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FIRST DYNASTY: LEE GRANNEL (1960-1968)
Lee Grannell joined the California State University, Fullerton faculty in 1960 and founded the debate team. Dr. Grannell received his B.A. from California State University, San Diego and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. His areas of expertise included argumentation, debate, and persuasion. He worked diligently for the Southwestern Collegiate Forensic Association and served as vice president of the Western Forensic Association. He served as the forensic squad coach for ten years and made Fullerton’s presence known in the forensics world in a short period of time. He was elected department chair in 1968 and served three terms through 1977. Dr. Granell was also well known in Orange County as a consultant for Republican candidates for public office. For twenty years he worked on numerous campaigns from grassroots local issues to campaigns for statewide offices. He had a key-role in the campaigns of Marion Bergeson, R-Newport Beach, and Brad Gates, Sheriff-Coroner for Orange County.
At the time, the squad room was housed in the Performing Arts building.
Dr. Grannell believed in an emphasis on Individual Events and with budgets that were very tight he focused on regional travel.
George Enell, his Ph.D. also from USC, was an assistant debate coach from 1965-1967. He stayed on faculty and retired in 1992, working with the Dean of Students during the Viet Nam protests in the early 1970s. He also helped found the Honors Public Speaking course and on the Honor Board.