The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-03-27
|SK0WHEGAN HIGH SCHOOL TEAM WON OUT
IN DEBATE WITH MADISON HIGH
Last Saturday Evening in the Opera House
Good Music and Stirring School Yells

There was pride written upon the
faces of Skowhegan students and the
townsmen as we'll last Saturday night
when the Skowhegan and Madison
High Schools held their preliminary
debate in the Colby Interscholastic
debating league. The question was
resolved THE the State of Maine
should permit the transmission OF Its
water powers beyond its State limits"
and the Skowhegan team won out.
The Colby Interscholastic Debating
League consists of the following
schools: Classical institute,
Oak Grove Seminary, Maine Central
Institute, Higgins Classical Institute,
comprising Group A; Skowhegan High
School, Waterville High School, Good
VIII High School, Madison High
School, comprising Group B. The
League Is under the general direction
of the Colby Debating Society, which
furnishes coaches for the teams and
officials for the debates.
During 1912-1913 seven debates will
be held among these eight schools. as
follows: Coburn Classical Institute
and Oak Grove Seminary; Maine Cen
trail Institute and Higgins Classical
Institute; and between the winners in
these two contests; Madison High
School and Skowhegan High School;
Watervile High School and Good Will
High School; and between the winners
in these two contests, and final con-
test between the winners in the two
groups.
The prizes, aggregating one hundred
dollars, are the gift of Hon. Forrest
Goodwin, a graduate of Colby College
in the Glass of 1887. The prizes are
to be distributed as follows: The sum
of seyenty-five dollars shall be award
ed to the winning team in the final
debate, this sum to be divided among
the debaters taking part in the debate;
and the sum of twenty-five dollars
shall be awarded to the losing team,
this sum to be divided among the de-
baters taking part in the debate.
At the exercises Saturday night the
officer was Frank A. James
of East AIillinocket. Seats were rib
boned off on either side of the audi
torium and were occupied by the pu-
pills of both schools. The lcal stu
dents march in in body and gave ID
noisy demonstration of school yells.
During the evening they supported
their team with applause and cheers.
Prayer was offered by Rev. George
Merriam, Colby 10 and explanations
were given by the presiding official.
Skowhegan High was assigned the
affirmative side and the DEBATE was
opened by Sherman Shumway. He
concisely explained the fact that there
was no prospect of future develope-
ment of Names water power under
existing conditions and told of the
large amount of water power to spare
He mentioned that it would retard the
affairs of the State and compared 1t
very brightly to second Rip Van
Wrinkle. Harold Caldwell of Madison
opened on the negative side. To his
mind disastrous results would follow
# the State should allow the trans
mission of its water power beyond its
limits. He considered it would mean
4 death blow to the future financial
interests of the State.
Charles j. Sheridan was the second
speaker on the affirmative and he
talked logically on the question from
A standpoint of law and compared the
of water power
from Maine to the nontransmission of
coal beyond the State borders of Penn
sylvania. Gardner Means, second on
the negative from Madison said that
If transmission of water power was
permitted outside the borders of
Maine it would be a detriment to the
State, industrially, economically and
During his remarks he
cited the growth of Skowhegan from
a farming community to a manufac-
turing town. through the local deyel
opment of its water power.
Carroll Flanders was the third on
the affirmative side and he gave eco
reasons why the water power
should be allowed transmission. He
questioned what there was to be man
ufactured in Maine, stating that there
was not enough raw material here to
keep the water power going and said
not enough big industries would come
here to make use of the water power
should it be confined to State limits.
Maryland Morse, third on the negative,
spoke for a time on the increased
valuation of the State that was sure
to result If the water power was not
permitted to be transmitted outside,
saying more people would come here
owing to the attractiyeness of the
country in comparison with the crowd
ed cities. He also contended that
these people would spend their money