Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-19
Bates School
Debating Cup Is
Presented to Cony

Of. w. y. thompson OF 0Odfo VI
Education, Or. A. o. Thomas, State
Supt. Of Schools, and Others
A special assembly was held Tues
day morning at Cony High school at
which time the fine silver loving cup
which the school debating team won
last Saturday in the finals of the
Bates Interscholastic debating league,
was presented to the school.
A gala occasion wa: made Of the
event. DR.. w. S. Thompson, chair
man Of the Board of Education re-
ceived the cup in behalf of the school.
There were also present at the cere-
monies, Mayor Sanford Fogg and DR..
- O. Thomas, State superintendent of
schools. Music for the occasion was
furnished by the school orchestra.
Principal Quimby presided over the
meeting.
The first speaker was Merritt Hew-
lit, the highest ranking individual de-
batter in the State who spoke of the
history Of debating in Maine and at
Cony High. He then took up the his
tory of the Bates Interscholastic
league. He said that ii vas the wor,:
which the members D the team had
done last year that enabled them to
win this year. Last year a regular
debating class was formed and al
though the team was defeated in both
debates, they got some valuable eX-
perience that helped them this year.
He also told Of he formation Of
= ST. Nj Hf ia Fret
two debates which they had won. the
one with Waterville and the other
with Brunswick. The one with
Brunswick is particularly noteworthy
as the Brunswick team was one of the
three teams tied for the championship
in the Bowdoin league, the other
teams being the South Portland team
and the one representing Morse High.
Morse was later beaten by the Rum
ford High team in the preliminarics
Of the Bates league 3nd this shows
pretty well that Cony High has a
clear title to the pionship of the
State.
Charles Whiting. the second rank
ing individual dcbater of the State,
then gave a short talk in which he
complimented the other members Of
the team for the fine manner in
which they had conducted their de-
bate and he made especial mention of
the wsourceful manner in which they
handled the debate in Lewiston, when
through a mistake Of the timers Miss
Hayden was stopped five minutes too
Ipt tNA told irN 40
middle of her speech. The members
Of the team then took her unfinished
part Of the debate am worked 1t in
to the debate as they were able
lie said that his opinion was that
the victory was won iE large part by
the fact that the Cony High team had
been trained to speak FRI m notes ana
, 10 conduct their rebuttal in like man.
ner, instead Of having committed it to
memory as in the majority of other
, teams. He also cOmplimcnted the
! alternatcs. Miss Whitney and Mr..
I fcnn as well as Miss Croxford and
! Mr.. Quimby, all Of whom had been
most faithful in their work with the
team.
J \
/ team using the same system Of de-
batting as heretofore and with tho
| students who are left in the school
! who show proficiency in debating.
| that great effort would be made
! next year to keep the cup which
/ must be won twice for permanent
possession.
/ MI Whiting then presented the cup
/ to tho school on behalf Of the team.
/ The cup was accepted and turned
! over TO the custody Of the school by
! DR. w. $. Thompson, chairman of
the board Of education. DIR. Thomp-
! son said that he was glad that Conv
/ had been so successful in the recent
/ debate and congratulated them upon
! their showing. He also gave some
i little "reminiscences of the elocution
/ efforts in the old days when the
! school vas on the west side OF the
river.
Mayor Fogg, father Of one of the
| victorious dcbatcrs, said that the CITY
OF Augusta was proud. of the team
ana of the honors which they had
brought to the school lie said that
II was but an example of the tri-
umph Of the Cony spirit. the same
spirit that has made it possible FOR
the 'ohy teams to snatch victory
J from defeat in athletic games, as thcy
old IN the debate, which a preceding
! speaker had told of in which an nm
! looked for and unexpected hantlican
mad caused the hopes Of Cony to ,oo,,
dark indeed. lie further said that
/ mus spirit could not be seen but that
( me evidence Of its operation was an
! parent In every form of student ac-
tiVity. lie was very witty and hapuy
IN MS remarks about the forensic alb
| MY or the students. In his closing
remarks, he urged that every student
| 90 his duty Of cooperation to keen
Cony on its elevated plane.
III was hoped that Governor Baxter
| could be present at the ceremonies
! out he was unable to be there ana
ne sent his message by Dr. A n
| Ihomas, State superintendent or
! schools. He complimentod the scborI
vi us Achievements. and the adm,a
tfation and students on the srcc,>.
which they had attained in athIo.i-:
debating and scholarship.
Dr. Thomas emphasized that 49,.
art OF debating was one OF the m, :
important that student could tn.r
as man who could speak and con
vince others Is the type Of man VINO
VIII later mold the destiny of tho
nation. He said that he heard mo
footsteps of two armies. Ono .ho