The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-23

League.
clearly in several papers read at the re-
cent meeting of the educational associa-
tion In st. Paul. 1t was pointed out that
the university should be a center from
which educational ideals should spring and
dominate the state; that it should guide,
counsel and stimulate all educational
movements, not only keeping in close
touch with them but blazing and pioneer
ing the way. -.
If this thesis is true. and it seems
to be, then one of the best movements of
the kind that ever had it's origin in the
university is the High School. Debating
league. = - -.!.-
The league is helping to mold the right
kind Of material for the university and the
schools for higher education. Football
and athletics attract and develop men of
Drawn. The league by developing the
faculty for debate and stimulating gen.
eral interest in the discussion of timely
and important topics, attracts men who
will shine more brightly in scholarship
and literary excellence and ,f1uency..
-e... League lebaters In the ~" ...
The university has done everything for
the league. but the league In turn is be-
ginning to do a great deal for the uni
versfty. Nineteen. of last years best de-
baters of the league entered the univer-
sity last fall and are doing fine work in
the forum and classroom. The fact that
a student. participated in the leagues de-
bates last year is q passport to the liter
ary societies Of the state institution. The
societies are seeking high school talent,
and especially talent that has been trained
and drilled in public speaking in the prac-
tical and thoro school which the league
affords. This early experience has been
proved to be Of the greatest value. It
f<-. Tt ,l@& ~>s>
and the societies have not been slow to
see it and profit by it. Last fall there
was much more of an effort to get these
young debaters into the societies than ever
before. The league has been a pronounced
factor in improving and shaping the men
| tai fiber and equipment of high school
graduates. 1t has helped those who took
| part, just as predicted, and its influence
| is already strongly felt. . r-... .-
| A livelier interest has been created in
! the schools and in the pupils personally
! wherever debating team has been main
| tanned. Staid business men and others,
who had little more than a passing inter-
est, have come to feel that they had a
| duty here and have undertaken to perform
it,. One of the young debaters Of last
year desired to prosecute his studies In
! the advanced schools Of the state, but had
| not means to do So He had been a brill
| liant debater for one so young and his
| team carried a distinguished part all thru
| the contest. When it became known he
! must leave school, certain influential bust
| ness men Of the town counseled him to
| hold on and rendered him such backing
and encouragement that he resolved to
| surrender no part of his ambition, but to
work his way step by step If necessary
to the top. He left the high school fol
the university and is paying his. way as
| he goes. But for the league and the infll
| snf n
tional career Of this promising young Min.
1 nesotan would have been cut short anC
the state would have lost usefulness an6
service which g broader education is cal
culated to give. Business men have beer
I attracted by these bright boys and girls
and the schools and the comm onwealtf
have been the gamers. ~, z ;.
49,. Its Influence Outside. !. !.
The influence Of. the league has no
been confined to4state lines. The educa
tors of other states have been attracted
by its. success and many of them hav,
| opened a correspondence with the presi
dent, Professor McDermott. r. S. Dew
ar, superintendent of the schools of Devil
Lake, Nd, writes: -
Encouraged by the success Of you
high school debating league in Minnesota
the leading educators of; this state ar,
. favorable, to the organization of a assimila
league in North Dakota. The probabfii
: ties are one will be- organized and il
working shape by the next school year
, The Grand Forks Herald is willing to d
} for a league in North Dakota what TIL
Minneapolis Journal has done for you
league in Minnesota. As, a preparation
q for next year the:Devils Lake high aschoo
, will, soon debate the question, :, q Resolved
{. That United States senators should b
chosen by direct vote of the people,
IL Professor J. w. Gannaway Of Iowa col
y lege at Grinnell wrote: <s would yo
, kindly send me copy Of the constitution
} Of the high school debating league Of Min
, nesota, or. an outline of It's organization
! It has seemd to me that an organizatio
l similar to yours might be made In thi
4 state.=I have read with the greatest in
, terest the accounts of the debates as giv
r en- in The Minneapolis Journal, and al
3 thoroly convinced that the organization
: one that will prove of very great value
the high schools Of the state, as well as
t the university" 81
n Many letters of similar import might /
d quoted, as President McDermott has cor
e Quoted a large correspondence with Leaf
: ing educators all over the country WI
h have been watching the contests in tn
h state and desire to introduce them in the
a own. Minnesota schools. thanks to Il
E league and its officials. are the best advel
n tised In the northwest. Their progress