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Intercollegiate Debate in the 1950s: An Interview
02/16/2026
Intercollegiate Debate in the 1950s: An Interview
The history of intercollegiate debate in the United States suffers from a lack of oral history. I had the incredible opportunity to interview Sheldon Horowitz, an alum from the University of Vermont, about his experiences debating at UVM in the 1950s. The Debate Director at the time was Dr. Robert Huber, and the team had just won the NDT when Sheldon joined. This conversation is surprising, funny, and revalatory for those of us wondering what it was like to compete in college debate in the 1950s. Have a listen! The interview was conducted in my office on the St. John's University campus in Queens, New York on November 18, 2016.
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