Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-03-24
DEPARTMENT
OF ORATORy
Grand Prize Contest In
Debate study nj Shak-
espeare To Take Place
April 22nd.

:"
ought to learn says What they
will have occasion to use when
they become men, III this IA
nous answer Of the old Greek
be founded in wisdom-if in
other words the education of
youth should be at all govern
Ell by a reference to the wants
of practical life in after years.
there can be little doubt that
debating is among the most
valuable Of educational sgen-
cies.
First. because il furnishes US
the best opportunities for the
practice OF deliberative orztory-
Secondly, because il forces
a. 1t we're into the acquisition
of a great amount and variety
of useful knowledge.
Thirdly. because il is the best
possible school Of logical dis
putation
Fourthly, because IL leads to
a familiar acquaintance of par.
liamentary law.
This work then seems favor.
able in the highest degree To
the development Of every order
and every diversity of talent
II the orator is tempted to
trust entirely and mainly To the
efficacy Of graceful gestures,
expressive tones and pointed
emphasis, be sure that he will
without some strong foundation
of sense and reason. like a
Christian without some strong
foundation of genuine charity
ever be "as sounding brass and
n tinkliDg cymbal." This whole
some discipline has always
been acknowledged by men OF
the most illustrious rank.
Curran awkward and ungain'
ly in gesture, hasty and inarti
culate in utterance with a voice
naturally bad, early provoked
the name of scattering Jack
lie sought and found aid in
debating societies. He with
stood the ridicule awakened
by his unpreposessing manners
He bore failure with fortitude
He turned all criticism to good
account and at length came t.
be one OF the most effective ora
tors any age or country can
boast.
Fox confessed he had aequir
ed skill as a DICTATOR at the ex
pense of the blouse of Com
MONS He made j. q point
to speak on every question i'm
portant or not, in order to i'm
prove himself; and Henry Clay
name that awskens at once
the thought Of everything that
Is fascinating and forceiul in
eioquence. owned frankly and
always his obligations to eloca
ton and debating clubs Rni
surely such training needs M
advocacy. In every situation
il has its value; in organized
bodies of every description
civil and religious literary and
scientific, commercial, mechxni-
cal, agricultural. wherever in q
word questions are TO be dis
cussed according to the will
of a majority, there is the ap
propriste field for deliberativs
oratory. Life is a perpetual
debate Men may beat theil
swords into plow-shares and
and their spears into pruning
hooks Arms may Weld 70
the gown of peace yet the val
of opinion Is a var eternal
Struggle always active and en-
ergeiic Was never more fierce
than at present and ii demands
the most accomplished and able
debafers-
The greatest enthusiasm has
been aroused in the Senior
Class ofOratory over the debate
which is TO take place on the
evening of April the I'D La
dies aud gentlemen will enter
this contest and ii has excited
unusual interest as IL will De
the first debate in the history
of the University in which Ia
dies have participated. Recent.
ly lady from the Law class at
Cornell joined in one Of the
great college debates and re-
ceived the unanimous vote Of
the judges The subject in
which she shone so conspieu-
Ously Was Resolved. That
immigration into the United
States should be restricted to
those who can read and write
the United States Constitution
In some language, provided
thai satisfactory provisions Dc
made for the admission 81 flsa.--
dependent ON sach qRSlIresi
immigrzntsL-
just here let rs admonish the
young men Of the University Of
Mississippi. to look well To
their iaarels- Special attention
In debate has been given this
term and an earnest effort made
to free the stadents OF all vivid
defamation, suited sentences.
and tn keep constantly before
him the two great objects OF
Oratory-Cony.etion and Per
suasion- He is taught that the
foundation of orstory ~ good
sense and thought, and is ex-
horted never To speak upon a
subject until be has read him
self full upon il, and never to