The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-01

On the program was always read
ing. A reading then was merely the
reading of some humorous prose ar
ticIe by a member of the society
Now, when a reading is given, it is
recited. This. we used to call reel
tation.
Probably one of the features of
many 'Literaries'' was the music by
the Combette Band. This band con-
sisted of at least four young people
who took ordinary combs, covered
with thin paper, and made music
therefrom. Usually, a long card board
or as it was then called, paste board"
horn was made The comb was in
serted in one end of this horn and ar
| ranged so the sound passed through
the horn. The bass horn was largest
in size. and they decreased according
TO what the person was playing, tenor,
alto or soprano People nowadays
can scarcely conceive of the music
rQade by the Combete band
A recess of fifteen minutes was
usually taken, so the program COM
mittee could make out the next weeks
entertainment While the program
committee was hard at work, the
/ rural audience took advantage of the
time and visited together. Or, bet
Ter yet II some young man thought a
certain country lass was the sweetest
IN the world, this recess gave him an
opportunity to find out if he rnight
take her home. 1t was a general rule.
IL AFTER recess you found certain
young men sitting with certain vounp
ladies', you would find these couples
going home together. Many a happv
nome was founded in these good old
country Libraries"
Questions of Debate.
AFTER the recess, came the debate
Always two, and ofttimes three on =
| SIDE the affirmative on one side OF
the room, and the negative on the
other. Leading questions were debat-
co. The leader of each side chose one
Juose ana these two judges chose a
thlro. Then everybody was read
Wei do We remember the heated dis
cussions over Which was the most
useful. iron or wood" (Which
the the most beautiful art or
nature? Was Washington Z
greater president than Lincoln ?"
genial than city life ," was Lee a
a greater general than Grant?' was
water more destructive than fire - etc.
Occasionally, a dialogue suppose
now IL would be called an amateur
PIay-Would take its place on the pro-
gram Each person was a finished
actor or actress. There was no fore
ing or compelling persons to take part,
i'll those days. Everybody entered into
the program with a spirit and willing
ness seldom seen nowadays A favor
was conferred upon you, when asked
u take part in the program.
A some time during the literary
season, a mock trial was held Some
one would be arrested on a charSe cf
stealing. judge wau1d be selected
ana the young men who had legal TN
billions would represent the state and
the accused. The carefully selected
/ July always disagreed on the verdict,
although influenced by the third de-
gree quiz of the witnesses and the
pudding lawyers eloquent pleas
! So popular were these county lit
eraries' that the smaller towns took
up the idea But the lack of inclina-
/ ton on the part of the townspeopIe to
! participate, and the sem lance OF row.
dyism by the town boys epkt the town
literary from prospecting.
/ Probably the only person who real
/ ly never got into the spirit Of these
I occasions was the teacher. who usual
/ ly came from the county seat and
thought herself rather above that sort
I of thing Then. of course, it meant
extra work-the school house had to
be cleaned and made ready for Mon
day mornings session. Familiar signs
OF the blackboard read: Pleas do
not spit on the floor" and kindly do
not remove anything from the desks
! or destroy any of the school property.
| But for all this, teacher eventually
/ took part, gladly.
The Good Old Days.
The days of the literary
the automobile took Squire Hoskirs
and family to the city in the evening
/ before the telephone provided Mrs.
| Hoskins an opportunity to visit with
/ the neighbors. and John Henry a
sweetest girl in the world-before the
/ monograph drowned out the old
fashioned country music-those were
good old days.
But the days of the literary are
I past, when the young man received
training in speaking that enabled him
in after years to face larger audiences
and make them listen. when the anna
teur singer had the fear and agony
OF appearing in public removed and
this paved the way to future fame,
and when the study those boys and
girls put on public questions was an
education not acquired by the reading
of books. True. the days are past
END of man" but the memories of il
are cherished highly and the desk OF
many a man or woman, raised on the
farm, holds a carefully preserved
somewhat yellowed program, reading
something like this:
Recitation-"when Mama Was little
so6s ir Threads Among the Goid |" Oil
RecitationE~B Billy smith ?'D' John Slow
Reading-"sambo's Difficulties.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Fool Char Charley Goot
Paper-.The Lyeeum Herald -.:-.-
james Willcome, Maybelle Donor
Music-Stringette Band.
Dialogue-"How James Won"
By five little girls and one boy.
Song-'The Little Daisy.
By some of the younger children
Monologue-"S Sammy and the Watermelon
By the Teacher.
RECESS.
Music-vfctory Combette Band.
I Debate-Resolved. that the Pen Is Might1e
Than the Sword.
| Affirmative-Wfu TaIker. Nettie Winner
Sam Gooden.
Negative-Charles Versus, Anna VIII
? ing, Ed Knowing.