The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-17
KENT CLUB PRIZE DEBATE
HEED TN OSBORN ,HALE LAST EVEN
 ENG-9OOD SPRE0HES.

Discusslon or Free Higher Educatfon--
 Dtsputants, Members of Y. S. s. Glass of
 '9S-s. E. Connor Wins First Prize-Six Speakers in AIl-Presidcnt Clark Chair
 man of Judges.
 The Yale Kent club prize debate was
 held in room A, Osborn hall, last even-
 ing, and was listened to by a large
 audience. The question was one of
 current interest, 1t being, Resolved,
 That itis unwise to ca1ry the system of
 free public instruction beyond the edu-
 cation of the common schools The dts-
 putatns were; On the affirmative,
 William Henry Cox of Beaver Falls.
 Pa., John Wayland Peddie of German
 town, Pa, and Fred Clark Rector of
 Cedarville, O.; on the negative, Robert Adam of Wilmington, De-, George Wins ton Carey of Stratford, Conn.,, and
 Louis Edgington Connor of Ctnoinniti.
 O. The Judges were c. P. Clark, pres- lHdent of the Consolidated raflroads
 James H. Webb of New Haven and
 Prof. T. Harwood Pattison of Rochester university, Rochester. N. Y. Frank J.
 Brown '95 l.. s. presided, and after a
 brief introductory address introduced
 the first speaker, MT Rector, who said
 that it is the right to levy taxes when
 the equivalent is received by the aper,
 but when people are taxed for highep
 education, who never wilt get any ben eft from it, the system is nothing less
 than robbery In all cities, although only one twentieth of the scholars at- tend the high schools, yat these schools receive by far the greater share of the money apportioned for the free educa- ton, and the other ninetesn-twentieths are neglected. Fifty per cent of the residents of the United States are farm CTS and 25 per cent are artisans, whose children are forced, as soon as possible to go to work and earn money. So since a large proportion of those of school age cannot attend high school, what IS the use of having free higher education. Only three or four out of every 100 scholars who attend the common schools ever enter the high school.
 MT. Carey next opened the debate for the negative and said that colleges and professional schools are now offering every inducement to young men to make their aims in life higher, and steps should be taken by the government to further this encouragement
 MT Cox, the second speaker for the affirmative, was indisposed and was un- able to speak, and Louis Edln ,',r Con- nor, then continued for thet negative. He quoted Bacon as saying that the learning Of the few is despotisn1. while the learning of the many Is liberty, and said that education has spread fvs and enveloped the whole world. Twenty years ago a man with a common school education could compete with the world, but to-day the standard has ris- en, and a man in order to be on an equal with his fellow men must have 6. higher education.
 MT. Peddie then concluded forfthe af- frmative, and asserted that for the mass of humanity high educa- tion is unwiee and unnecessary. Many are unfitted for it either by hereditary characteristics or by their present way of life. They could never be leaders of men. Some persons must be followers Govern ment control of schools is not a wise control. Legislators are not necessari- ly educators. They are hardly compe- tent to prescribe courses of study. Bet ter leave it to teachers and college pro- fessors, who have experience. Instead of pleading for higher education it is better to plead for better facilities for school education
 MT. Adair concluded foT-'the negative saying that if we want only govern !, ment then a common education Is sufficient, but if we want good govern ment then we must have good educa- ton. Educate the masses. Higher has proven practicable ex- pertinent. Upon the intelligence of the whole community rests the salvation of the republic. Washington in his fare we'll address said promote the free schools as much as possible and this patriotic sentiment has characterized )ur forefathers down to the present .ime. Our country leads the nations in he number of its educated citizens. Whatever tends to protect man in the exercise of his inviolable rights is the junction of government, and as educa- ion does this it must be right, and he higher it is the better. At the con- ,lusion of the debate the judges con erred few minutes, after which MT. Clark announced that the first prize lad been awarded to MT. Connor, the eoond prize to MT. Peddie. and the hird prize to MT. Rector.