CHAPTER XV_Debating for boys

SOURCES OF MATERIAL

How can you obtain the necessary information for your debate? Where can

you get your evidence? How will you proceed to obtain the facts upon

which your debate will win or lose?

In part these questions have been answered by the chapter on evidence.

Let me advise you to read it over again carefully.

The first persons to consult are the other members of your own family.

Their experience in public affairs you will find in many cases to be

much larger than you have thought. How many times, for instance, do your

neighbors or perhaps the township supervisor drop in upon your father to

talk with him in the evening about matters of public policy? How many

times does the school teacher, on her way home from work, stop to pass

a word with your grandfather who was a member of legislature back in

Connecticut long before the family moved West?

Obviously the next best source of information is your teacher. In almost

all cases you will find that your school instructors are very glad to

help you, not only by telling you what they themselves know but by

referring you to easily available sources of information. Do not hesitate

to ask specific questions of your teachers. It is well, of course, to

request in general their advice and counsel but you can well supplement

this general appeal for help by specific questions the answer to which

will solve troublesome problems as they come up. Be sure to ask your

teachers for lists of available books and advice as to the best magazine

articles to consult.

Next go to the librarian in your own home town. She will be glad to

tell you the best books and magazine articles upon the subject of your

debate. In case her own information is scant you might well advise her to

communicate with the Division of Bibliography of the Library of Congress

at Washington. This Division issues memoranda, type-written lists and

printed lists, giving references upon all topics of current interest.

Private individuals can purchase these lists from the Superintendent of

Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. In case you have

no library within reaching distance the list will be lent to you. In that

case you should address the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D.C.

There is an immense amount of literature to be obtained from the

various branches of the Government, and there is hardly a subject

which a boy might be called upon to debate, upon which he could not

obtain enlightenment by applying to the proper Government officer. The

difficulty is to know who is the proper person to address in a particular

case. Probably the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing

Office, would be the first one to whom to apply. He has Government

publications for sale, and is in a position to give information about

the publications issued by any branch of the Government. He also

furnishes classified lists on various subjects. These will give an idea

of what bureaus handle the different subjects. With such information a

boy can then apply directly to the right bureau. Most, if not all, of

the Departments issue lists of their publications. The Congressional

Directory contains a list of the Government offices, with a statement of

their functions. The Department of Agriculture issues a Monthly List of

Publications, which is sent regularly to all who ask to have it so sent.

It also issues from time to time a list giving titles of all the Farmers’

Bulletins available.

Your own Congressman will be glad to answer specific questions. Of course

all debaters—boys who are good enough citizens to be interested in

current topics—know the name of their representative in Congress.

You will find also that the colleges in your own State will be very

glad to help you all they can. Let me urge you particularly to make

full use of the Agricultural College and State University of your own

Commonwealth. The Agricultural College has at command a vast fund of

questions all relating to life—social and economic as well as scientific

and historical. Probably in this day, your State University has an

extension division which has special facilities for giving you definite

and accurate advice upon any topic. It may be that your State is one of

the progressive ones which have a system of “traveling libraries”—packets

of books which are shipped to persons who have special interest in

special topics. Really one of the first studies for you when you are

securing evidence is to become thoroughly acquainted with the facilities

of your State institutions of higher education. By all means, however,

include the other colleges which may be in your vicinity. Professors

and other members of the departments of sociology, political science,

political economy, history and similar departments will be particularly

ready to give help.

Of almost equal value with the official documents are the writings of

interested men in magazines and newspapers. These articles will not only

contain many facts but will be both stimulating and suggestive to the

debater in opening to him new lines of thought upon the subject. Poole’s

Index, The Cumulative Index, The Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature

are catalogues of the articles appearing in general periodicals. Some one

of them is sure to be found in your library.

Almost every subject now prominently before the public has based upon it

a society of some kind or other which generally issues publications upon

the subject, or, at any rate, has available facts and arguments of value

to the debater. The Society for the Prevention of This, the Society for

the Promotion of That, the Society for the Study of This Other Matter,

are full of value and interesting information. Write to them if your

subject falls within their respective fields.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

QUESTIONS FOR DEBATE

The following questions are given as suggestions for your work in debate.

Many of them are purposely left loose in their statement in order

that the club may adapt the subject to local conditions. For example,

a question is given: “Resolved: That the State should prohibit the

employment in factories of all children under sixteen years of age.”

Obviously the word “factories” does not include all the places where the

labor of children is harmful and should be prohibited. If the question

sought to name all such places, however, it would be cumbersome. I

suggest, therefore, that if you should desire to discuss the question

of child labor, you should substitute for “factories” the particular

industry you are interested in; like, for instance, cotton mills, oyster

canneries, button factories.

Make your questions, when you can, local in their interest. You will be

more interested in the affairs of Fairfield than in those of a city in

Patagonia. Your school will interest you more than the schools of the

other States. Besides, as I tried to show you all the way through the

book, the _application_ of your work in debating is what really counts

and using local questions freely will help tie up debate with life. Study

your local problems and debate them. Formulate your own questions; mine

are only suggestive.

Resolved:

That the State should prohibit the employment in factories of all

children under sixteen years of age.

That the abolition of child labor would be beneficial to manufacturers.

That child labor is a menace to future prosperity.

That child labor tends to lower adult wages.

That eight hours should be a day’s work for minors under eighteen

employed in factories.

That factory efficiency is not conducive to the best interests of the

working class.

That coöperation in trading offers relief to the high cost of living.

That labor organizations promote the best interests of workingmen.

That an eight-hour working day should be adopted within the United States

by law.

That the contract system of employing convict labor ought to be abolished.

That in times of depression municipalities should provide work for the

unemployed.

That the provisions of State child labor laws should be extended to

canneries.

That wages of women should not be lower than those of men performing the

same service in the same occupation.

That governments should grant old age pensions.

That the increase of machinery is disadvantageous to the working classes.

That the factory system has been a benefit to the working classes.

That the boycott is a legitimate weapon of labor.

That trade unions are justified in restricting the number of persons

allowed to learn a trade.

That members of trade unions are justified in refusing to work with

non-union men.

That no girl under twenty-one should be allowed to engage in any street

trade or occupation.

That no boy under sixteen should be allowed to engage in any street trade

or occupation.

That no boy under twenty-one should be allowed to engage in any street

trade or occupation between the hours of seven P. M. and seven A. M.

That strikes are never justifiable.

That compulsory arbitration is wise and feasible.

That free public employment agencies should be established by the State.

That the State should allow no employer to pay a wage lower than the

minimum required to maintain the employé in decent living.

That the State should establish chattel loan institutions in every city

of over ten thousand population.

That the increase of wages to employés of the Ford Automobile Company was

premature and unjust to other manufacturing concerns.

That the increase of wages to employés of the Ford Automobile Company was

injurious to the employés themselves.

That compulsory arbitration will solve difficulties between employer and

employés.

That the miners were justified in their 1913-1914 strike at the

Calumet-Hecla mines.

That the public school course should include trade education.

That cultural education is of more value to the average individual than

industrial education.

That the regulation of conduct in high schools should rest in the hands

of the students.

That coöperation between the public schools and factories affords the

best means of imparting industrial education.

That any city in the United States having over two million inhabitants

should be organized as a State.

That the moving picture theater offers wholesome amusement to the people.

That the moving picture theater offers valuable educational possibilities.

That coeducation in colleges is desirable.

That inter-collegiate football promotes the best interests of colleges.

That college athletics, as now conducted, are not beneficial to the

majority of the students.

That the State should provide for education for all vocations.

That college degrees should be required for entrance to professional

schools.

That students should have a part in college government.

That college education unfits a man for business life.

That small colleges are preferable to large ones.

That the teaching of Latin and Greek in our public schools is not

justifiable.

That the function of education is to prepare the student for life and not

primarily to prepare him to make a living.

That the novel dealing with current events has more educational value

than the historical novel.

That school boards should furnish students lunches at cost.

That school boards should furnish lunches free to pupils unable to pay.

That one daily school session is preferable to two.

That high schools should be in session six days a week and eleven months

a year, with the entire course thereby shortened to three years.

That the elementary school should teach each pupil the technique of a

trade.

That the elementary school should teach each pupil who wishes such

instruction the technique of a trade.

That the secondary school should teach each pupil the technique of a

trade.

That the secondary school should teach each pupil who wishes such

instruction the technique of a trade.

That socialism is more of a promise than a menace to society.

That the doctrines of syndicalism and of the I. W. W. are identical.

That the doctrines of the I. W. W. are sound and justifiable in practice.

That the efforts of the Russian nihilists are entitled to the sympathy of

a free people.

That socialism is the best solution of American labor problems.

That the doctrines of socialism are inconsistent with those of

Christianity.

That socialism contains within its doctrines all the essential elements

of a sufficient religion.

That the present social unrest is due to removable causes.

That socialism is the latest development of coöperation and brotherhood.

That a belief in socialism is inconsistent with a belief in organized

religion.

That the principles of anarchism are hostile to real progress.

That deeds of violence amounting to the taking of life are a necessary

corollary to the teachings of anarchism.

That socialism is a logical deduction from the doctrines of anarchism.

That the trust is a legitimate development of industrial coöperation and

contains within itself the roots of the doctrines of socialism.

That the retention of Alsace-Lorraine by Germany is justifiable.

That colonies are serviceable to the mother country.

That public hospitals should introduce home treatment of their discharged

patients to prevent the return of disease.

That interlocking directorates of corporations are inimical to the best

interests of the United States.

That the position of the English Government with reference to Ulster in

1914 was justifiable.

That Zionism will restore to the Jews a national life in Palestine.

That public opinion is the controlling factor in life.

That the moral character of the American people is deteriorating.

That home rule should be granted to Ireland.

That the victory of Japan over Russia in 1904-05 was for the interest of

civilization.

That heredity has more influence upon character than environment.

That the Massachusetts Bay Colony was justified in banishing Anne

Hutchinson.

That climate has an influence on national character.

That vegetarianism is conducive to health, strength and longevity.

That poverty rather than riches tends to develop character.

That the parcels post system should be more extensively adopted in the

United States.

That as women are largely the buyers for the family they are largely

responsible for the misleading advertisements so common in the public

press.

That vivisection should be prohibited by law.

That the mind of the Caucasian race is naturally superior to that of the

African.

That social progress has been greater abroad than in the United States.

That poverty is more of an opportunity than an obstacle in the

development of character.

That the element of personal sympathy is of greater value in charitable

work than organization or system.

That no one can do effective work in administering charitable relief who

has not been trained in the approved and scientific methods of such work.

That Shakespeare’s representations of common people were unjust to the

England of his day.

That aeroplanes are more practical both in commerce and in war than

dirigible balloons.

That boys’ clubs organized in connection with rural life are of greater

value to society than city boys’ clubs.

That credit unions are essential to the development of rural life.

That the Balkan states were justified in demanding in 1913 the withdrawal

of Turkey from Europe.

That the great powers were justified in depriving the Balkan states of

some of the fruits of their victories in the war in 1913.

That art galleries and museums are not essential to civic development.

That concrete will supersede all other building materials.

That the rural social center is an effective method of promoting rural

development.

That the Raiffeisen system should be introduced into the United States.

That the rural telephone has injured rural social life.

That it was the duty of United States to intervene in the internal

affairs of Mexico in 1914 and restore peace.

That President Wilson was justified in not recognizing Huerta.

That President Wilson was justified in seizing Vera Cruz in 1914.

That Canada should be annexed to the United States.

That further annexation of territory is not for the best interests of the

American people.

That the United States should annex Cuba.

That the United States should annex Mexico.

That the United States should permanently retain the Philippines.

That the United States should ultimately grant the Philippines

independence.

That the Monroe doctrine should be abandoned by the United States.

That the Panama Canal should be fortified.

That the immigration of Hindus into the United States should not be

allowed.

That immigration into the United States should be further restricted.

That the character of the American people has been improved by the

immigration it has received from Europe.

That a property qualification should be a requirement for the admission

of immigrants.

That the Chinese Exclusion Act is just.

That the Chinese Exclusion Act should include the Japanese.

That the Federal government owes both a moral and a legal duty to protect

any alien in this country.

That the Federal government should demand from each State full

protection in all their treaty rights of aliens within such States.

That the State should teach the immigrant the English language at the

very earliest opportunity.

That the Federal government ought to control national elections.

That the United States government ought to interfere to protect the

southern negro in the exercise of his suffrage.

That the suffrage should be taken from the negroes in the southern States.

That woman suffrage is desirable.

That a property qualification for suffrage would be desirable.

That voting should be made compulsory.

That the standing army of the United States should be increased.

That there should be an educational test as a qualification of voting.

That the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the

United States has been justified.

That party allegiance is preferable to independent action in politics.

That moral questions have no place in party politics.

That all nominations for office should be made by direct primaries.

That election of members of Congress from a State at large is preferable

to election from districts within such State.

That the cabinet system of government as practiced in England is

preferable to the Congressional system as practiced in the United States.

That the members of the President’s cabinet should have seats and the

right to speak in Congress.

That the present tendency in the United States toward centralization in

government should be resisted.

That States should be represented in the Senate in proportion to their

population.

That the electoral system of presidential elections should be abolished.

That the president should be elected for a period of seven years and be

ineligible to reëlection.

That a representative should vote according to the wishes of his

constituency.

That the initiative and referendum should be adopted in the United States.

That the recall should be adopted in the United States.

That a decision of any judge on the constitutionality of any civil

question should be subject to revision by a popular vote, when properly

safeguarded.

That the amount of wealth transferable by inheritance should be limited

by law.

That corporal punishment is not justifiable.

That capital punishment should be abolished.

That no conviction for crime should be based upon circumstantial evidence

alone.

That Switzerland has a better form of government than the United States.

That no alien should be allowed to own real estate in this country.

That the length of imprisonment as a punishment for crime should be

determined by a special commission and not by the sentencing judge or

jury.

That all corporations should operate under Federal charter and control.

That the community and not the individuals are responsible if many boys

“go wrong.”

That large department stores are beneficial to the people.

That city mail order houses are beneficial to the villages from which

their goods are purchased.

That judges should be appointed and not elected by popular vote.

That the legislature of Pennsylvania should erect a statue to Robert E.

Lee upon the battlefield of Gettysburg.

That State financial aid should be extended to workmen desiring homes of

their own.

That increase in the average size of American farms is for the best

interests of the nation.

That the decrease of population living upon the land is for the best

interests of agriculture and of the nation.

That State or government aid, in the form of direct loan or guarantee of

bonds should be extended to aid the drainage of land which thereby will

be made suitable for agriculture.

That hard roads should be built at county expense.

That the United States government and the government of each State should

bear equally the cost of improvement of trunk highways, provided the work

be done under Federal direction.

That for this community, main county roads should be paved with gravel

instead of brick.

That for this community, main county roads should be macadamized instead

of surfaced with the “sand-clay” process.

That the jury system should be abolished.

That no immigrant should be admitted to the United States unless he can

read and write his own language to an extent equivalent to the standards

maintained in the average sixth grade of schools in the United States.

That the building and maintenance of a large navy is necessary to the

safety of the United States.

That the time is now ripe for the disarmament of all nations.

That the time has now come when the policy of protection should be

abandoned by the United States.

That a high protective tariff raises wages.

That the United States should establish a system of shipping subsidies.

That a protective tariff benefits farmers.

That trusts are the result of a protective tariff.

That combinations among railroads cheapen rates.

That the trust is a legitimate development of industrial coöperation and

should be encouraged.

That an income tax is desirable.

That a single tax based upon land values would be preferable to the

present system.

That church property should be taxed.

That the entire cost of public improvements should be assessed against

the property benefited.

That one-half of the cost of public improvements should be assessed

against the property benefited.

That cities should be permitted the use of the principle of excess

condemnation.

That cities should grant new industries five years’ freedom from taxation.

That the railroads of the United States should be owned and operated by

the Federal government.

That all telegraph lines in the United States should be owned and

controlled by the Federal government.

That all public utilities should be owned and operated by the

municipalities wherein they are located.

That State prohibition is preferable to high license as a method of

dealing with intemperance.

That local option is preferable to State prohibition as a method of

dealing with intemperance.

That the prohibition, by amendment to the Federal constitution, of

the manufacture, sale, importation, exportation, transportation of

intoxicating liquors presents the most effective solution of the liquor

question.

That “treating” is a great source of intemperance and should be

prohibited.

That it is a more efficient method to remove the temptation to drink

intoxicating liquors than to teach the individual to fight and overcome

the appetite for such drink.

That alcohol is a legitimate article of diet and its use should, properly

safeguarded, be allowed.

That municipal misrule in American cities is due to the indifference of

the so-called better classes.

That municipal misrule in American cities is due to foreign immigration.

That the commission plan of city government should be generally adopted

in the United States.

That the commission plan of government should be adopted by States.

That the growth of cities should be governed by some well organized plan.

That the commission form of city government is more advantageous than the

city manager plan.

That the city needs for its service and life stronger and more

intelligent men than does the country.

That school houses should be utilized at least sixteen hours out of every

twenty-four in civic functions when not required for school purposes.

That a detached house is more conducive to proper family life than a

suite in an apartment building.

That organized play is essential to a proper development of boy life.

That a city should provide municipal dance halls and similar

opportunities for recreation.

That congested cities should furnish the capital for model garden suburbs.

That, to relieve urban congestion, model garden suburbs are preferable to

model tenements.

That the church should provide amusements.

That charity organization societies are effective.

That the church has not performed its full duty toward the laboring man.

That church unity would develop a higher type of Christianity.

That the conservation of the church as the form of organized religion is

essential to real progress.

That secret fraternities in high schools should not be permitted.

That the Federal control of natural resources should be further

strengthened and extended.

That the control of natural resources within States should be left to

States and not assumed by the Federal government.

APPENDIX B

HOW TO JUDGE A DEBATE

The judges of a debate have no easy task to perform. They must be, of

course, unprejudiced as between the speakers, but they must also be

unprejudiced as to the subject. They must not forget that they are to

decide on the merits of the debate, not on the merits of the question.

They must consider the arguments and evidence offered. They must set

off this contention against that. They must give proper weight to the

respective merits of matter and form. They must neither be stupefied

by dull figures which may yet be pertinent, nor, on the other hand, be

hypnotized by brilliant rhetoric which may be but effervescent after all.

They must sift, analyze, weigh, decide. It is a task but little easier

than that of the debaters themselves.

It is the office of the judges, whether one or more, and whether

outsiders or members of the club, to represent the sober second thought

of the audience addressed and not to represent the immediately popular

view. An audience is rarely judicial in its temper. It is generally

partisan—often intensely so. Although there are always two sides to a

question, there are seldom two popular sides. The unfortunate debater who

by contract or by lot is called upon to defend the unpopular side has

a heavier task than his opponent. The judges must, therefore, not only

refuse to allow themselves to be influenced by the hostile attitude such

a speaker has to overcome but, on the other hand, they are justified in

giving him proper credit for the way in which he either overcomes this

hostility or at least partially neutralizes it.

Because the judges do represent the critical impartial attitude, they

should frown upon any attempt improperly to influence a decision.

Organized cheering should be discouraged. It is not the business of

the judges to teach etiquette or courtesy. I should, however, if I were

acting as a judge, penalize the side the supporters of which deliberately

seek to embarrass the opposing side.

The judge must, therefore, be fair and impartial. He must judge the

debate and not the question. But what weight shall he give to matter

and manner respectively? Obviously the manner of the speaker has a more

immediate appeal than the subject matter. However, a debate is not a

declamation contest. It is a presentation of arguments for or against a

proposition so arranged and related that they move to an irresistible

conclusion. Certainly then, what the debater says is of more importance

than how he says it. It would be impossible to define the relative

importance of the two divisions of the subject, but seventy-five per

cent. and twenty-five per cent. may be taken as a fair average.

It would be impossible to give a set of rules by which a debater should

be rated. Of course, no judge will attempt critical “scoring” as does the

judge of a poultry show. He should, however, pay particular attention

to the same points I have emphasized through this book. He will observe

whether each member of the team shows a general knowledge of the question

and whether he shows evidence of having done his own work. He will note

also whether the important issues are selected for discussion and whether

those issues are clearly defined and the line of argument indicated in

the early portion of the speech. It is unfair for any debater to content

himself with refutation—general denials and objections—and bring up his

constructive arguments toward the end of the debate when there is little

time left to the other side. That may be a clever trick, but it is not

honest debating, and a judge should reward it with a penalty.

Then, too, the judge should watch the structure of the argument. Is it

well related? Is each part properly joined to every other part? Are its

various divisions properly indicated? Are the generalizations sound? Are

the statements of evidence facts or guesses? And are these facts simply

reiterative or are they carefully selected because of their significance

and the credibility of their authors? Does the debater show weakness in

his case by contenting himself with pointing out many objections to his

opponent’s position with no counter position of his own? These are some

of the questions the judge will ask himself.

Then he will consider the debater’s bearing on the platform. He will

not expect a presence like that of Webster or of Beecher, but he will

expect that erectness, vigor and dignity which go with a consciousness of

worthy effort. He will not expect the ease of long practice, but he has

a right to expect courtesy to the audience and opponents and, of course,

no conceit in personal bearing. He will look for simplicity in style and

gesture. He will listen for a voice musical but strong and responsive to

the emotion of the speaker.

Finally, if the judge can find in the debater that earnestness, that

conviction, that complete identification of himself with his subject it

will be clear that he has mastered the matter and made it his own. This

mastery cannot be put on or off like a garment, but if the judge sees it,

he can mark that debater, as far as the essential elements of debating

are concerned, 100+.

APPENDIX C

CONSTITUTION OF THE BOYS’ DEBATING CLUB OF FAIRFIELD

PREAMBLE.

We, the undersigned, appreciating the advantages to be derived from

practice in debate, hereby organize ourselves into a club for that

purpose and agree to be governed by the following Constitution.

ARTICLE I.

NAME.

This society shall be called The Boys’ Debating Club of Fairfield.

ARTICLE II.

OFFICERS.

The officers of the club shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary,

and Treasurer, who shall be elected by ballot and shall hold office for

ten weeks, or until their successors are elected. Any vacancy in office

shall be filled by election at the meeting when the vacancy is made known.

ARTICLE III.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

_President._

Section 1. The duty of the President shall be to preside at all meetings

of the Club; enforce a due observance of the Constitution and Rules of

Order; and perform all the duties required of him by the Constitution.

He shall also visit, when practicable, clubs and societies of similar

general purposes, cultivate fraternal relations with them, and, when

possible, arrange with them joint programmes.

_Vice-President._

Section 2. The duty of the Vice-President shall be to perform all the

duties of the President in the absence of that officer.

_Secretary._

Section 3. The duty of the Secretary shall be to take minutes of all

meetings of the Club; call the roll, noting members that are absent;

attend to the correspondence of the club not otherwise provided for, and

perform such other duties pertaining to his office as may be required of

him by the club.

_Treasurer._

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to take charge of all

money belonging to the club; to collect all fines and taxes imposed or

assessed by the club; to pay the orders of the Secretary, indorsed by the

President; to keep an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures

of the club, in books kept for that purpose and, at the last regular

meeting in his term of office, to make a report of the same and to

produce vouchers for all expenditures during his term of office, which

shall be received and filed by the Secretary; and when his successor is

qualified he shall turn over to him all books, moneys and other property

in his possession belonging to the Club.

ARTICLE IV.

CRITIC.

The President shall appoint at each session of the club a Critic, whose

duty it shall be to criticise the conduct of the meeting and of the

individual members in all respects, and to render to the Club such other

help in advice and counsel as may seem wise to him. The Critic shall when

possible be appointed from the honorary members of the Club.

ARTICLE V.

MEMBERSHIP.

Section 1. Any boy residing in Fairfield may become a member of this

club, by election at any regular meeting.

Section 2. Proposals for membership shall be made in writing. The name

shall be submitted to the Committee on Membership, hereinafter provided

for, which shall, at the next regular meeting, report to the society

the general standing and eligibility of the candidate. The vote on the

candidate shall be by ballot. If not more than three votes appear against

him, he shall be declared elected, and on signing the Constitution,

taking the oath of membership, and paying the initiation fee of

twenty-five cents he shall be announced by the President as an active

member of the Club.

Section 3. Any person may become an honorary member of the society by

election at any regular meeting, provided three votes do not appear

against him. He shall be entitled to all the privileges of an active

member, excepting voting and holding office. He shall not be subject to

any initiation fee.

Section 4. Any member who is guilty of conduct unbecoming a member of

the Club may, at any regular meeting, be suspended or expelled at the

discretion of the Club. But the charge against such member shall be

signed by one of the officers of the Club or by at least three members,

shall definitely state the facts constituting the alleged offense and

shall lie on the table for one week after the offending member has been

notified of the charge. No member shall be convicted of the offense

charged unless two-thirds of the members present vote for such conviction.

ARTICLE VI.

COMMITTEES.

Section 1. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the

Chairman of the Membership Committee shall together constitute the

Executive Committee, who shall be vested with all the powers of the club

during the intervals between the sessions thereof.

Section 2. The President, at the first meeting of his term, shall appoint

a committee of five whose duty it shall be to investigate and report on

all proposals for membership. This committee shall hold office throughout

the year.

Section 3. At the first meeting of his term, the President shall appoint

two persons who, together with himself, shall act as the Programme

Committee, whose duty it shall be to formulate the programmes, including

the selection of questions for debate, and report the same to the Club

at least two weeks before the date of the programme. The committee shall

have full power to place active members, including the officers of the

Club, on the programme as it may see fit. The Club may at any time

modify or change completely any programme in the meeting at which it is

reported. The Programme Committee shall hold office until one week after

the regular election of the officers.

ARTICLE VII.

MEETINGS.

Regular meetings of the Club shall be held on Friday evening of each week

at eight o’clock. Special meetings may be called by the President at any

time.

ARTICLE VIII.

DUES.

Each member of the Club shall pay an initiation fee of twenty-five cents

when he is elected to membership and a monthly fee of ten cents on the

first day of every month.

ARTICLE IX.

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all the members

present at any regular meeting of the Club, provided one week’s previous

notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given.

APPENDIX D

TABLE OF PARLIAMENTARY RULES

In the following table, the principal questions arising in parliamentary

practice are noted. The table should serve at once as an index and

summary. The motions are arranged alphabetically; the order of priority

is indicated by Roman numerals.

Each can supersede one of lower rank. None, except to amend, can

supersede one of higher order. The references (e.g.—C.d.) are to the

paragraphs in the chapter on Parliamentary Procedure, page 101, where the

rules are discussed.

A motion to

I. Adjourn leaves the main question first in

order at the next meeting, cannot be

(C.d.) amended, debated, laid on the table,

postponed, reconsidered, or

renewed.[1]

XII. Amend can be amended (not an amendment

to an amendment), can be committed

(A.a.) (takes with it the principal

motion), is debatable if the

main question is, can be laid on

the table (in which case it carries

with it to the table the entire

subject), can be postponed (in

which case the main question is

also postponed), is subject to

previous question, can be

reconsidered but cannot be renewed.[2]

IV. Appeal from decision suspends action on main question,

of chair on cannot be amended, committed,

Question of Order debated,[3] postponed or renewed;

it may be laid on the table (which

(B.f.g.) action sustains the chair) or

reconsidered.

XI. Commit, refer, or commits main question and all

recommit subsidiary to it; can be amended,

debated, laid on the table (carrying

(A.c.) the entire subject with it),

reconsidered or renewed, opens

main question to debate, is subject

to previous question but cannot

be committed or postponed.[4]

VII. Lay on the table, tables the main question, and all

take from the table, subsidiary questions with it; cannot

be amended, committed, debated,

(A.f.) postponed; a negative vote

cannot be reconsidered, but an

affirmative vote can; it can be

renewed.[5]

III. Orders of the Day cannot be amended, committed,

debated, laid on the table, postponed,

(C.a.) is not subject to previous

question, cannot be renewed, but

can be reconsidered.[6]

X. To postpone to cannot be committed or postponed;

certain time does not open the main

question to debate; can be

(A.d.) amended or debated as to time

only; is subject to previous question

which does not thereby apply

to the main question; can be laid

on the table, reconsidered or renewed.

XII. To postpone indefinitely removes main question for session;

cannot be amended; can be

(A.b.) committed, debated—as can the

main question—laid on the table,

postponed, reconsidered or renewed;

is subject to the previous

question without affecting the main

question.[7]

IX. Previous Question compels immediate vote on main

question;[8] cannot be amended,

(A.e.) committed, debated, or postponed;

it can be laid on the table (carrying

to the table the entire subject),

reconsidered or renewed.[9]

XIV. Principal Motion can be amended, committed, debated,

laid on the table, postponed,

is subject to previous

question, can be reconsidered or

renewed.

II. Question of Privilege suspends action on main question;

a motion concerning it can be

amended, committed, debated, laid

(C.b.) on the table, postponed, reconsidered

or renewed, is subject to

previous question.

VII. To reconsider cannot be amended, committed,

postponed, or reconsidered; it is

(D.b.) debatable if the main question is,

and opens the main question to

debate if carried; it can be laid

on the table without tabling the

main question; it can be renewed

and is subject to the previous

question, which, however, affects

only reconsideration.[10]

VI. To suspend a rule has no effect on the main question;

it can be amended, committed,

(B.a.) debated, laid on the table,

postponed, reconsidered or renewed;

it is subject to the previous

question.[11]

V. To withdraw motion cannot be amended, committed,

debated, postponed; it can be

(B.b.) reconsidered or renewed.

[1] A quorum is not necessary to adjournment.

[2] A motion to amend is not in order after the previous question, to

postpone or to lay on the table, has been ordered.

[3] The appellant and the chair may state the respective ground for

appeal and decision.

[4] A motion to commit cannot be made after the previous question has

been ordered.

[5] Motions once tabled must be removed by motion to take from table.

[6] An affirmative vote on the Orders of the Day removes the main

question from consideration; a negative vote dispenses with the business

set for special time.

[7] To postpone indefinitely yields to all subsidiary questions except to

amend.

[8] When the previous question is moved on an amendment and adopted,

debate is closed on the amendment only.

[9] The previous question applies only to debatable questions.

[10] It must be made by one voting on prevailing side on main question.

A motion to reconsider can be applied to every other question except to

adjourn and to suspend rules, and affirmative vote to lay on the table.

[11] It cannot suspend the constitution or by-laws.

APPENDIX E

RULES OF THE FORD HALL TOWN MEETING

JURISDICTION.

1. The Ford Hall Town Meeting has all the legislative powers possessed

by any legislative body within and including the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts. Every bill introduced into said Town Meeting shall begin

with language appropriate to the body which is supposed to be considering

the same.

MEMBERSHIP.

2. No test of race, creed, sex, or property shall be applied in

determining citizenship in the Ford Hall Town Meeting. Any person signing

the roll and subscribing to the following declaration shall thereupon be

regarded as a citizen.

DECLARATION.

3. I do solemnly declare that I will strive to advance the common good

and the Commonwealth of Ford Hall by all means in my power.

OFFICERS.

4. The elective officers of the Town Meeting shall be a Moderator, Clerk,

and a Sergeant-at-Arms who shall be elected by Preferential Ballot at the

second regular meeting of each season. A majority of all the votes cast

shall be necessary to a choice.

5. The Moderator may appoint a citizen to perform the duties of the chair

for such period during his term of office as he may elect.

6. In case of a vacancy in the office of Moderator, or in case the

Moderator or the citizen named by him in accordance with the preceding

rule, is absent at the hour to which the Town Meeting stands adjourned,

the Clerk shall call the Town Meeting to order and shall proceed until

the Moderator appear or a temporary or a regular moderator be elected

which shall be the first business in order.

The Moderator is ex-officio member of all committees.

CLERK.

7. The Clerk may appoint such assistants as he may desire and shall

A. Keep the record of the proceedings of the Town Meeting.

B. Enter at large in the Journal every question of order with

the decision thereon.

C. Prepare and cause to be listed on one sheet for reference

a calendar of matters for consideration at the next session

of the Town Meeting. Such list shall be regarded as the Order

of the Day for the consideration of the Town Meeting at its

next session and the matters noted thereon shall be considered

in their due order unless otherwise specially voted by the

Town Meeting. Any objection to the calendar shall be made and

disposed of before the Town Meeting votes to proceed to the

consideration of the Orders of the Day.

D. Prepare and cause to be listed on one sheet a list of

matters lying on the table.

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS.

8. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall be responsible for the preservation of the

order and decorum of the Town Meeting. He may select such assistants,

doorkeepers, and other officers as he may deem necessary. He shall

execute the orders of the Moderator or the Town Meeting and shall have

the custody of the property of the Town Meeting other than the records

properly in the custody of the clerk.

COMMITTEES.

9. The following standing committees shall be elected by ballot from the

citizens of the Town Meeting:

A. A Committee on Rules, to consist of six members and the

Moderator of the Town Meeting, who shall be ex-officio chairman

of said committee.

B. A Committee on Education, to consist of seven members.

C. A Committee on Housing, to consist of seven members.

D. A Committee on Health, to consist of five members.

E. A Committee on Play and Recreation, to consist of five

members.

F. A Committee on Labor, to consist of seven members.

G. A Committee on Judiciary, to consist of five members.

H. A Committee on Transportation, to consist of five members.

I. A Committee on Mercantile Affairs, to consist of five

members.

J. A Committee on Courtesies, to consist of five members.

K. A Committee on Liquor Laws, to consist of five members.

L. A Committee on Budget and Appropriations, to consist of

seven members.

M. A Committee on Municipal Affairs, to consist of five members.

N. A Committee on City Planning, to consist of seven members.

O. A Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, to consist of

seven members.

All of said committees shall be nominated by a nominating committee

consisting of seven citizens elected by the Town Meeting. The Moderator

of the Town Meeting shall designate one member of each of said committees

to act as chairman thereof.

10. The Moderator shall appoint a committee of five to be known as the

Committee on Ways and Means, who shall prepare for the consideration of

the Committee on Budget and Appropriations an estimate of the probable

expense of the Town Meeting for the current season. When such estimate

has been considered and ordered by the said Committee on Budget and

Appropriations, the said Ways and Means Committee shall extend the taxes

necessary to meet said budget over the Town Meeting and appoint all

officers necessary to collect, care for and disburse the same in orderly

and regular fashion.

11. Before said Committee on Budget and Appropriations shall finally

appropriate any sum for the support of the Town Meeting in its various

functions it shall report its estimate to the full Town Meeting, and no

such report shall be adopted unless approved by a vote of two-thirds of

the members present at a regular Town Meeting.

12. All measures intended for presentation by any citizen shall be

presented to the Clerk on paper furnished by the Clerk. The Clerk shall

read all measures by title and the Moderator shall then refer them to

their appropriate committees, before the order of the day has been

considered at each Town Meeting. They shall be given a consecutive number

by the Clerk and shall thereafter be referred to by number, title and by

the name of the citizen introducing the same. The committees to whom said

measures are referred shall consider the same as promptly as may be and

may in said consideration call before them the original sponsor of such

measure or any citizen who is in favor of or opposed to said measure.

In addition thereto said committees may, if they shall so elect, call

before them any person, whether a citizen of the Town Meeting or not,

whose evidence or arguments might, in their judgment, be valuable to the

committee or to the Town Meeting in their deliberations on the particular

measure under consideration.

Said committees shall, as speedily as possible, report to the Town

Meeting, their conclusions upon the matters referred to them, giving in

concise form the reasons upon which said conclusions are based.

PETITIONS AND REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.

13. Petitions, memorials, remonstrances and papers of a like nature, and

reports of committees shall be presented before the Town Meeting proceeds

to the consideration of the Order of the Day, and the Moderator shall

call for such papers.

PAPERS ADDRESSED TO THE TOWN MEETING NOT PETITIONS.

Papers addressed to the Town Meeting, other than petitions, memorials

and remonstrances, may be presented by the Moderator, or by a citizen in

his place, and shall be read, unless it is specifically ordered that the

reading be dispensed with.

14. No bill shall be acted upon by the Town Meeting until it has been

reported by the committee to which it has been referred: provided,

however, that the Moderator may call upon any committee to report a bill

before it, if in his judgment said report is unduly delayed. No bill

shall be put to a final vote without having been read three several times.

ORDERS OF THE DAY.

15. Bills favorably reported to the Town Meeting by committees, and bills

the question of the rejection of which is negatived, shall be placed in

the Orders for the next session, and, if they have been read but once,

shall go to a second reading without question. Resolutions reported in

the Town Meeting by committees shall, after they are read, be placed in

the Orders of the Day for the next session.

16. Reports of committees not by bill or resolve shall be placed in the

Orders of the next session after that on which they are made to the

Town Meeting; _provided_, that the report of a committee asking to be

discharged from the further consideration of a subject and recommending

that it be referred to another committee, shall be immediately considered.

17. Bills ordered to a third reading shall be placed in the Orders of the

next session for such reading.

18. After entering upon the consideration of the Orders of the Day,

the Town Meeting shall proceed with them in regular course as follows:

Matters not giving rise to a motion or debate shall be first disposed of

in the order in which they stand in the calendar; after which the matters

that were passed over shall be considered in like order and disposed of.

19. When the Town Meeting does not finish the consideration of the Orders

of the Day, those which had not been acted upon shall be the Orders of

the next and each succeeding day until disposed of, and shall be entered

in the calendar, without change in their order, to precede matters added

under rules 15 and 16 and 17. The unfinished business in which the Town

Meeting was engaged at the time of adjournment shall have the preference

in the Orders of the next day, after motions to reconsider.

SPECIAL RULES AFFECTING THE COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS.

20. No matter which has been duly placed in the Orders of the Day shall

be discharged therefrom, or considered out of the regular course. This

rule shall not be rescinded, or revoked or suspended except by a vote of

four-fifths of the members present and voting thereon.

21. If, under the operation of the previous question, or otherwise, an

amendment is made at the second, or third reading of a bill substantially

changing the greater part of such bill, the question shall not be put

forthwith on ordering the bill to a third reading, but the bill, as

amended, shall be placed in the Orders of the next session after that on

which the amendment is made, and shall then be open to further amendment

before such question is put. In like manner, when, under the operation

of the previous question or otherwise, an amendment is made in any

proposition of such a nature as to change its character, as from a bill

to an order, or the like, the proposition as amended shall be placed in

the Orders of the next session after that on which the amendment was made.

RECONSIDERATION.

22. When a motion for reconsideration is decided, that decision shall not

be reconsidered, and no question shall be twice reconsidered; nor shall

any vote be reconsidered upon either of the following motions:

to adjourn,

to lay on the table,

to take from the table; or,

for the previous question.

23. Debate on motions to reconsider shall be limited to twenty minutes,

and no citizen shall occupy more than five minutes; but on a motion to

reconsider a vote upon any subsidiary or incidental question, debate

shall be limited to ten minutes, and no citizen shall occupy more than

three minutes.

RULES OF DEBATE.

24. No citizen shall speak more than once to the prevention of those who

have not spoken and desire to speak on the same question.

25. No citizen shall speak more than five minutes upon any measure.

26. The proponent of any measure may speak for ten minutes.

27. Upon unanimous consent of all voting citizens present, any speaker

may have the privilege of such further time as the said voting citizens

present may designate.

28. Every motion shall be reduced to writing, if the Moderator so directs.

29. When a question is before the Town Meeting, until it is disposed of,

the Moderator shall receive no motion that does not relate to the same,

except the motion to adjourn, or some other motion that has precedence

either by express rule of the Town Meeting or because it is privileged in

its nature; and he shall receive no motion relating to the same, except:

to lay on the table,

for the previous question,

to close the debate at a specified time,

to postpone to a time certain,

to commit (or recommit),

to amend,

which several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they

are arranged in this rule.

PREVIOUS QUESTION.

30. All questions of order arising after a motion is made for the

previous question shall be decided without debate, excepting on appeal;

and on such appeal, no citizen shall speak except the appellant and the

Moderator.

31. The adoption of the previous question shall put an end to all debate

and bring the Town Meeting to a direct vote upon pending amendments, if

any, in their regular order, and then upon the main question.

MOTION TO COMMIT.

32. When a motion is made to commit, and different committees are

proposed, the question shall be taken in the following order:

a standing committee of the Town Meeting,

a select committee of the Town Meeting,

and a subject may be recommitted to the same committee or to another

committee at the pleasure of the Town Meeting.

MOTION TO AMEND.

33. A motion to amend an amendment may be received; but no amendment in

the third degree shall be allowed.

ENACTING CLAUSE.

34. A motion to strike out the enacting clause of a bill shall only be

received when the bill is before the Town Meeting for enactment.

PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE.

35. Cushing’s Manual shall govern the Town Meeting in all cases to which

they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these

rules.

DEBATE ON MOTIONS FOR THE SUSPENSION OF RULES.

36. Debate upon a motion for the suspension of any of the rules shall be

limited to fifteen minutes, and no citizen shall occupy more than three

minutes.

37. Unless otherwise stated a majority vote of those present shall decide

any question.

SUSPENSIONS, AMENDMENT AND REPEAL.

38. Nothing in these rules shall be dispensed with, altered or repealed,

unless two-thirds of the citizens present consent thereto; but this rule

and rule twenty-one shall not be suspended, unless by unanimous consent

of the citizens present.

APPENDIX F