THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605300195
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 85 lines
Bayside High School's debate team argues that solutions to dilemmas confronting the 21st century - overpopulation, nuclear war and global warming - will be reached with reason not wrangling, compromise not conflict.
In late June, the 10-member team's fast-talking duo of Scott Ackiss and Sareit Hess will take on other quick thinkers from 50 states at the National Forensic League championships in Fayetteville, N.C., representing the Patrick Henry Division of the Tidewater Debate League.
The format requires members of the same team to each take opposing sides of an issue and debate their ideas in rapid-fire fashion. Debaters do not take on opposing teams head to head, but rather are scored on how well they know and present various sides of a topic as teammates.
Ackiss and Hess placed third in Virginia High School League debate championships held in Charlottesville in March, while Jessica McPherson and Phillip Rutherford took a fourth.
While fourth place won't send McPherson and Rutherford south next month, they will serve an integral role of helping prepare Ackiss and Hess for the challenge.
On one recent afternoon, Hess and Rutherford ``had at it'' in a practice session over how best to deal with the ``greenhouse effect'' that scientists say threatens life on earth.
The United States should supply China with the technology to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, argued Hess, a 16-year-old junior.
Even if that technology existed, giving it to China would pose a greater danger to mankind because other nations would be resentful and rise up in anger against the United States, precipitating nuclear annihilation, countered Rutherford, a 15-year-old sophomore.
These were the translations they gave after their eight-minute presentations, which ran words together auctioneer style.
Jessica McPherson, meanwhile, jotted down notes to remind teammate Rutherford what points he needed to make when it was his turn to take issue with Hess.
``They're lightning quick, their analytic skills amazing,'' said coach Carey Manugo. ``I'm trying to keep them warmed up. If they don't practice, they stumble over their words. Practice makes perfect.''
The debaters don't necessarily agree with the argumentative stances they've chosen. In ``policy'' debate, they are locked into positions, and their tasks are to analyze what others have said, find authors who agree with the stance, pro or con, and quote them.
Some words were discernible in Hess's argument: ``Greenhouse . . . global decimation of our own.''
Rutherford's rhetoric sounded just as ominous: ``Nuclear . . . annihilate age.''
The speed speaking is probably how a computer would sound, if it could talk.
``How many years before. . . ?'' Rutherford asks.
``When all will die from. . . '' Hess responds.
``Yeah,'' Rutherford says.
``By 2050, by 2025, severe impact,'' Hess says.
``Is it inevitable?'' Rutherford asks.
``Yes, unless we do something about it. If we can stabilize China, we can take care of the rest,'' Hess says.
Seasoned debaters hope for young judges in competitions not only because they are used to the rapid fire of the words, but also because they ``understand new ideas and are liberal,'' Rutherford said.
``Older conservatives don't like environmental arguments,'' Hess said. ``Nuclear war they pooh pooh, too.''
Lincoln-Douglas debates, as opposed to policy debates, allow for arguments more in line with debaters' personal values. Rutherford, for example, said that from a personal standpoint he could best argue for ``slow democracy'' in developing countries. He plans to major in philosophy and law in college.
Hess says she could take a personal stand on freedom of speech. She hopes to become a journalist.
``It's persuasion, the weight of the argument, the strength of the evidence, backups, feedback,'' interjected Hess, without missing a rhetorical beat. ``Oh, and did I tell you about the fudge factor? The rate of loss in the computer, the margin for error. Of course, there are people who say there is none, but that's arguable. We have a fudge file.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Bayside High debate team members Sareit Hess, 16, Phillip
Rutherford, 15, and Scott Ackiss, 17, prepare for the National
Forensic League championships. Hess and Ackiss will represent the
team in Fayetteville, N.C. by CNB