Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1916-03-24
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES
Killingly-Putnam Debate

be abolished The Seniors supported
the negative and the Juniors the af-
firmative. The judges, Mrs. William
Barber, Miss Harriet Brown, ard MIR.
Beadle of Pomfret, decided in favor of
the affirmative. The cup was present.
ed to the president of the Junior class
by the principal Friday morning. a
brief summary of the arguments OF
both sides is as follows: Affirmative:
Capital punishment is contrary TO the
tendency Of civilization and the mod
ern attitude toward criminals, ii is
simply legalized murder, does not de-
crease murder, is brutalizing to otfiei-
ais and public, there is danger of kill
ing innocent people, crime is often the
result of heredity, environment and
eireums lance, capital punishment al
lows for no difference in motives, and
there are inequalities in administra-
tion. Negative: Capital punishment
has always been the custom, all lend
ing countries have ii, il has been abol-
ished and reestablished in several
places, it Is just, it rs the only effective
deterrent, il does away with the cost
Of keeping the criminal, and it answers
the requirements as u highest form of
punishment.
There were some sixty present. 0w
ing TO the hnrd storm only i few cut.
side the school were present, but the
Debating Club greatly appreciated The
interest shown by several members of
the u. A. II. who did brave the storm
in order To hear The third aud last de
bate for the cup given three years ago
by the chapter. After the engraving
OF the names of the winning team, the
cup will be replaced in The school Ii
brary as trophy.
The great event of this week Mt the
school is the Putnam Killingly debate
te be held at 7.30 Friday evening,
March "a, in the high school hall. AS
far MS can be remembered this is the
first interschool debate in which Put
team made up of John Byrne, Harold
Bowen and Raymond oilpatric met a
Worcester High school team in debate
at the Bradley thealer with the govern
or of the state rs presiding officer.
There had been little or no debating in
the high school since M. Fay's princi
palship until ii was revived two years
ngo, at Mr.. Backus' request, and fos-
tered by the giving of the d. A. r.
prize cup for the winners in series of
interclass debates.
The question TO be debated Friday
evening is, Resolved: That there
should be compulsory training in the
secondary schools and colleges of the
United States. Putnam chose the
question and Killingly the side, her
choice being the affirmative. The Put
nam team is composed of Malcolm
Wiley, captain; Gould Beard, Ruth
Child, and Percy Richardson. The
judges are TO be Mr.. Olmstead, head
master of Pomfret School; Princi pal
Bellows of Tourtelstte Memorial, and
Principal Chapman of plainfied.
Since there is considerable expense
connected with the debate, such as the
expense of the judges, the visiting team,
and the advertising, there will be a
charge of 25c TO outsiders and l5c TO
pupils There will also be candy
sale under The auspices of committee
from the Debating Club and any pro.
ceeds above expenses will be used for
papers and periodicals for the school
library, since both The debating and
the work in current events in History
and in oral English stand much in
need of such material.
There are high hopes that this debate
between such rival schools, and on
such timely topic will fill the school
hall.
No time or effort has been spared by
the members of the local team who be.
gan work as long ago as Feb. 18th
when they spent day at the Worces-
ter Library collecting material. A
great many letters have been sent out
asking for information and material
and have brought in reply large
amount of literature on the subject.
Perhaps the episode that has created
the most amusement was the publica-
ton in a New York paper and the
quoting In various other papers of q
letter signed by Principal Handy and
calling to attention system OF militia
ry training in schools and colleges ex-
aclly such as Putnam is TO contend
against on Friday. As matter of
fact that letter has story. Ii was the
idea of member of the Putnam team
and was written by The team, signed
by Mr.. Handy by their request, and
sent TO the publishers letter depart
ment as a venture in hopes OF starting
spirited correspondence on the entire
subject. II hiss Indeed served its pur-
pose ia SO far as 10 bring 10 ar. Hsndy
a variety OF material. Naturally it
has amused the writer's 70 nave IL pup
lished and quoted and fortunately Mr..
Handy (who as matter OF fact con.
fesses himself "open to conviction as
To the value OF military training) is
able to see the amusing side and will
ing TO be "a martyr 10 the cause
a IL.