The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-10-30
YOUNG MEMS DEBATING SOCIETY.

EDITOR OF THE ARGUS, Dear Sr:-The
establishment of a young mems debating so
ciety in Rock Island is consummation
greatly to be desired, and it is to be hoped
that such an organization may yet flourish
here. There is certainly a sufficient mum
Der of young men in this city, with brain
and energy enough to establish such a so.
ciety upon permanent basis, if they will
only take hold of the matter. Its advantages
would be very great not only as a means OF
intellectual and social culture, but also in
the influence it would exert to keep them
from vicious associations during the long
winter evenings.
Winter Is now approaching, the evenings
fengthening, and the facilities as well as the
inclination for outdoor exercise diminishing
and the mind naturally turns to the Preside
for means of amusement. Added to this.
the mind and body are free, to q great ex-
tent, from the lassitude attendant upon the
warmer days of summer and, therefore, bet
ter fitted to enter upon the duties of such an
organization. Certainly, if a debating so.
ciety is to be organized, now is the time,
and if some one-say the officers of the Ii.
brary Association would take the initiative
in the matter there is little doubt that the
young men would readily cooperate with
them In this connection the library and
reading room would be important auxiliar.
les, in the facilities they would afford the
members TO make themselves conversant
with the different subjects under debate.
brightly conducted, the debating society
is not only a pleasant, but also a rapid
means of improvement, as each member has
the benefit of the study and experience o
of the rest. The ability to correctly express
| ideas is also here acquired, numerous in
| stances of the lack of which may be noticed
in everyday conversation, and often is the
effect OF beautiful idea marred. if not en-
tirely destroyed, by the nncouth language il
! which it is couched.
Again, the members, in order to take par
in discussions, are forced to acquaint them
selves with the subjects under consideration
which necessarily involves study, and they
thus acquire skill in reasoning and a TASTE
for study, which will outlive the debating SO
| ciety and be an unceasing source of enjoy
ment in after lite.
Impressions, too, may here be made
| of which mighty results may some day b,
| the offspring The mind is wonderfully lik,
| an ambrotype plate. In order to take
| good picture the plate must be pure and I'M
| sulhed, and the surface made extremely
| sensitive to the action of light. When thu
sensltized it is placed in camera, wher,
| the rays of light, reflected from the objec
| and refracted by lenses adjusted for the pur
pose, make an impression on it. Thus i
| the impression made-yet if the plate wer
examined in this state no trace of pictur
could be seen. But the germ is there, an,
only needs the developing agencies of chem
icals to render the picture visible to the eye
| So it is with the mind-it comes pure an
unsullied from the hand of God--sensitiv
in high degree and, in early life, as easl
| impressed as clay in the hand of the potter
The impressions may become latent, but ar
nevertheless there, and as the cycles roll b
will be made manifest by the developin
agencies of time. and the seed early implan
ed will some day mature into the full-grow
fruit, and may contribute materially to til
advancement of science, art, politics, or Ii
erature.
This being true, it is Of the highest in
portance that good seed should be sown-
good impressions made-and the debatiu
society, conducted properly, may be powe
full agent in the accomplishment of these r,
suits. Will the officers of the Young Men
Literary Association make a move in th
direction UNIT.
| Rock Island, Oct. 20, 1867.