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 thankThe Youth’s Companionfor 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.