The next presidential debate for Democratic candidates is coming up on September 12^{th<\/sup>. In light of that and also with thoughts about the kind of discourse Americans are having these days, it seemed appropriate to publish Mr. Bush\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s article on a practice that went out of fashion long ago\u201a\u00c4\u00eelocal debating societies. Somehow it was possible for 19th<\/sup>-century neighbors to dispute current issues without making enemies of each other.<\/p>\n}

Many thanks to Barbara Charles for sharing her transcription of this article.<\/p>\n

\n

Old-Time Debates Went to
\nthe Bottom of Many Questions<\/h1>\n

Debating School Set People to Thinking on Public Questions
\nFew Active Members Remain<\/p>\n

by Egbert T. Bush, Stockton, NJ
\nHunterdon Co. Democrat, Jan. 23, 1930<\/p>\n

One must be growing old to understand what the rural Debating Society of former days was like. By whatever name known\u201a\u00c4\u00eeand sometimes the name was high-sounding\u201a\u00c4\u00eethe Debating Society was an institution in its day. If all was genuine that old people told us boys, who are now as old as they were then, the Debating Society was on the wane even at that time. And it kept on waning, year after year, until now it is only a tradition to most people and a matter of memory to the rest of us. If a neighborhood debate is held now and then\u201a\u00c4\u00eesay about as often as a hen has a toothache\u201a\u00c4\u00eeit bears little relation to the debates of older days.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since Mr. Bush was born in 1848, his boyhood memories must date to the period of 1855 through 1865, being the prelude to and duration of the Civil War. Old folks of that time were probably born around the time of the Revolution.<\/p>\n

It appears from checking on notices in the Hunterdon Gazette that local debating societies came into existence as a result of the country\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s fascination with the Lincoln-Douglas debates, which took place in 1858. The first mention of a debating organization in Hunterdon County was published in the Hunterdon Gazette for January 12, 1859:<\/p>\n

We understand that a Debating School is held in the School House, near Copper Hill, one evening in each week, with a good attendance. Also, one at Ringoes, in a flourishing condition. Good. May these organizations spring up all over the Country. The mental cultures thus derived is [sic] incalculable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were debating as candidates for U.S. Senator from Illinois. Because the principal topic was slavery and its expansion into the new states, and because both Lincoln and Douglas were already well-known as expert debaters, the seven debates got intense newspaper coverage, with transcriptions of what was said published in papers throughout the country.^{1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n}

Returning to Mr. Bush\u201a\u00c4\u00f4s article:<\/p>\n

The village school-house of one still more rural was generally the place of meeting. Hence the organization was often called a \u201a\u00c4\u00fadebating school,\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 tho there was nothing about it to remind one of a school except the walls. It had its uses. It made a place to go, and broke the monotony of rural life. But it did more. It set people to thinking along other than the accustomed lines, it encouraged concentration of thought and tended to broaden the mind.<\/p>\n

Of course most of the speeches were crude, but that was one of their charms. Whoever thinks those unlearned and untrained debaters never came near to touching the bottom of any important question, will do well to modify his opinion. Many a nugget of pure gold showed thru the dross of crudeness.<\/p>\n

A Debate at Drybrook School<\/strong><\/p>\n

The need for clarity may excuse one for using the first person a little too freely at times. That seemed to be unavoidable in such articles. My first acquaintance with rural debates was made very early in life. I was allowed to go with my father to attend them in the Drybrook school-house on condition that I would \u201a\u00c4\u00faset right still and listen.\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 Both were done with enthusiasm, if not with understanding. The house was crowded, and how the speakers did wrangle over the arguments! Things were too lively ever to grow tiresome. Little is remembered about the debaters; but Jacob S. Pierson stands out clearly, big, jolly fellow that he was, everywhere delighting to get up a laugh.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In his article, \u201a\u00c4\u00faRecollections of Drybrook School,\u201a\u00c4\u00f9 published in the Democrat on August 29, 1929, Bush wrote that the school was located a quarter mile north of Croton, about 150 feet north of the arch bridge over the \u201a\u00c4\u00faDry Brook.\u201a\u00c4\u00f92<\/a><\/sup> The schoolhouse was made of unpainted clapboard, and was later replaced by the Croton schoolhouse shown here.<\/p>\n

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