"Curse of the Country"

With Lady Astor presiding, undergraduates of Oxford and Cambridge debated the subject: "Resolved: That Education is the curse of the country," Oxford in the affirmative and Cambridge contra. The case against education was briefly stated in the words : " Forty years ago newspapers were written for the instruction of parents and not for the amusement of children." The opposite position came down to the contention that " the public schools did produce gentlemen," and the conclusive proposition that the country wasn't suffering under a curse anyway. Naturally the audience voted overwhelmingly for the negative. And Lady Astor concluded the proceedings by saying : " Here were brilliant young men not believing a word they said, and yet saying it with wit and charm. It made one feel a dread about the future of a democracy." But the debate held in the interests of charity, not faith or hope.