SLU's Thrower Pitches Mouse Monorail at Debate.
By John F. Sheehan, Times Staff Writer
The New York Times
January 1989
Princeton, N.J.--St. Lawrence University student and forensics enthusiast Mitch Thrower made his debut as an international orator this week at the ninth annual World Universities Debating Championship.
His assigned role, as one of 232 participants from 19 nations, was to develop a fantasy technology.
He found himself arguing the merits of a global monorail transportation system, with Mickey Mouse as an integral part.
Life without Mickey, or "Mr. Everybody," as the SLU junior called him, would be "a life without morals," he said.
Perhaps a Disney world dream rail won't solve the world's transportation problems, but with a talking rodent at the helm who taught the world that
"if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" it might give New York City subway officials something to think about. And while Mr. Thrower's argument might seem like it came from Pluto, his was far from the most Goofy.
Students were having quite a time in the hallowed halls of Princeton University, as they took part in the competition that is to college debate what the World Cup is to soccer, Wimbledon is to tennis and the Olympic Games are to sports. The championship lasts through Monday.
Cornell University student Cheryl Strauss found herself lauding the merits of starting a fantasy religion. She argued for the deification of vegetables.
"I think we should all pray to vegetables," she said. "Then we could all look down, and that would make us feel good."
Individual orators are awarded prizes for their ability to speak spontaneously for four minutes about such humorous subjects as how to get a date in a funeral parlor and what to write in a fantasy autobiography.
This last was David McGoldrick's assignment Thursday, and in the 30 seconds he had to think up a speech, the Strathclyde University student from Scotland chose James Bond as his subject.
The clock started. Mr. McGoldrick was silent.
His listeners tittered. He slowly began to speak. Once he got going, though, he really got going. Bond, Mr. McGoldrick said, was a man who "put forward bondage in the world," a man who had made 1,944 sexual conquests, a man who ... well, a very salacious man.
The timer ended Mr. McGoldrick's fun.
Participating in the debates were students from as far away as Poland, New Guinea, Hong Kong and Nigeria.
The debater from Nigeria came alone, though, so he is being paired with the debater from Bangladesh, who came alone as well. The Soviet Union sent a delegate to serve.
Whether the Soviet Union will return home to develop a new Disenik monorail remains to be seen.
According to SLU Public Relations Director Lisa M. Cania, Mr. Thrower is known on campus as an excellent speaker, active in the college's forensics society.
He started debating in freshman year, participating in several events each year on campus.
A resident of Fairfield, Conn., he could not be contacted at Princeton on Friday.
"Oral communications skills are highly prized at St. Lawrence," Mrs. Cania added.
But even she had to laugh when she heard Mr. Thrower's comments.
"The debates on campus are usually a little more formal," she concluded. "But they do like to have fun once in a while."
The New York Times
January 1989
Princeton, N.J.--St. Lawrence University student and forensics enthusiast Mitch Thrower made his debut as an international orator this week at the ninth annual World Universities Debating Championship.
His assigned role, as one of 232 participants from 19 nations, was to develop a fantasy technology.
He found himself arguing the merits of a global monorail transportation system, with Mickey Mouse as an integral part.
Life without Mickey, or "Mr. Everybody," as the SLU junior called him, would be "a life without morals," he said.
Perhaps a Disney world dream rail won't solve the world's transportation problems, but with a talking rodent at the helm who taught the world that
"if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" it might give New York City subway officials something to think about. And while Mr. Thrower's argument might seem like it came from Pluto, his was far from the most Goofy.
Students were having quite a time in the hallowed halls of Princeton University, as they took part in the competition that is to college debate what the World Cup is to soccer, Wimbledon is to tennis and the Olympic Games are to sports. The championship lasts through Monday.
Cornell University student Cheryl Strauss found herself lauding the merits of starting a fantasy religion. She argued for the deification of vegetables.
"I think we should all pray to vegetables," she said. "Then we could all look down, and that would make us feel good."
Individual orators are awarded prizes for their ability to speak spontaneously for four minutes about such humorous subjects as how to get a date in a funeral parlor and what to write in a fantasy autobiography.
This last was David McGoldrick's assignment Thursday, and in the 30 seconds he had to think up a speech, the Strathclyde University student from Scotland chose James Bond as his subject.
The clock started. Mr. McGoldrick was silent.
His listeners tittered. He slowly began to speak. Once he got going, though, he really got going. Bond, Mr. McGoldrick said, was a man who "put forward bondage in the world," a man who had made 1,944 sexual conquests, a man who ... well, a very salacious man.
The timer ended Mr. McGoldrick's fun.
Participating in the debates were students from as far away as Poland, New Guinea, Hong Kong and Nigeria.
The debater from Nigeria came alone, though, so he is being paired with the debater from Bangladesh, who came alone as well. The Soviet Union sent a delegate to serve.
Whether the Soviet Union will return home to develop a new Disenik monorail remains to be seen.
According to SLU Public Relations Director Lisa M. Cania, Mr. Thrower is known on campus as an excellent speaker, active in the college's forensics society.
He started debating in freshman year, participating in several events each year on campus.
A resident of Fairfield, Conn., he could not be contacted at Princeton on Friday.
"Oral communications skills are highly prized at St. Lawrence," Mrs. Cania added.
But even she had to laugh when she heard Mr. Thrower's comments.
"The debates on campus are usually a little more formal," she concluded. "But they do like to have fun once in a while."