The value of the debate to

six steps given on page 15. a student's training will depend upon the patient manner in which he pursues the six processes, one by one, to the completion of his argument. By this patient step-by-step work, and by the making of his speech to his class as an audience, and by these things only, can he hope to become a successful debater. The student who neglects the step-by-step process, and who gathers his arguments in a disconnected manner, no matter how good the individual arguments may be, is wasting his time and opportunities-he is working purposelessly. (The student will find much better advice than can be given in this work in Baker's Principles of Argumentation, Ginn & Co., or in Brookings and Ringwalt's Briefs for Debates, Longmans.)

Division of Time.-Each section, the two sides agreeing, should be allowed to divide among the speakers the time allotted for the debate.

Chairman of the Debate. As presiding over an assembly is an important part of a speaker's training, a student should be allowed to preside over the debate, each section choosing its own chairman from the remainder of the class, and no student acting as chairman for more than one debate, in order that as many students as possible may have this practice.

Programme. Upon the day of a debate the section debating should present to its chairman a complete and carefully made out programme containing the question, the names of the debaters in the order in which they are to speak, and the time allotted to each, as a memorandum for the use of the chairman. It is best that the question for debate be neatly written on the blackboard in front of the class, prior to the debate itself, in order that those listening to the debate may know the exact statement of the question.

Briefs to be given to the Teacher for Examination. Of course, each debater has carefully prepared a brief of his argument, in which the authorities he gives in support of the statements he makes are cited-volume, chapter, and page. This brief he should hand to the teacher for examination after his debate.

Taking Notes. One of the most important parts of a high-school student's training is the ability to take notes of a speech or lecture. This power is absolutely indispensable in university life. A beginner will find it very difficult to make an outline or a brief of a long and elaborate speech or argument simply from hearing it. He should begin the acquiring of this power by taking notes of short speeches. No better opportunity for such a beginning can be found than in making out a brief of each student's speech in debate while it is being delivered, in order to acquire the important power of listening and of taking notes at the same time. These briefs should be carefully copied on uniform paper, and used in the preparation of a decision upon the debate, and then handed in to the teacher for examination and criticism as to the student's ability to make out the brief of a speech as he hears it.

DECISIONS UPON DEBATES

Purpose. The purpose of decisions upon debates should not be so much to see who wins as to learn to divest one's self of prejudice, and to learn to weigh evidence, thus developing fair-mindedness.

Weighing of Evidence from the Briefs taken.-Each student should aim, in preparing a decision upon a debate, to arrive at a just decision based upon the argument presented, and without prejudice as to speaker or to previous opinions. The student should sit down, having before him the briefs that he has taken of the

speeches made by the debaters, and without prejudice or preconceived opinions he should proceed (1) to a careful examination of the statement of the question; (2) then to a careful examination of the briefs in the order in which the speeches were delivered, carefully weighing the arguments presented, until he has arrived. at a decision for which he can give good reasons when called upon.

Time of the Decision.-As the purpose of deciding is to learn to weigh evidence, the debate should not be decided at once, as such action is likely to be hasty and to prevent the weighing of the evidence. The decision, therefore, should be postponed for at least one day, in order to give each student time to go through the process mentioned under the caption "Weighing of Evidence from the Briefs taken."

Appointment of Judges.-As it is desirable that each student should have training in the weighing of evidence, for no one can prepare an argument who can not weigh evidence, it is not best to appoint judges to decide a debate until the day set for the decision and its discussion, in order that each student may expect to be chosen as a judge, and that he will, therefore, prepare himself by the study of the question and the briefs that he has taken. Upon the day of the decision, all the students being prepared to decide, three judges may be chosen who are to render, upon slips of paper as usual, a decision upon the debate. After having rendered. their decision, each one of the judges should be called. upon to justify his decision from the briefs that he has taken. Thereafter the decision should be open for discussion by the remaining members of the class, from the briefs that they have taken. No student should be allowed to assign a reason for his decision by saying, "I have decided for the affirmative (or negative) because I

thought they presented stronger arguments." He should be required to show from his briefs why the arguments were stronger. If desirable, the decision of the judges may be followed by a second decision by the class as a body. This plan will insure the greatest possible amount of practice in the methodical weighing of evidence.

SOME CAUTIONS IN DECIDING

1. A student, in sitting down to his briefs, should first try to forget that he has any friends upon the debate.

2. He should try to forget his preconceived opinions upon the question. He is not deciding upon the question, but upon the arguments presented.

3. He should make an effort to ascertain the truth of the evidence cited in support of statements.

4. He should beware of the effect of 66 a last speech," being careful not to overestimate its value on account of its having come last.

5. It is not fair, in debate, to use the influence of the name of some sacred book by quoting from it, as final proof, some statement unsupported by further evidence. Such statements have no weight as evidence.

6. Mere assertions, ordinarily, have no value as arguments.

Criticism. A student who is earnestly seeking the development of his argumentative power, and of his power of speaking while upon his feet, is also seeking criticism; for it is, first, by improving his good qualities, and, secondly, by getting rid of his bad qualities, that he must attain the powers he seeks. It is best, after a decision has been rendered and discussed, that each debater should have an opportunity "to see himself as others see him "; therefore, his speech and his presentation of it, for his own good, should be open to

discussion. The first point that should be discussed should always be on the positive side, or what was well done. After this has been discussed, those faults of position, want of earnestness, want of clearness, want of force, want of close adherence to the subject, etc., should be freely discussed. Each student must overcome his own faults, and must, by a rigid self-examination, rid himself of these faults and replace them by excellences.

A STUDY OF BURKE'S AUDIENCE

The study of the audience to which a speech or argument is to be delivered is necessary to the preparation of the speech or argument; and as every great speech or argument must be suited to the audience, it will be necessary in the study of Burke's Speech to know something of his audience-the House of Commons before which he spoke; therefore some pupil from the class should be detailed to present a report upon Burke's audience, the House of Commons of 1775. He should take care to present information upon the following particulars :

1. What is the House of Commons?

2. Its organization and customs.

3. A blackboard drawing of the House of Commons, or a picture of the same passed around the class.

4. The political parties of the time, and the one in power; their principles.

5. Some of the prominent statesmen who listened to Burke.

6. The circumstances under which the speech was made.

7. The probable location from which Burke made his speech.

8. The conduct of the House during the speech.