The 1954-1955 Webster Club was a large and successful squad, placing first in the Southern Wisconsin District of the National Forensic League Sweepstakes. Marquette was also the district’s largest chapter and had the largest enrollment during the season. Finally, distinguished moderator Rev. Harold McAuliffe earned his first diamond (the 134th in NFL history).
The Webster Club had a successful season under the direction of Fr. McAuliffe, S.J., moderator, and Messrs. Windle and Donovan, S.J.
Debate was by far the Club’s most active field. Although not league champions as last year’s team, the debaters consistently placed among the tops. In the southern Wisconsin district debates of the National Forensic League held at Ripon, the team of Rick O’Neil, Joe Zedrosser, John Riedl, and Jim Murphy placed third. In the Midwest Catholic League sponsored by Marquette University, the same team tied for third. Zedrosser and O’Neil won pin-gavel awards as outstanding debaters, and Dedrosser was awarded a $500 tuition scholarship to Marquette University. Teams representing Marquette tied for first and second in tournaments held at West Allis and at Janesville. In the Janesville tournament Jim Murphy and Bill Dowling won awards for placing among the top four debaters. The Websters also participated in the Milwaukee district debate tournament of the Wisconsin High School Forensic Association at West Bend on Saturday, February 5th. Besides this, Marquette University High School was itself host for the first Catholic League forensic tournament, December 1st, and for an invitational debate tournament in cross-exam style, January 22nd.
The Club also enjoyed success in forensics. In the Midwest Catholic League, the team took third in the first tournament and first in the second. In the NFL district forensics tournament their first place victory won for them the sweepstakes trophy. The orators participated in Legion contests. Jim Murphy won the fifth district Legion championship and Bill Dowling the fourth. Dowling went on to place fourth in the state finals at Waupaca. Of the thirteen who participated in the league speech contest of the Wisconsin High School Forensic association at Marquette High, ten received “A” ratings.
After this writing the Club will participate in the final round of Catholic League forensics, and in the United Nations assembly at Marquette University.
—Flambeau, 1955
Roster of Students & Coaches
Coaches
Students
Varsity Debate Team
Officers
Sophomore Websters
Freshmen Debaters
This year about thirty freshmen members of the Webster Club met the debate question with great enthusiasm. Under the direction of Mr. Donovan, the freshman and sophomore coach, and with the help of some coaching from a few of the upperclassmen, the freshmen debaters participated in a series of well organized intramural debates. The debaters who emerged victorious were Art Konopka, Jerry Kringel, Roy Josten, and Tom Bruett.
Because most of the other schools in the Milwaukee area have dropped debating from their curriculum, the debate activities were limited mostly to the intramural level. In the twenty-eight debates the freshmen had with other schools, they were victorious in about two-thirds of them.
The debate season was climaxed by the St. Catherine Invitational Tournament. In this tournament, the team of Art Konopka, Jerry Kringel, Roy Josten, and Tom McCann ranked in the upper division of the teams that participated even though these teams were far more experienced.
—Flambeau, 1955
Winners of NFL Sweepstakes Trophy
Team Accomplishments
Sweepstakes Honors
Individual Honors
National Tournament Locations
National Forensic League:
San Jose State College, San Jose, California
National Catholic Forensic League:
Brooklyn, New York
National Policy Debate Resolution
Resolved: That the federal government should initiate a policy of free trade among nations friendly to the United States.