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DERATING.
KVII.S VKItSL'S JIli.NKFITS.
ideas which lit- know to be weak, almost
billy when carefully considered, asscr
lions ami oplniuns that ho would have
been ashamed to advance anywhere cl-c(
and iu innny other ways ha.arded hi- rep
utatlon, contrary to his common sense,
for the sake of making n speech? Can
such a course, long pursued, fail to weak
en the judgement, blunt the edge of the
intellectual discrimination, and vitiate
the taste ? Would it not certainly be hazardous?
No one has a right, for the sake of a
cheap reputation for speaking, to impose
upon his listeners a mess of frothy vapor
ing; for, if lie is cnpublo of preparing
anything better though briefer, it is an
inult to proffer that of inferior quality.
Among thoso typical of the class with
whom this evil is common, are these:
The man who can snin a half-hour speech
from a half minute idea-on the same urally Hows, and the style of argument
....:. ...!..i.. .i.... . i. i. ..,.. i.i .,. u.n,r : mitl iii'iitorv in which each one is most
piiiicipn: iimi uiu tiu ii v."il ""'ft " ""r
of one hundred and one verges, but each
skill. There seems to be a charm, an ex
citement, a peculiar gratification in be
ing able to wield youradvorsary's weapon
better than he can himself. Such a practice
is admitted to be extremely dangerous.
It instated Hint (Jhillingworth, the great
est theologian and controversi.malist of
his day, bj frequently exercising his pow
ers to overthrow all adversaries in the
arena of words, from all sides of every
question, at last came to doubt the validi
ty of all human reasoning, lie had con
quercd himself, and could believe noth
ing from any demonstration.
These are a few of the perils o( debat
ing. Wo will now consider
Till'. IIKNliFITS AFFOIIDKI).
1. It is valuable as a means of testing
and developing the powers of thought,
reason, and speech, and of determining
the channels in which thought most iint-
gives a fund of wel'.-digesled opinions on
many Important subjects.
Such careful preparation, if truth, can
dor, and honesty, In regarded, will ubvi.
ate most of the dangerous evils we have
mentioned, and at the same lime confer
the most valuable part of a true cdtica.
Ron well formed opinions.
We are therefore warmly in favor of
debating societies, if properly conducted,
believing that the evils which would
seem naturally to attend them may bo
avoided, and they be made the sources of
much practical knowledge, and fountains
of inspiration to attain excellence in urn
tory. WHAT WE HAVE IN THE
UNIVERSITY.
ver.se was similar to the preceding and
successful.
Just as the artist learns, after long prac-
just like tin- following; the well-known i tice, how to apply the colors, with his
The practice of debating is recognized
in nearly every college literary society;
in fact, as in our own, a discussion upon
some stated "question" constitutes the.
important part of every evening's exer
cise, upon which by far the most stress i.s
laid.
But that the benefits resulting to the
participant are nUcmja a siiflicicnt recom
pense for the time employed, is by no
means certain. On the contrary there Is
reason to believe that debating, as fro.
qucntly conducted, may become extreme
ly perilous, and the source of many evils;
cnless the abuses are avoided, and the us.
is and objects the true spirit of such
discussions are studied and thoroughly
understood by everyone engaging in them
as a means of culture. Wo desire in this,
article to indicate a few of the dangers of
greatest magnitude, and the manner iu
which we think they can bo avoided, and
the debating society bo mado u'sottroo of
many rich benefits.
KVII.S TO JIB AVOIDUI).
1. Danger of acquiring a habit of care
less and desultory speaking anil thinking.
While thoartof purely extemporaneous
speaking is a desirable and rich poscsaion,
and perhaps implies the necessity of borne
practice, without previously arranged
ideas in any set phraseology, yet we are
seconded by good authority iu saying,
that the greatest degree of excellence in
this art can only be obtained by careful
and systematic preparation and arrange
incut of thought on every subject wo are
called upon to discuss. Thus wo acquire
a fund of well-arranged ideas and
wcll-lbnncd opinions on many subjects
icudyinado for future use; at the same
lime the power to Improvise an address on
the spur of the moment is strengthened.
But how is it in our societies? Do not
the majority of the speakers seem to think
that their chief duty is to fill as much
time as possible with a heterogeneous vo
c.tbulary, without arrangoment, logic, or
sense V
Who among us, that has taken an active
part in the discussions of a debating so
ciety for a term, has not offtfn expressed
soph who has just picked up one or two
large words from his text-book, of " learn
cd length and thundering sound," which
he is aching to enunciate asoftenaspossi.
bio in a speech of ten minutes; the senior
of unlimited confidence in his ability to
speak without preparation and conse
quently, of course, an unconscionable
bore; the fellow with voice of dolorous
twang and sickly monotone, who can ar
gue unceasingly though .ignominiously
defeated at every attack. Like Gold,
smith's village schoolmaster
"For uon though vniiioilshuil, he could nrguu
still;"
and lastly the potty plagiarist who has
just stolen some tidbit of argument
which ho is anxious to "ras" upon tlio
brush iu such a way as to create the most
beautiful picture, from their happy blend
ing; in what department of his art lie is
the most powerful; what artistic, touches
he can give most- skillfully: So the de
bater learns by trial in what style of
word-painting he can create the most ef
fective pictures of thought; what kind of
illustration lie uses most successfully; the
way to direct his flights of oratoray, his
flashes of wit, his touches of humor, his
shafts of sarcasm, his irony, in order to
to toll most forcibly on the minds of his
listeners; how to address himself on all
occasions to suit the circumstancesthe
time, the place, ami the audience; and,
like a youthful gladiator, in the arena of
controversy, lie learns to adjust his armor
innocent public, as original, before some- of defence and to wield the sword of nr
i
one else gets the start of him.
1 "Uiucnt with skill. He
his own
J. Danger of forming fatso opinions, . poWL.rs aiMj resources, and discovers also,
and of becoming dogmatical. to soim. t.xtent, how they should bo culti-
There is great danger that, in the strife j vatwli aml hmv ,-,. w may aSj,jlx.. 'nus
for victory in college contests, the student j wllL.n lll0 R.al battle begins, the mimic
may form false opinions and be urged to jtyay i,eiti ended, he can enter with some
tai;o radical stands upon various issues oi assurance of success. Ho will soon not
vital importance, which will work a great
injury to him if persisted in during life;
and, if ever abandoned, is apt to impel
his intellectual sinews under perfect con
trol. He will temper his blade a little
more carefully so that, although his blows
2. Debating develops orlginali'y, and
teaches its value.
MM... flW... !.,.. .-.,.,,, ilic ... ......... 11. ..I ll... ......
son who draws from his originality, is the
one who is listened to with patience and
pleasure. Invention in argument is ac
knowledged to bo the- great secret of sue
cess.
Though the speaker be Mr. Blank whose
very appearance induces a smile; whoso
awkward gestures, ungainly form, stam
mering tongue, and unwieldy arms,
swinging fearfully about, like the wind
mills that excited the valor of the knight
of Lit -Manclia, present a ludicrous
spectacle; though iiivitriab'y, as he
reaches some soaring climax of oaratory,
at times oven sublime, he llounders, col
lapses and falls ingloriously from his gid:
dy bight back to the earth ;yet, if he prof,
fer some treasure fresh from his own mine
of thought, even though mingled with
much dross, it will be accepted and tllo
.p aker's ell'ort honored. r
:j. As we have already intimated, the
practice of discussing topics of living in
terest, if euro be tuken in preparation
him to the opposite extreme, equally may not fall as fiercely, as wildly and fast,
dangerous, from tho reaction. As, for in- ! a, j i,js youthful contests, yet his weapon
stance, it lie is nn extreme Mbcralist in will flash no less briglitly, and his strokes
politics and religion, against his con vie wju bo .stronger and Keener.
Rons, while in college, he may become
an extreme partisan or sectarian in after
life. This appears to be tho reason: the
opinions of students are in process of
formation; hence when some important
subject is presented for dicussion, a cer
tain amount of thought, of greater or less
degree, is directed to one side or tho other
of the question, with tho hope of con
quest. h tho event of success, elated by
victory, he is apt to persuade himself that
the side of the question ho has advocated
is the correct one, and, likely, will stub
bornly adhere thereto against all reason.
Who that has often debuted, has not some
times almost persuaded himself to believe
a sophistry which in tho outset he fell to
be false? is not tho advocacy of a false
doctrino for nrguoment's sake equally
dangorous to the hearer and the reasoncr?
!l. Danger of disregarding truth in din.
cushions.
Closely connected with tho laut objec
tion is tho frequent disregard of known
truth in debate. The debater is often in
duced to take positions which he sincerely
believes to be false, in order to sho", his
A correspondent of the Ouwha Jim hi,
under the signature of " Iowa" rcu-mlv
makes a bitter and malicious attack mi
the State University. Tho article, besides
containing a mess of weak and inconsist
ent attempts at arguments, barefaced
falsehoods, and silly complaints, convejs
a cowardly and venomous thrust at the
Chancellor. The writer says that the
University is only such in name; that the
laboratory, the apparatus, appliances, and
furniture for use iu tho various depart
ments, are mere shains,and in no way ad
equate for the needs of the school ; in
short, that everything is " cheap." Final
ly he says that the Chancellor is the cause
of all deficiencies and failures.
"We do not reply to these charges because
they ought to deserve notice. Like many
similar attacks at the life and welfare of
the University that have been made
through tho columns of that scavenger
among the press of Noinasku The Omit
hit llmdd which greedily seizes and
gulps down every piece of enrion that
comes within its reach, no matter how
putrid, this slander will not be noticed by
intelligent people, who have taken the
pains to visit tho University, to see for
themselves.
Hut it is a fact that the people of the
state generally, even of Lincoln, know
nothing about the University and what it
contains; hence are liable to be deceived
by such articles as tho one in question.
Said one of our most prominent eiti'iis
and a popular State olllcer, the other dav
in our presence, after paying a visit to the
laboratory, library, and museum, "why,
tho University is quite an extensive affair,
isn't it? 1 had no idea that so great pro
gress had been made that so much h.al
been accumulated in so short a time."
THE l.initAHY AM) ML'SKUM.
Tho Herald says: "The library and mu
seum are wonderful exhibitions of that
disposition which some men exhibit in
always buying their clothing at a cheap
Jew store the clothes hide their naked
ness, and aro cheap." He has ccrlainh
contrived a very labored and awkward
sentence to express a falsehood that might
have been stated iu three words.
Tno library now contains about tirdf
hundred calumet. Instead of beimg "cheap,"
it is a matter of frequent wonder and re
mark by every visitor inspecting the li
brary, that so much wisdom lias been ex
orcised tn the selections made. Though
the number of volumes is quite li'nittd.
the shelves contain tho choicest selections
of standard works of tho best authors,
noatly and elegantly bound, representing
almost every department of literature- and
science. The student is never at a loss
for books of reference, or the bestinstruc
tlve literature for his leisure hours, cither
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