The Great Debaters Page #3

Very good, sit down.

Good.

/Who's next?

Samantha.

Mr. Tolson, he is tough, isn't he?

Sure he is.

I'm James.

Is your father Dr. James Farmer?

Yes, he is.

I'm taking the eulogy from him and that

man speaks in tongues.

French, Greek, Hebrew, Latin.

How many languages does he speak?

- Seven languages.

- Seven languages.

He must be the smartest

man in Texas.

That's not saying much.

So why do you want

to be on the team?

I think, it would be a good training.

- For what?

- Being a lawyer.

Lawyer? It's great.

You know how many negro women

practise law in the state?

- Two.

- Exactly.

One it was a hot.

But look at you, Mr. Farmer,

how old are you anyway?

I'll be 16.

In 21 months.

Young lady, James!

I just want to thank you.

- For what?

- For your performance tonight.

I mean, how many other students

have a stand-up to Tolson?

- I did.

- No, you answered a question.

And I spout off few quotes.

Miss Brooke with an "e"...

- She fought back.

- And lost.

But you did't have to lose. Why isn't the

"Fire Side Chat" a legitimate source?

Because Tolson said so?

Nobody has better access to

those statistics than the President.

If you'd have called Tolson

on that, you'd have won.

I don't know. I'm sure that

he would be able to come up with something.

Goodnight, James!

Goodnight, Samantha.

Can you believe that he's 14

years old and he's in the college?

You are gifted, all of you.

But I want you to know that I chose

this team for balance.

And none of you should

take it as a failure.

As a denigration of your intellect.

Denigrate, that's the word for you.

From Latin word "Niger", to defame, to black.

Is always there, isn't it? Even in the dictionary.

Even in the speech of a negro professor.

Somehow black is always

acquainted with failure.

Well write in your own dictionary and

mark this as a new beginning.

Whether you make the team or not.

The Wiley College for Ransack

Society of 1935-36, is as follows.

The debaters will be...

Mr. Hamilton Burgess,

from last year's team.

Sit down, Mr. Burgess.

Mr. Henry Lowe.

Our alternates, Miss

Samantha Booke with an "e".

And finally...

Junior!

Slow down!

- Where is dad?

- Quiet, he's writing the lecture.

- Dad.

- Junior.

What is the greatest

weakness of man?

Not believing? Doubt?

That's it. Thank you Junior.

Matthew 14:
31.

That will be the lesson.

Dad.

/"Oh, you of little faith

why do you doubt?"

- Dad.

- What is it, son?

I made the debate team.

Well, congratulations!

And who is on your team?

There is 4 of us,

I'm one of the alternates.

Who's ahead of you?

Hamilton Burgess and Henry Lowe.

And another alternate

is Samantha Booke.

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