The Symposium Era Begins

By the mid-1930s, Oregon Forensics entered what became known as the Symposium Era, a major departure from the adversarial, pro–con style of traditional debate. Instead, students engaged in conversational and exploratory dialogue, designed to provoke community discussion rather than simply declare winners.

Under the leadership of Professor John Casteel and colleagues like W.A. Dahlberg, symposium teams toured throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, speaking before Rotary clubs, Grange halls, churches, and high schools. More than 40 audiences were addressed each year, and the topics — such as “Forms of Government” and “The Constitution of Today” — invited civic-minded audiences to draw their own conclusions and question the debaters.

This format, unique among top universities, gained national recognition and underscored Oregon’s pioneering role in shaping public discourse through collegiate speech.