News & Events
Irving-Marshall Week 2008 is Underway
Two new sports, new declaimers, and old-fashioned renewal of the intense-yet-fun rivalry highlight Irving-Marshall Week 2008.
The leaders of Mercersburg's two rival societies—officially, the Washington Irving Literary Society and the John Marshall Literary Society—kicked off the festivities February 27 with a brief presentation highlighting the event's storied history. Presidents David Strider ’08 (Irving) and Chris Freeland ’08 (Marshall) recounted the history of the competition, which predates Mercersburg's founding as a boarding school.
The students of Marshall College (Mercersburg's ancestral institution) formed the Diagnothian and Goethean literary societies, and debated for the first time March 30, 1836. Four decades later, the Irving and Marshall societies were born. Debate was the initial competition between the rival groups; in 1960, the debate was replaced by Declamation, a "speaking contest" in which five representatives from each society are judged on their presentation of prepared monologues in front of the entire school.
The societies face off for an entire week in everything from basketball to backgammon, swimming to foosball, and wrestling to chess. Points are awarded for victory in each competition; new this year are head-to-head matchups in bowling and powder-puff football.
Every student who has ever attended Mercersburg can claim membership in one of the two societies. "It's about fun, competition, and good sportsmanship," Strider says.
"No matter the outcome, we're still all part of the same community," Freeland adds. Marshall won the competition in 2007; Irving captured victory in 2006.
This year's Declamation is Thursday, March 6, at 7:15 in the Simon Theatre. (Seating is limited.) Irving declaimers include Taylor Hoffman ’08, Ellis Mays ’10, Hannah Miller ’10, Derek Osei-Bonsu ’09, and Fleet White ’08. Marshall counters with a lineup of Emily Bays ’10, Rebecca Galey ’09, Pat Morgan ’08, Evan Pavloff ’09, and Bond Stockdale ’09.
Two new sports, new declaimers, and old-fashioned renewal of the intense-yet-fun rivalry highlight Irving-Marshall Week 2008.The leaders of Mercersburg's two rival societies—officially, the Washington Irving Literary Society and the John Marshall Literary Society—kicked off the festivities February 27 with a brief presentation highlighting the event's storied history. Presidents David Strider ’08 (Irving) and Chris Freeland ’08 (Marshall) recounted the history of the competition, which predates Mercersburg's founding as a boarding school.
The students of Marshall College (Mercersburg's ancestral institution) formed the Diagnothian and Goethean literary societies, and debated for the first time March 30, 1836. Four decades later, the Irving and Marshall societies were born. Debate was the initial competition between the rival groups; in 1960, the debate was replaced by Declamation, a "speaking contest" in which five representatives from each society are judged on their presentation of prepared monologues in front of the entire school.
The societies face off for an entire week in everything from basketball to backgammon, swimming to foosball, and wrestling to chess. Points are awarded for victory in each competition; new this year are head-to-head matchups in bowling and powder-puff football.
Every student who has ever attended Mercersburg can claim membership in one of the two societies. "It's about fun, competition, and good sportsmanship," Strider says.
"No matter the outcome, we're still all part of the same community," Freeland adds. Marshall won the competition in 2007; Irving captured victory in 2006.
This year's Declamation is Thursday, March 6, at 7:15 in the Simon Theatre. (Seating is limited.) Irving declaimers include Taylor Hoffman ’08, Ellis Mays ’10, Hannah Miller ’10, Derek Osei-Bonsu ’09, and Fleet White ’08. Marshall counters with a lineup of Emily Bays ’10, Rebecca Galey ’09, Pat Morgan ’08, Evan Pavloff ’09, and Bond Stockdale ’09.
