64 
DEBATE : 
“ ARE WE AS A NATION DOING OUR BEST 
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION ? ” 
Affirmative, Mr. Wm. Thompson. 
Negative, Mr. John W. Chorlton. 
October 21th, 1908. 
Mr. William Thompson opened the debate in the affirmative. 
Instead of taking the broad standard of what is called “ the 
next generation,” which term was somewhat difficult to define, 
let us ask “ Are we doing our best for the future ?” Education, 
one of the great factors of the future and no doubt the chief 
one, is undoubtedly of a greatly more advanced kind than 
ever it was. Looking back, we find it was in 1871 when 
education was first made a great national question. It has 
been widened, broadened and extended until at the present 
day we have a splendidly equipped system for the education 
of our boys and girls. Great improvements are continually 
being effected with regard to our teaching staff. Pupil 
teachers’ centres, scholarships to bring teaching up to the 
highest pitch of excellence, and other improvements have 
been made and are still being made, which must augur well 
for the proper and higher education of our future men and 
women. This one factor alone has reached a state of efficiency 
which has never been before approached. Another department 
in which there are great hopes for the future is the develop- 
ment of inventions which is taking place. Take electricity 
for instance, which is at present practically only in its infancy. 
It is impossible to know what may in the future be achieved 
by electricity. Then again, new discoveries were being made 
daily in medical science for the lessening of suffering, 
saving of life, abolition of plague, and the removal of pestilence. 
Our railroads and highways are in a well organised and perfect 
condition, and our travelling facilities are most comfortable 
