Lowell Forensic Society


The Lowell Forensic Society, founded in 1892, is the oldest high school speech and debate team in the United States and also the largest organization at Lowell High School in San Francisco. The Society occupies Room 135, also known as "Leland Room," named after former Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury Marc E. Leland. Despite its misleading name, the society does not have a focus on either criminology or forensic science.
With over 100 members, the society's policy debate team travels regularly to prestigious national invitationals at Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, California State University, Long Beach, and the Tournament of Champions in Kentucky. Lowell Forensics has also competed in the National Speech and Debate Tournament under the National Forensic League for 40 years, making it one of the longest running national championship teams in the nation.

Recent history

In the nineties, the Forensic Society saw one of its greatest peaks under the leadership of Sandra Bird. Every year in the decade, Forensics made it to Nationals while Individual Events and Congressional Debate saw a major comeback in the late nineties as Lowell students took greater interest in dramatic events.
In the years following Bird’s retirement, Christopher Newhouse, a biology teacher, took the helm of leading the team while administrative and training duties belonged to leaders within the organization. The Forensics team, for a short period, was also conjoined to the English department, resulting in a lack of a permanent coaching staff. In light of these changes, the society board’s student officer arrangements were reformed in 2003 with the creation of the new positions of Congress Director, Policy Debate Director, and Individual Events Director in addition to President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Directors are team captains for their respective events.
From 2003-2005, Forensics membership more than tripled to 172 students.
Lowell High School was the host campus for the 2012 California State Championships.

Notable alumni

Lowell Forensic Society alumni include Yale University President Richard Levin, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, California Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, actress Carol Channing, actor Benjamin Bratt, writer Naomi Wolf, actor Bill Bixby, PG&E CEO Frederick Mielke, author Daniel Handler, and numerous academics, writers, and judges.

Past presidents