author
William Horton Foster
Best known for Debating for Boys, this early 20th-century writer turned the rules of argument into something practical and encouraging for young speakers. His work reflects a belief that clear thinking and confident public speech are skills anyone can build.
1 Audiobook
Debating for boys
by William Horton Foster
About the author
William Horton Foster was an American writer best known for Debating for Boys, first published in 1915. The book was written as a practical guide for younger readers, teaching the basics of debate, argument, and public speaking in a direct, usable way.
Available records suggest he was born in 1863 and died in 1946. He studied law at Albany Law School and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1884, indicating that his interest in argument and persuasion was grounded not just in education, but in legal training as well.
Today, Foster is remembered mainly through Debating for Boys, which has remained accessible through public-domain archives and library catalogs. Even now, the book stands out as a glimpse into how earlier generations taught rhetoric, discipline, and the confidence to speak up clearly.