The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-03-06
NEAR PonTAGE, March /. 1874.

DEAR FREFMAS-On last Thursday night
your humble correspondent visited School
House No. ., Washington township, for the
purpose of listening 70 the proceedings of
the "Wehster Debating Society" which
( meets at said school house every Thursday
evening. When the hour for opening the
discussion had arrived quite a respectable
audience had congregatcG The question
discussed was. 'Sh"ultl education be made
compulsory by law?'' The following named
gentlemen took part in the debate: James
Itel, (lea,ier,) Thomas Brawley, John 1tel,
and Geo. Gallagher, affirming; w. q. Con-
way. Cl~ader,) Thomas McGough, and Peter
McGough denying. James Itel opened the
discussion in really ingenious and forcible
speech in favor of the enactment OF such
law, and portrayed in glowing cOlorS the
evils which have followed from permitting
children TO grow mp in ignorance and vice.
He argued NJ some length that compulsory
attendance law would not only tend to edu-
cate and elevate all who came under its he
Ireftcent sway, but would prove an incalcu-
liable blessing to the country intellectually
as we'll as morally. w r. Conway respond
ing on behalf of the negative, admitted that
IN Il few exceptional cases such Il law would
prove beneficial, hut argued with much
truth THAT the many evils resulting There's
from would much more than couuterhalance
its good effects. He cited in support at his
position the burthen such 4 law would i'm
pose on poor people, and especially where
large families are dependent upon the Ia
DOIS of all members thereof who are able to
toll. He furthermore argued that such !
law was contrary 10 the spirit of our repub-
lCan institutions and should not be enCour-
aged by a free and enlightened people. The
other speakers pro and con followed in reg
uiar succession, and altogether the discus
sion was carried on in spirited and com
mendabie manner. the leaders in the debate
having the concluding arguments. MessrS.
James Skelly, Mathew No ugh and Joseph
Itrl, acting as judges. decided IN favor Of the
negative: so you viii see, Mir. Editor, that
tao people (aS one of the Sp-akr remarkcd)
are not inclined to take pattern after the
beer gUzZiing portion OF creation in the old
world JUST Vet while.
The committee appointed to decide upon
4 question for discussion ut the next meet
ing selected the following (which is The
most injurious to a community, liar or a
thief?' The society extends a cordial invi-
tatiou to all orderly disposed persons to at
tend their meetings. The proceedings thus
far have been highly Creditable. The mem
bers are all men of good standing in the
community, and having already made con
siderable progress public speakers, there
is no doubt about the success of the society
and the continued advancement of the MEM
bers. ! think that the future proceedings
of the WebSteriauS should be Published in
the FREEMAN eac h week, aud your valued
correspondents from this section, II. Bub'
aud Liberal" should see that il Is done.
One the other is generally present and
could take notes, but if they fail you shall
hear from me now and then in that dIrec-
ton. SOBRIQUET.