The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-08
AS TO THE FRANKLIN LYCEUM.

we pflub III dHOtuci Coiuiuu uu AZ
forming and inspiring communication
from an ex-secretary of the old Franklin
| Lyceum and commend it TO the atten-
tion Of the living members of the Ly-
ceum as well as to the host of young
men who, If they stop to consider a
moment, can but realize how much they
are losing for lack of an institution in
Providence offering the peculiar advan-
tages to young men that the old Lyceum
offered.
We are confident that another genera
ten of Providence boys will demon
strate how really serious a thing it is
that we have no training school, today,
of the nature of the Franklin Lyceum.
Every meeting and every organization,
even today, demonstrates how small is
the development of our younger men for
entering into intelligent debate or for
conducting the proceedings of a
body according TO recognized par
liamentary practices. In small
way we have debating clubs,
the Young Mems Christian Association
with its body modelled on our City
Council, being conspicuous example.
Our youth of Irish extraction are par
ticularly fortunate, it seems to us, in
this respect. In several sections Of the
city are literary societies, mostly main
tanned by young rish-Americans, which
are practically debating clubs. AS
compared to an institution like the
Franklin Lyceum, or any central organ
ization, such clubs can only do very
limited amount of work, but they are
most beneficial in their sphere. The
old Brownson Lyceum, club whose
membership is largely made
up of Roman Catholic young men,
though its membership has no such
limit, was in its prime when the star Of
the Franklin Lyceum was also in the
zenith. Debates between the represen-
tatives of these two large and centrally
located organizations were frequent and
the rivalry between them was of mutual
advantage. The Brownson suffered from
a decline, just as the Franklin did, but
it still maintains its organization al
though by no means filling the field it
once did, which field is almost entirely
left to the small neighborhood clubs and
those maintained in some of the public
schools.
Our correspondent suggests that there
fu x.,hx AI.A oil III
Lyceum should not be started up again.
We certainly seeno reason why it should
not be. To revive it would seem to be a
very simple matter. Mr.. NATHAN Fl.
TRUMAN has all the records, books, and
papers of the past in a trunk in his
Office, there is balance in the treasury
and meetings could be begun at any
time. There is plenty of young blood in
the community that, we think, could
be enlisted aud revival of the old
spirit on new lines would easily follow,
we should think. The Brownson Ly-
ceum has III the past few years discussed
methods of reviving that famous organi-
zation, and we understand that while
these have not been Immediately or
notably successful, the loyal old
time membership believes that a little
active aggressive work would meet with
encouragement.
Public questions were never so in
teresting, we should say, as they are in
this dag and generation. Local affairs and
national affairs daily disclose problems
of Importance, the study of which is in
spiriting. Our young men form their
opinions on these matters largely
from newspaper reading, accep-
ting the views of the news
papers without, themselves, going to
the trouble of delving into the sources
Of information wherefrom the editors
form their opinions. The Lyceum would
stimulate an interest in these matters
that would demand initial research with
the result of something more than su-
perficial understanding of the subjects
ttat ever demand an expression of opin-
ion from the citizen.
THE NEWS will certainly, as our cor
respondent suggests, and with great
cheerfulness, open its columns to this
matter. Let us hear from the old Ly-
ceum member, and from the young men,
who can but feel the desirability aud
the need Of just such an institution.