Forensics, once confined to lecture halls and society rooms, now reached thousands of listeners — transforming public debate into a truly mass medium.