People from all faiths mixed together at those tea parties and evidently each can remember the other as being quite liberal with money when any events were held for the church. THE DEBATING CLUBS In the years preceding and following the turn of the century, one of the most popular forms of entertainment and self-education were the debates. Debating Clubs or Societies were formed in each school district. The school- houses would be filled with debaters and their audiences. The debaters were very eloquent and well versed on the various topics covered. They would travel up to fifteen miles to argue such titillating subjects as: Is it better for a boy to start out in life with $20.00 or an education? Resolved that the single life is happier than the married life. Resolved that the life of a professional is more conducive to happiness than that of a farmer. In 1895 a lively debate in Annandale School decided that tobacco was more evil than intoxicating fluid. This was a very "heated" debate. Another topic debated in Annandale that winter was Resolved that a spend¬ thrift is worse than a miser. The results of the debate decided in favour of the spendthrift. A debate in Big Run School in 1903 would have caused the feminists in our midst today to start an uprising. The topic debated then was "Resolved that woman is the intellectual equal of man." The chairman, Warren Dingwell , de¬ cided in favor of man. However the decision could not have been well received since it was voted not to give a vote of thanks to Mr. Dingwell for his decision. Perhaps some of the men present were afraid to go home and relate a summary of the winning sides' arguments to their wives. From a religious viewpoint the debating clubs or societies were frowned upon by at least one of the churches in the area. A Baptist minister in the late 1800's discouraged his charges from becoming too involved with such pastimes as it too closely resembled the "road to Sodom". However in looking back today to the debates staged at the various school- houses along the Boughton River , we realized how the debates contributed to our way of life now. The social interaction between communities broadened the views of our ancestors and paved the way for the consolidation of our schools and communities. OTHER ENTERTAINMENT Another source of entertainment to come to the area was travelling movies. Neil Cheverie and later, Bruce Yeo from Montague travelled to the Annandale 90