Chapter I: Preface

The judge, in awful ermine, on the bench; the jury, glowering, in its box; the prisoner, THE BOOK, in the dock: enter in humility, the attorney for the defense, THE PREFACE.

“What excuse for existence has the prisoner?” thunders the judge in tones that make the culprit’s leaves shake.

In cringing deference, the attorney for the defense falters, “None, your lordship, none, but....”

Such is the scene that many prefaces suggest. This preface, however, is different—and quite shameless. It says, merely, that the title “Debating for Boys” carries its own statement of its reason for being. Boys like to debate; debating will do them good. This volume is a simple, unpretentious manual designed to help boys to debate efficiently—to get from the most manly of all sports, and a royal sport it is, all of the pleasure and profit it has to offer. The book is designed, first of all, as an aid to the boy himself—in home, club, school, church—and, also, as an aid to the father, club director, teacher, clergyman, all, in fact, who are his friends and advisers.

I wish to thank _The Youth’s Companion_ for its courteous permission to reprint one chapter which originally appeared upon its Boys’ Page; _Boys’ Life_, the Boy Scouts’ magazine, for kind consent to the republication of much matter which first saw the light of print in its columns; Mr. Henry Smith Chapman for valuable material upon parliamentary law; and Mr. Warren Dunham Foster for his general editorial direction of the book.

Acknowledgment is due Mr. Rollo L. Lyman of the University of Chicago, and Mr. George P. Baker of Harvard, whose methods of teaching argumentation have become standard.

W. H. F.

Boston, Massachusetts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I WHY BOYS SHOULD DEBATE 3

II WHAT DEBATE REALLY IS 13

III WHAT TO DEBATE 19

IV GETTING READY 25

V TERMS AND ISSUES 30

VI CLASH OF ARGUMENTS 38

VII EVIDENCE 47

VIII THE BRIEF 56

IX REFUTATION 71

X DELIVERY 79

XI FINAL SUGGESTIONS 83

XII HOW THE FAIRFIELD BOYS ORGANIZED 88

XIII THEIR PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE 101

XIV THE FORD HALL TOWN MEETING 116

XV SOURCES OF MATERIAL 134

APPENDIX

A. QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE 141

B. HOW TO JUDGE A DEBATE 153

C. CONSTITUTION OF THE BOYS’ DEBATING CLUB OF FAIRFIELD 156

D. TABLE OF PARLIAMENTARY RULES 160

E. RULES OF THE FORD TOWN MEETING 164

DEBATING FOR BOYS