The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-22
THE PuttEN SOCIETY
The Undergraduate Contest tor
Medals Last Night.
EXERCISES OF HIGH ORDER
THREE GOLD MEDALS AWARDED
BY THE SOCIETY.
c. 3. WILLIAMS BEST DE6ATER

Mr.. Kinsey Won the Essay Medal by
Paper on american Newspaper"
and Mr.. Lowenstein Got De-
cIaimer's Medal.
Last night was not commencement
night at the A. and Nj. college, but 1t
looked very much like it-especially in
the spacious hall of the Pullen Literary
Society. with its flowers and evergreens,
gaily hued bunting, colored electric lights
and pretty girls.
1t was the undergraduate contest of the
Pullen Literary Society. There were
three medals to be contested for. The
interest was very great and the contests
spirited The exercises throughout were
of high order-the declarations were
well delivered, the essays showed thought
and care in preparation and the debate
was spicy and interesting.
Then when it was all over there were
three lucky men-prize-winners. They
were:
CD. WILLIAMS, Elizabeth City, De.
bater's Medal.
J. B. KINSEY. LaGrange, Essayist's
Medal
f. e. LOWENsTEIN, iStatesville,
DISCLAIMERS Medal.
These were awarded by a committee
composed Of Judge Boykin, Mr.. X. Ii.
Battle and DIR. Cyrus Thompson. The
presentation of the medals was by Judge
Boykin, at the conclusion Of the exercises
Of the evening.
Owing to the delay Of the street cars
in getting the people from the city to the
College, it was o'clock before the ex-
ercises began.
The address of welcome was made by
Mr.. Mark Squires, the president. In the
course Of his remarks he paid Il splendid
tribute to the late r. Stanhope Pullen,
the only benefactor the college has ever
had, and the noble man for whom the
society was named.
After welcoming all who We're present
especially the ladies-and all who might
come later, Mr.. Squires announced that
the contestants for the Dec1aimerS
Medal were Messrs. F. e. Lowenstein,
of Statesville, and j. Rankin Parks, Jr.,
of Randolph. county. Mr.. Lowenstein
chose as his subject, Napoleon at the
Pyramids and Mr. Parks was 'Silent
Voices" Both Of them were well deliver
ed and showed careful preparation on
the part of the cQnteataHts. $50 :
The essayistss were: JssB. Kinsey, Of
LAGRANGE, THE American Newspaper
Its Development and influence" and Mr..
O'Kelly w. Myers, Washington, n. c..
Recent Growth Of North Carolina
Speaking Of the early newspapers fof
this country, Mr.. Kinsey said Boston was
the first city in America to have a news
paper. Its first newspaper was in 1860,
then a second the year following. 1880.
both were suppressed by the Governor
1t was twenty-five years before another
newspaper appeared. 1t was called the
Boston News Letter. These papers,
and their successors for many years. dealt
almost Exclusively in foreign news and
were hardly anything more than an echo
of the London journals. z
The modern newspaper, he said, had
it's origin in New York. 1t was in 1885
that the Herald began the real modern
journalism. Soon after this local news
associations began to be formed. and in
1851 national news gathering and news
serving association was formed. But
Geographic rates were still too high to
permit of the smaller paers taking the
service. Gradually these rates have
been reduced.
The modern newspaper must have
first the news-it may have everything
else but it will be a failure if it lacks
the news-a chronicle of everything Of
interest that has occurred during the
day
Mr.. Kinsey spoke Of the method of
making a great newspaper and sending
it out over the world; of it's great
influence upon its readers; it's work in
uplifting and civiizing the world: of the
trials and difficulties of a newspaper man
in gathering the news of the day and
II
ing. In almost every case where mis-
take is made, he said, it was the fault
Of some one other than the editOr-give
a newspaper man the news correctly.
and he will so print it. Try to suppress
it, Jr tell him in a careless way. and he
can only print the best he can get
In the change from the time to the
modern newspaper, he said something
has been lost but much gained Here
me discussed these gains and losses and
declared the calling of a journalist one
OF the highest and most responsible of
secular pursuits. They should be true
They are not only the disseminators of
news, the leaders Of public thought and
the molders of public opinion, but they
are the guardians Of the nations liberty
Mr.. Myers told in his essay of the
vast resources of North Carolina. and
how these resources have been developed
He said this State was one of the richest
in mines and minerals; her forests are
heritages Of ages. and will be sources of
wealth for ages yet to come. No State
has made more rapid progress in manu-
featuring. For a long time her vast riv
ers We're allowed to run to waste toward
the sea, now they are turning wheels and
spindles. Her fisheries are among the
largest and best in the world. Every sec
ton is being developed and built up by
the railroads and the work of her patri-
otto sons. The hope of this. as of all
other States, said the speaker. is her
noble sons and daughters and her public
and private schools.
The query discussed in the debate was:
..RxS..alxxad ,Ilaat :,