New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-28
4 Useful RETIVaL.

Athletic connections have, In our 0plHloh'
been of great benefit to American colleges ana
their students. They have raised the physlcai
standard and promoted morality and refinement
by putting 4 ban on careless and evil haoi's
and a premium on rational living. They sim
ulate the interest of graduates and directly ana
indirectly increase the resources and equipment
of the institutions in whose name they are Waged'
Thus what will be the best gymnasium in inc
country is now building for Yale at cost OF
about 5000, 900, but the university might have
waited for it indefinitely in vain except for the
enthusiasm of the alumni over the athletic TIL
umphs of recent years. But these familiar and
exhilarating contests are not the only pfoltaoie
forms of intercollegiate competition, nor are they
the only ones capable of arouslng deep interest.
The Yale Harvard debates by which this winter
torn has been distinguished, have deeply stirred
the communities of Cambridge and NeW-llayen.
They have had the advantage of novelty, to be
sure, but that does not entirely account for their
success. There is no intrinsic reason why the
spirit of rivalry and cheerful combatvencSS
which makes athletic struggles what they are
should not be as effcctually evoked by intellect
ual contests; and recent experience proves that
it may be-
A revival of debating in the colleges, and par
tcularly in the most famous of them, is in every
way desirable Scarcely any form Of mental
exercise is more stimulating and developing.
1t used to be cultivated with great interest and
earnestncss in the days before physical contests
came in. 1t owes to them its decline in part but
not wholly. Numerous other influences have
contributed to this unfortunate diSusc College
communities were formerly far more isolated and
independent than they now are They came in
contact with the world at fewer points and
offered only a mcagrc variety Of voluntary pur-
suits and associations to students The instinct
for companonShip and competition utilized what
over means Of qualification existed, and its chief
resource was in the debating societies. At Yale
for example, Brothers Il Linona were great
facts in the academic life They divided the
entire college population and their rivalry was
keen and determined. The debates were among
tho principal events of the college year. con-
Quoted with the velic,t zeal and productive Of
intense devotion and enthusiasm As the horizon
widcncd. a. the secret societies came on the
scene, a. classes grow larger and athletic sports
developed and communication with the outer
world became easy and customary, the debating
societies languishcd and with their decay one
Of the most engaging and useful branches of
discipline and instruction faded cut Of existence
and almost out Of recollection.
There was no actual necessity for this dislp-
poalancc j. merely meant that in the rapid
growth Of new Interests the debate had tempo
mry failed to hold is own. It * now revived
aS an experiment bur is merits and claims are
such As 20 warrant the hope and belief tha: it
will rcG1in il old vitality in in. tituti,ns where il
has long been dormant or dead. Americans
have deserved reputation for their faculty of
easy speaking. Bu; if j. doubtful if their power
f close and forccful debate is what i. used 70
be- ThcIc il a vast food Of discussion in legi>-
lativc chambers. which i a, easily PRODUCED no
dfiibt, a, ever; but there is much reason To be-
licyc tha~thc quality is dccror1ting. II might
be impossible 10 trace a connection between this
fact and the decline Of debating societies in the
colleges and in rural communities. bur there il
n ab>udty in the >urmi,c hat such n conncc.
,.n exists, The YalclIlvard debates are not
unlikely = be initiated by other institutions
and W. hope hey VIII be, for their influence ard
tendency arc wholly c,mmcndaLlc