Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-03-27
-..t For the SPECTATOR
Letter from Mt. Sidney.
LITERARY SOCIETY COMMENCEMENT.

LITERARY SOCIETY COMMENCEMENT.
On Friday night the 23rd inst, we had the
pleasure of attending the commencement ex-
ercises of the Literary Society of the Mt. Sid
ney Graded School. The question for discus
sion read as follows: Resolved, That the use
| of the rod in our schools be abolished. AS a
prelude to the discussion of the subject a poem
from Whittier, entitled maud Muller" was
read by Miss Maggie Shumake, with an inter-
rupting parody from Henry Coffman, who was
in the audience. and who, judging from his ex-
| clamatory strains of burlesque after each STAN
"a cad by the Dung lady in question, seemed
not to be in sympathy with the hero of the
poepi The fine intonations of the reader to-
gether with natural talent for infection and
emphasis particularly adapted to that style of
poetry, gave il .sublinlity hardly noticeable
! even after careful reading of the poem; and
I will just add here that the parody was equal
| ly as grand as the poem in character. So much
for the prelude. lll..91o st. ..aal
Now, Miss Dora Sherman, Secretary of the
Society, comes forward and addresses the au-
dfence with a brief salutatory, which was
tastefully gotten up and impressiveiy deliv-
| ered The Society then proceeded to the cleo
ton of judges; after some wrapgling and OBJ
jecting, the following named gentlemen were
!
Milton Parkins, ESQ., who took seats designed
for the elected dignitaries. All things ready,
the question for debate was stated, and upon
call the orator upon the affirmative, George
Shreckhise responded in avery eloquent speech
of about fifteen minutes duration, and showed
in an able manner the abuse of the rod in the
hands of teachers and the necessity. for its
adjustment. He was followed by Henry Coff-
man, who seemed df his argument was pre-
meditated), TO have anticipated. the salient
points of his adversary, and with a skill rarely
| surpassed by the best of debaters, twisted into
| fallacy the apparently strong argument of bis
opponent. The keen retort and repartee with
which these youths of fourteen summers met
each other in discussion would have been
credita BILE 10 our best lawyers in, a display Of
con troveI sial skill.
Miss Gussie johnson, champion essayist on
the affirmative was called. For rhetoric.
gracefully interpreted with wit and humor,
forcibe argument. logically arranged, her es-
say would pass through the severest ordeal of
criticism, and it seemed at the close of her
graceful effort that the greatest outrage upon
society and christianity would be the whip
ping of a pupil by his teacher. She was fol-
lowed by Miss Bell Hulvey. the champion es-
sayist on the negative who, with gracefuiuess
and essay equally as grand, appeared to have
anticipated the forcible points of her worthy
competitor, and with more than girl-like We
hemence controverAed the propositions of her
competitor, and lee. us TO believe few strok es
upon the tender BACK Of truant little fellow
would do some good. miss Ada Hudson an
swered the call for tire affirmative, who in her
effeminate manner. Though with forcible
thrusts of truths against th use of thefod, in
duced US TO think that II. is a pity. to whip
child for any offence. The Secretary then
called Joseph Click for the negative, who did
not respond; after second CALL to the
prise of all, his competitor, the opening orator
on the Affirmative, who had persuaded him he
was his friend and would faithfully represent
him he unwell came forward with
manuscript in hand, and with unfair, though
ingenious comments upon its supposed con-
tents, as his preliminary remarks were unfa-
vorabIe to the cause said Click represented,
they caused the invalid to order said manu-
script to be handed over TO his colleague, Hen
ry Coffman, who, after tender appeals to the
judges concerning the sickness of his friend,
proceeded to read the manuscript interposing
frequently shrewd>com as to the power
fitness of the argument contained in his
friends manuscript.
Mr.. Editor, just here. a better burlesque on
what sometimes happens in our court-rooms
could not possibly be. =,
Ben. Early was then called as closing debater
for the Affirmative, who. on account of the
shortness of time given him, 1 understand
nigh be considered au eXtemrorary speaker,
and can hardly do justice.to the young man,
in this brief description, for solid reasoning
and forensic eloquence. He could be pitted
successfully against the eminent lawyers of
our bar upon the questionNdiscusse ed and one
would think, after his manly efforts that our
country is, ruined if the rod be not abolished.
He was followed by Miss Maggie Shumake,
closing essayfst for the negative who, with mind
and soul wrapped up in the cause she espoused
made her long, unbroken chain of forcible ar
gument felt by the audience, as well as by the
Judges
AT the close of which the cham pions read in
structions to the judges; and in my humble
Judgment from the arguments adduced
both sides. it the knottiest question to de-
eide that has eyer been debated in my hearing.
1 cannot close this without saying some
thing in commentator of the Principal of the
Graded school, Prof, j. T. Cribbins, through.
whose efforts we have. been given one of the
grandest entertainmfntsth this community has
ever Witnessed; and only hope the Literary
will repeat their efforts on this vital question,
and furnish you, Mr.. Editor, with compli-
mentary. Hope you will pardon me for taking
so much space in the columns3 of your newsy
paper, though could not have condensed my
letter more than have to have given credit IN
any degree to the participants in the enter
tainment. "a =. OBSERVER.