Earlston Literary & Debating Society

How many readers know there was once a Literary & Debating Society in the village?  Founded in 1913 and  last reported in the press in 1930, it is  the latest organisation to feature on our blog.  

Its Formation.  
On Thursday, January 9, 1913 a group of like-minded villagers gathered in the Corn Exchange Small Hall to consider forming a literary and debating group.

The chairman for the meeting was Mr James R Simpson, who outlined the objective of the meeting.  The Reverend Keith moved that they form a society to be called the Earlston Literary and Debating Society,  which was seconded by Mr J M D Simpson and unanimously agreed.

The group then set about establishing office bearers and the following were elected:  Honorary President Mr D Aitkenhead, President Reverend Keith, Vice-Presidents Reverend Harvie and Mr J R Simpson; Secretary Mr Scott Donaldson and Treasurer Mr R Garrioch.  A Committee of Management was elected and comprised Messers Samuel Fisher, R W Smith and Harry Aikman. After the meeting closed, the Committee met to draw up a constitution and rules.

Who were its Founders? 

The Committee was made up from a broad range of Earlston’s residents, many of   them well known in the community - Daniel Aitkenhead was the  retired schoolmaster and former Kirk Session Clerk;  the Reverend Norman Keith was the parish minister,  while Reverend Robert Harvie was the minister of the United Presbyterian Church; James R Simpson was a designer at the woollen mill, while (William) Scott Donaldson was a butcher at his father’s shop; Robert Garrioch was an accountant at the Earlston branch of the Commercial Bank; Samuel Fisher owned a house painting and decorating business; Robert Smith was a grocer living in Thorn Street and Harry Aitken, who lived on Church Street, was a power loom tuner working at the woollen mill.

The Debates and Lectures

In February, the Society met to hear the first debate and the chosen topic was  “Is civilization better than a state of nature?”. James Simpson took the positive position while Samuel Fisher took the negative.

"The Berwickshire News and General Advertiser" reported the event and noted:

“Both gentlemen delivered most excellent papers, which were very highly appreciated. Thereafter the following gentlemen exercised their powers of ratiocination [critical thinking]  - Messers W R Johnson, J D Aitkenhead for the affirmative and Messers G Aitchison, R W Smith, J M D Simpson and T Oliver of the negative.”

The result was that the affirmative received 11 votes while the negative received 8.

With the Society’s objective to hold debates established, the literary aspect was addressed beginning in December of 1913. Mr William Doughty, Assistant Master at the village public school, presented a paper “The Novel”. In his lecture he traced the rise and development of novels from Samuel Richardson to Henry Fielding and included contemporary novelists. By all accounts his presentation was well received.

Not all meetings were given over to debates or discussing literature. In January 1914 a session was held which would have not been out of place at a Camera Club meeting.

On the second Tuesday of the month Mr John Steedman, manager of the Commercial Bank, gave a lecture entitled “A Summer Cruise to Norway and Denmark”.  His lecture was supported with photographs he had taken on his trip starting onboard the steamer from Leith to Scandinavia. He then described the towns he had visited together with notes on the social, religious and commercial aspects he encountered along the way. The presentation was further embellished by musical selections played by the Earlston Orchestra. Little wonder that the meeting had to be held in the Parish Church Hall. Mr Steedman received a hearty vote of thanks as did Mr Wilkie who acted as lantern operator.

By February, the programme reverted to debates and one which must have divided the loyalties of the audience. The topic was “Does Scotland owe more to Scott than Burns?”, with the note that Earlston has an Ercildoune Burns Society (as do many towns and cities across the world);  but Scott’s home, Abbotsford, is just eight miles from the village and Princes Street in Edinburgh is dominated by the Scott Monument.

Mr William Doughty took to the floor to support the case for Scott. He started with the private lives of both men and declared that Scotland owed nothing to Burns in this regard. Next he addressed Scott’s poetical qualities and claimed that Scott’s work could be placed alongside that of Burns. His strongest argument, he argued, was in Scott’s description of scenery and depiction of character.

Samuel Fisher championed Burns claiming that Burns had reached the hearts of many Scots and had done more to spread the “vernacular throughout the land.” All classes, Fisher argued, had been influenced by the songs of Burns and these same songs had given immortality to those of lowly birth but sterling character.

At the end of the debate and votes were cast, the verdict was in Scott’s favour.

After that meeting there are no newspaper reports until 1928. Presumably the Society did not meet during the years of World War 1 and some of the original members had died or moved on. For example, John Steedman died while on holiday in Arbroath in September 1914.  In 1914, William Doughty who had contributed so much to the Society volunteered for military service, then within months of his return to Earlston in 1919, took up a post at Daniel Stewart’s College in Edinburgh.  Daniel Aitkenhead died in 1922 at the age of 90.

Concern for the Society's Future.
The next mention in the local press is dated September 27, 1928,  when "The Southern Reporter" published an account of a meeting of the Society. Confusingly, the report states:

“The initial meeting of the Earlston Literary and Debating Society was held in the Lesser Exchange Hall with Mr John Weatherston in the chair. There was a better attendance than at the previous meeting and it was agreed to carry on with the existing members.”

This comment suggests that membership of the group was falling.

Regardless, at this meeting the following office-bearers were elected: President Mr John Weatherston; Vice-President Reverend Walter Davidson; Secretary and Treasurer Mr John Turnbull; Committee members Messers Porteous, W Riddell and T Nichol and the Misses Isobel Forsyth and Betty Kerr.

It was agreed that the Committee would develop a programme of subjects for debate and discussion,  with the first being “The League of Nations”  to be given by Mr Wood, Director of Education of Berwickshire Education Authority. It was further agreed that future meetings would be held in the Good Templars Hall.

The programme of topics for debate are as relevant today as they were in the 1920’s and 30’s. In early October the question “Is Scotland Maintaining her Reputation?” was debated by the Reverend Walter Davidson, for the affirmative, and Mr Porteous for the negative (the affirmative won).

Later that month the topic was “Does convention more than reason direct men’s actions?” On this occasion Mr John Turnbull advocated Convention and Mr William Riddell held the brief for Reason. "Reason" won by a considerable majority.

In December two ladies, Miss Hounam and Miss MacKay, debated “The Victorian versus the Modern Woman” with Miss MacKay advocating the Modern Woman which won by a majority of votes.

In 1929 the topics debated included “Is heredity stronger than environment?”. With Miss MacKay advocating the affirmative and Mr William Riddell the negative. When the vote was taken the majority was given to the negative.

In addition to the debates,  lectures were given,  including one by Mr Wood, Director of Education, on “Is the world getting better?”  Mr James Fairbairn of Melrose gave a talk on “The Border Ballads”. The evening before Mr Fairbairn’s lecture, a whist drive was held where eleven tables were occupied. The ladies' winners were Miss Archibald, Mrs Broomfield and Mrs Pauling. The gents' winners were Mr Neil Hollands, Mr R Pauling and Mr T Oliver.

January 1930 saw the  last report  of a  Society meeting,  when Reverend John Gray, of St John’s Church, Earlston delivered a lecture on "The debt we owe to the Seamen." Mr Samuel Fisher, a member of the inaugural 1914 Committee, gave a vote of thanks.

Sadly no more was discovered on Earlston's  Literary and Debating  Society - a group   that once held a place in the village's social and  cultural activities.  

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 Contributed by Jeff Price of the Auld Earlston Group 

An early 20th century postcard of the Corn Exchange with its belfry clock

 - the setting for the first meeting of the Society. 

 

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