For one week every year, Mercersburg Academy splits their student body into two opposing literary societies - The Washington Irving Literary Society and the John Marshall Literary Society. These two societies are pitted head to head in sports competitions that consists or basketball, squash, volleyball, wrestling, board games, and a formal speaking contest known as Declamation which is the culminating event of the week.
There are those who might say that splitting the school into two teams can make the students become angry at each other and ruin friendships. I disagree. If anything, it brings the school together as one. Irving/Marshall week is a long standing tradition at Mercersburg that promotes school spirit. The school spirit continues to be spread as this week continues today with volleyball and squash. Almost the whole student body and faculty members come down to Nolde Gymnasium to cheer on their peers/students and encourage them to succeed at their goals during the week. Though it may seem like the two societies hate each other during the week, they put all of that aside on Declamation night and come together to eat a nice, formal, family style meal and proceed to the Simon Theatre in the Burgin Center for the Arts to enjoy wonderful speaking. After the speaking contest, the two societies put their differences aside and come together for a school dance. If anything, Irving/Marshall week promotes school spirit.