Raft Debate

The Raft Debate is an annual event at William & Mary. "During the event, three survivors of an imaginary shipwreck -- a scientist, a social scientist and a humanist -- achieve a delicate balance between comedy and lecture as they debate the value of their respective disciplines for the rest of humanity. Only one of the professors can return to civilization in the life raft. A fourth faculty member, a devil’s advocate, joins the survivors and argues sarcastically that none of the academic disciplines are worth saving."[1] The debate is moderated by a judge who picks the winner based on audience applause.

The event first took place from the 1960s through the 1980s and then was revitalized in 2002 by the Graduate Center, Arts and Sciences Graduate Student Association, and the Arts and Sciences Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Material in the Special Collections Research Center

• From the Flat Hat, William & Mary News, and Alumni Gazette card catalog index in Swem Library's Special Collections (updated through 2001):
  • 1970 panelists, Elsa Diduk, Dorothy Riddle, Hans von Baeyer, Leonard Schifrin FH, 4/17/70, 3; C, 4/23/70, 2
  • Leonard Schifrin, Devil’s Advocate wins FH, 4/24/70, 3
  • 1971 panelists, Hermione Lee, Edward Remler, Marion Vanfossen, Jack Edwards FH, 4/23/71, 4
  • Devil’s Advocate, Jack Edwards wins FH, 4/30/71, 3
  • ALL-Star debate scheduled C, 4/13/72, 6; FH, 4/14/72,3
  • Raft Debaters drown philosophers FH, 4/21/72, 4
  • 1974 Panelists: John Lavach, Richard Newman, George Grayson, Herbert Friedman WMN, 4/16/74, 6; FH, 4/19/74, 7.
  • Devil’s advocate Lavach wins FH, 4/26/74, 6.
  • Debate scheduled for 13th year WMN, 4/15/75, 3; FH, 4/18/75, 3.
  • Recap of the raft debate FH, 4/25/75, 2.
  • 14th Annual Raft Debate scheduled FH, 3/26/76. 5; WMN, 3/30/76, 2.
  • Review of debate suggests it has reached a low point FH, 4/2/76, 20.
  • 1980 Debate set, WMN, 4/1/80, 1 (picture) FH, 4/4/80, 1 (picture)
  • Review of 1980 debate, FH, 4/11/80, 2 (picture)
  • Profs ready for Raft Debate. FH 2/27/81, 3 (picture)
  • Profs to Debate for Survival. WMN 3/3/81, 3.
  • Von Baeyer, Area III prevail FH, 3/20/1981, 5 (picture).
  • Profs sink or swim in Raft Debate FH, 3/26/1982, 3 (picture).
  • Outcome of Raft Debate; music over microscope FH, 4/9/1982, 16 (picture)
  • Professors defend disciplines in Raft Debate survival contest FH, 11/16/1984, 9 (picture).
  • Area II capsizes artists, scientists in Raft Debate FH, 11/30/1984, 8 (picture).
  • One professor from each area of study to debate FH, 11/15/1985, 12.
  • Area II survives FH, 11/22/1985, 7, 9 (picture).
  • Debate Keeps Rivalries Afloat FH, 11/13/1987, 11, 16 (picture).

• Raft Debate in the Special Collections Database

References

• The Raft Debate 2012

In the News

• Professors to defend their disciplines during the 2012 Raft Debate

Need help?

To search for further material, visit the Special Collections Research Center's Search Tool List for an overview of the Special Collections Database, W&M Digital Archive, Flat Hat-William & Mary News-Alumni Gazette index, card catalogs, and other tools available to help you find material of interest in William & Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center.

Questions? Contact the Special Collections Research Center at spcoll@wm.edu or 757-221-3090, or visit the Special Collections Research Center in the Earl Gregg Swem Library at William & Mary.

A Note About The Contents Of This Wiki

The information available in this wiki is the best available from known documents and sources at the time it was written. Unfortunately, many of the early original records of William & Mary were destroyed by fires, military occupation, and the normal effects of time. Information in this wiki is not complete as new information continues to be uncovered in Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center and elsewhere. Researchers are strongly encouraged to use the Special Collections search tools for their research as the information contained in this wiki is by no means comprehensive.