DLS Defeats Phi Kappa for Third Straight Year

April 20th, 2002

It's an annual tradition: the Demosthenian Literary Society debates the reincarnated Phi Kappa Literary Society, its traditional rival, every spring.

And over the last three years, a different sort of annual tradition has arisen: DLS victories in the intersociety debate.

This year, the topic was picked by the Demosthenians, "Be it Resolved: A consensus history is necessary to perserve an
American identity." The Phi Kappans chose to oppose the resolution. In front of a three person faculty committee, the debate was argued, and a 2-1 decision was delivered in the Demosthenians' favor.

With the victory in the Oxford debate only two months earlier, the DLS is on a roll.

The DLS was represented in the debate by Ray Patton, Bo Peery, Sarah Winchell, Jocelyn Steinberg, and Amish Trivedi.

The annual tradition of intersociety debates has occurred at many points in the history of the two rival societies. While periodic tensions between the two have sometimes led to years without debates, the debate is important to both, allowing each to "strut their stuff" in front of a campus audience. And while bragging rights are nice, the debate itself is the important thing, not the outcome.

Still, it is nice to brag.