Transition to the Modern Era

By the early 1950s, Oregon Forensics was reshaped under the leadership of Professor Herman Cohen. Cohen sought to establish a balance between competitive debate and practical speech application, ensuring that Oregon’s program remained both nationally competitive and socially relevant.

Throughout the year, the forensic squad engaged in intercollegiate tournaments that featured contests in debate, oratory, discussion, interpretive reading, and extemporaneous speaking. Competition with other universities provided strong incentive and sharpened the skills of Oregon debaters.

At the same time, the program retained the practical spirit of the symposium. Students continued to visit high schools, civic groups, and community organizations, delivering prepared speeches and then participating in question-and-answer sessions. This approach preserved Oregon’s longstanding tradition of civic engagement while adapting it to the modern intercollegiate framework.

The 1953 team — including Ben Schmidt, Wilma Wittenfeld, Carol Oakley, Forbes Hill, Phil Case, Bob Cully, Lila Saling, Loretta Mason, Elsie Schiller, Paul Ward, and Bruce Holt — embodied this new balance of competition and community, marking the close of the symposium era and the beginning of Oregon Forensics’ modern period.