128 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



are the Lawson Essay Contest, the Eunomian-Holcad Literary Contest, 

 our intercollegiate debates and our dramatic representations. The Law- 

 son Contest was won by C. Kussell Clausen, a junior agricultural student. 

 Mr. Clausen's essay was entitled ''The Farm, Nation Builder". The 

 Eunomian-Holcad Contest was won by Mr. Fred W. Henshaw, a special 

 agricultural student. Mr. Henshaw received first prize, $25, for a poem 

 entitled "Cities". Other prizes were won by Marian Ward, H. E. Segelin, 

 Cleon Green and Victor Kinson. 



In my report last year I said something in regard to the publication, 

 in periodicals and books, of literary work brought out by the Eunomian- 

 Holcad contest. I may add here that there has been at least one year 

 in which Michigan Agricultural College has been honored by having more 

 poems accepted for publication in "Poets of the Future", a volume pub- 

 lished by the Stratford Company, than the University or any other insti- 

 tution in the State. A contest which Iras in six years brought out literary 

 talent as has this competition should have its continuance assured. Yet 

 there is no permanent fund wliatever behind tlie Eunomian-Holcad con- 

 test. vSurely the College has many a good friend who loves works of the 

 imagination and wishes to encourage imaginative writing at M. A. C. 

 Cannot some such person be found who will give $1,000 as a pennanent 

 fund to keep this contest going? Sixty dollars a year, the interest from 

 flOOO at 6 per cent, would more than double the amount of prize money 

 available this year. Then too, if the present suppoi-t, amounting to |5b 

 a year, should be withdrawn, this fund would more than make up the 

 loss. Since it is your desire and purpose to foster all kinds of creative 

 work at M. A. C, I take this means of calling your attention to one way 

 in which creative work may be further encouraged. 



The men taking part in intercollegiate debate this year were : 



Leroy Keely, Howard Menhinick, Harry G. Smith, Victor Whittemore, 

 Earle Chapman, Burwell Cummings. 



Our series of debates was much more extensive than any previously 

 carried on at tlie College. A great step in adviance was made when we 

 organized eight years ago our tri-state debate with Iowa State College 

 and Purdue University. The organization of this contest stimulated our 

 students to increased interest in forensic activities and has resulted in 

 sending out a number of graduates well prepared to speak effectively on 

 the public platfonn. This year's further augmentation of debating has 

 aroused much interest in the student body. In addition to cariying out 

 our regular tri-state debate we sent Menhinick, Keely and Smith on a 

 debating trip which took them through Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Utah, 

 Montana, North and South Dakota and Minnesota. On this trip our 

 boys debated Western State Normal College, Monmouth College, Iowa 

 State College, Colorado Agricultural College, Montana State College, 

 Montana Wesleyan College, North Dakota Agricultural College, South 

 Dakota State College and St. Olaf College. Some of these debates were 

 held with the one-judge system, some with three judges, and three with 

 no judges. It would be hard to exaggerate the solid benefit which our 

 boys derived from this trip. To meet, night after night, often after tire- 

 some and tedious travel, strong, spirited and well-prepared opponents 

 and to discuss with each other and with their coach new phases of the 

 debate question and of the tactics of presentation brought out in hotly 

 contested deTiates — these are matters of great moment in the making of 



