The judges of a debate have no easy task to perform. They must be, of course, unprejudiced as between the speakers, but they must also be unprejudiced as to the subject. They must not forget that they are to decide on the merits of the debate, not on the merits of the question. They must consider the arguments and evidence offered. They must set off this contention against that. They must give proper weight to the respective merits of matter and form. They must neither be stupefied by dull figures which may yet be pertinent, nor, on the other hand, be hypnotized by brilliant rhetoric which may be but effervescent after all. They must sift, analyze, weigh, decide. It is a task but little easier than that of the debaters themselves.
It is the office of the judges, whether one or more, and whether outsiders or members of the club, to represent the sober second thought of the audience addressed and not to represent the immediately popular view. An audience is rarely judicial in its temper. It is generally partisan—often intensely so. Although there are always two sides to a question, there are seldom two popular sides. The unfortunate debater who by contract or by lot is called upon to defend the unpopular side has a heavier task than his opponent. The judges must, therefore, not only refuse to allow themselves to be influenced by the hostile attitude such a speaker has to overcome but, on the other hand, they are justified in giving him proper credit for the way in which he either overcomes this hostility or at least partially neutralizes it.
Because the judges do represent the critical impartial attitude, they should frown upon any attempt improperly to influence a decision. Organized cheering should be discouraged. It is not the business of the judges to teach etiquette or courtesy. I should, however, if I were acting as a judge, penalize the side the supporters of which deliberately seek to embarrass the opposing side.
The judge must, therefore, be fair and impartial. He must judge the debate and not the question. But what weight shall he give to matter and manner respectively? Obviously the manner of the speaker has a more immediate appeal than the subject matter. However, a debate is not a declamation contest. It is a presentation of arguments for or against a proposition so arranged and related that they move to an irresistible conclusion. Certainly then, what the debater says is of more importance than how he says it. It would be impossible to define the relative importance of the two divisions of the subject, but seventy-five per cent. and twenty-five per cent. may be taken as a fair average.
It would be impossible to give a set of rules by which a debater should be rated. Of course, no judge will attempt critical “scoring” as does the judge of a poultry show. He should, however, pay particular attention to the same points I have emphasized through this book. He will observe whether each member of the team shows a general knowledge of the question and whether he shows evidence of having done his own work. He will note also whether the important issues are selected for discussion and whether those issues are clearly defined and the line of argument indicated in the early portion of the speech. It is unfair for any debater to content himself with refutation—general denials and objections—and bring up his constructive arguments toward the end of the debate when there is little time left to the other side. That may be a clever trick, but it is not honest debating, and a judge should reward it with a penalty.
Then, too, the judge should watch the structure of the argument. Is it well related? Is each part properly joined to every other part? Are its various divisions properly indicated? Are the generalizations sound? Are the statements of evidence facts or guesses? And are these facts simply reiterative or are they carefully selected because of their significance and the credibility of their authors? Does the debater show weakness in his case by contenting himself with pointing out many objections to his opponent’s position with no counter position of his own? These are some of the questions the judge will ask himself.
Then he will consider the debater’s bearing on the platform. He will not expect a presence like that of Webster or of Beecher, but he will expect that erectness, vigor and dignity which go with a consciousness of worthy effort. He will not expect the ease of long practice, but he has a right to expect courtesy to the audience and opponents and, of course, no conceit in personal bearing. He will look for simplicity in style and gesture. He will listen for a voice musical but strong and responsive to the emotion of the speaker.
Finally, if the judge can find in the debater that earnestness, that conviction, that complete identification of himself with his subject it will be clear that he has mastered the matter and made it his own. This mastery cannot be put on or off like a garment, but if the judge sees it, he can mark that debater, as far as the essential elements of debating are concerned, 100+.