Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-12-03
Middlebury College.

be present on that occasion, having once
Leeu a member Of that Society myself.
The Society is open TO all who wish to be-
come members and thus is generally the
largest Of those connected with this insti-
tuition. The object of the members is to
discipline themselves in extempore speak
ing and especially in the art of debating.
II has become customary for the senior
class to give public exhibition each year
which is generally quite interesting to all.
The present senior class we understand
is quite small, and thus they had to labor
under many disadvantages which, one
would at first suspect, must have a serious
effect upon the performance, but | must
say that was never present upon AN oc-
casion Of the kind when the students did
themselves greater honor.
For some reason the Band with Mr..
Farr from Brandon as their leader, was
quite late. The audience became rather
restless and the students quite wrathy at
what they supposed to be au unnecessary
delay, yet we learned afterwards that MIR.
Farr and his associates were necessarily
detained.
The exercises commenced with AN GRAFTON
by William Henry Wolcott, on Conscious
ness. This GRAFTON was very good indeed |;
vet we should have expected something
different from that gentleman, we did not
know that he had been quite sick during
L. II thu nl.l,nnl To lal,,v.,.
piece which he had written sometime
since.
The debate was the next in order, and
Immediately the disputants took their re-
spective places on the stage. Francis
Gray Clark and William Calvin Tlden
on the affirmative; and John Abner Mead
and Lewis Hunt Hemenway on the mega
tive. Three Of these disputants we be-
lieve were returned soldiers, which of
course enlisted our iaterest TO considera-
BILE extent. The question was very APP
propriate, and read as follows, +" Does the
existence Of national debt conduce to the
interest Of Government This ques-
ton, as Mr.. Mead said, has not been
generally discussed by the American peo-
pie, but from present circumstances il
seemed as though we were 10 know more
of this subject both from theoretical and
practical Illustrations" The debate was
conducted admirably and showed thai
they had studied this subject extensively
and were well prepared to express theil
views.
Mr.. Clark it seemed wished to keep
nation and government separate, bu
Mr.. Tilden did not notice this point, ant
although the arguments which be pro
duced were strong, yet he injured some
what in this way the position which Mr.
Clark, his assistant, had taken
The gentlemen on the negative notice,
this almost contradiction of their oppo
nents and immediately seized upon the adj
vantage which was offered them, and. a
| thought were entitled to decision il
their favor. The debate was rather shor
which | thought showed wisdom in thos
taking part, as debates are generally ra
Their long and tiresome to an audience
although they are quite interesting to
few.
After the debate Calvin Day Noble de
liyered a poem on "College Dreams
This poem considered the best hav
heard upon college stage by an under
graduate. The sentiments were Of tn
best, and their author had dressed ther
in language so beautiful that no one coul
help being interested and impressed wi.
the subject. ! was sorry to see this gen
tleman stumble in some sentences, who
showed that the piece was not quite learn
ed. But this is fault which is very CON
mon among students at least,
The next in order was an Grafton b
Ezra Brainard on Philosophy, the Ike,
stone of knomledee." But the gentlema
was quite i'll and had been at home 70
sometime.
Now the interest Of all was awakene
by the announcement Of the Colloquy
entitled " Something or Nothing" Th
subject thought very inappropriate, an
could not imagine what had given rise I
such name for such piece. The pie
was something as follows: A clerk {
Charles Dickens being quite ambition:
thought he might raise himself in societ
by accepting of some Of Mr.. Dickens in
vitations to parties, levees, &c. Thus tn
clerk first passes himself off as Eeac
teacher" of etiquette, and pretends t
have been recommended by Mr.. Dicken.
Thus far he gets along quite well. Blu
having taken one step he felt encourage
to accept of one of Dickens invitations
small party. In this he succeeds we
until a person entered who happened
know the gentleman, and thus his plan
are frustrated. Ee is detected, plead
guilty, and promises better things in th
future. The "moraJe" was that W
should not pretend to be what we are MOI
Even to refer to the various character
would be tiresome to any reader, an
thus / would only say that all the char
acters did as well if not better than ar
college boys we ever saw upon the stage.
n The tone of the piece was far dlferen
from most plays originated by student:
This / considered one OF its cest features
An audience wants something enlivenini
after having listened TO long PHILOSOPHERS
orations and dry debates, for two hours
and thus this piece had the desired effect