Coaches, 1922 - 1997

This series contains material on three prominent debate coaches at Bates: A. Craig Baird, F. Brooks Quimby, and Robert J. Branham. Baird coached the Bates Debate Council from 1913 to 1921, organizing the Interscholastic Debate League of Maine for high school debaters in 1914, and initiating Bates' international debating program in 1921. His papers include several photocopied articles and a course booklet for English III: Argumentation and Debate, which Baird taught at Bates, along with courses in advanced composition. Material from the centennial celebration of debate at the University of Iowa, where Baird spent much of his later career, is also included. Brooks Quimby was an accomplished debater in high school as well as at Bates, where he graduated in 1918. He returned to Bates in 1927 as a professor of speech, and also served as the vice-president of Delta Sigma Rho and director of the Interscholastic Debate League, in addition to coaching the Bates Debate Council until his retirement in 1967. His contributions were so significant that in 1974 the debate program at Bates renamed itself the Brooks Quimby Debate Council in his honor. His records reflect the broad extent of his career, including articles, correspondence, speeches, biographical material and manuals for both debaters and coaches. Bob Branham served as a Professor of Rhetoric at Bates, and coached debate from 1974 until his death in 1998. His work includes a history of debate at Bates entitled "Stanton's Elm" and a documentary on notable Bates alumnus Benjamin E. Mays, and Branham's research notes for both projects are included. His records include articles, debate manuals and correspondence.