From “Q.C.G.”, May 1904

Literary and Debating Society.

The stormy period in the history of this Society which culminated in the aiming of a fiercely directed vote of censure on the Chairman, came to an end when that vote was triumphantly negatived. “Fierce is the light that beats upon a throne,” said Morrison some years back, “but fiercer yet the light that beats upon the chair of the Debating Society;” and the excitement which attended several of the earlier meetings made it appear that this still has some truth. In the time of calm which followed things gradually improved, and the general condition of the Society at the end of the year, utterly refuted the assertions of those who had been predicting for it an early death. A noticeable feature was the irregular attendance of several of the more prominent officials, but it is not always safe to draw an inference.

Considerable disappointment was felt throughout the College when it was made known that Professor Exon was obliged to postpone his lecture. Many of us who do not count classics amongst our more matter-of-fact studies were looking forward as much to making our new Professor’s acquaintance as to hearing his lecture; but we must content ourselves with hoping that we may have an opportunity of hearing him early next Session.

Mr. Harrison’s paper on the “Economics of Industry” was perhaps a little above the ordinary member, but gave rise to a considerable discussion between several who had made a study of economic science.

Professor Wardell gave to a rather unimposing audience a very interesting account of the Irish soldier in the Peninsular War. He began by wondering why people do not give more time and study to the history of so great a War, but as incident after incident was related, each more harrowing than its predecessors, we felt that for ourselves at any rate the reason was not hard to find. Many of the stories in Professor Wardell’s enormous collection, related verbatim as they occurred, were intensely humorous; but one could not help feeling that it was too often the grim humour of the battle-field, shouted through the smoke over the cries of the wounded. The vote of thanks duly proposed and seconded was conveyed to the lecturer by Professor Trench who occupied the chair.

The meeting addressed by Mr. Compton on “Faraday, his Life and Work,” was small but select. The essay was well put together and elicited a profitable discussion in which Professor Senier took part.

On the occasion of President Anderson’s lecture on “Radioactivity” the audience was considerably too large to be comfortably accommodated in the Greek Lecture Room. All came expecting to hear an interesting account of a much-talked-of subject and everyone was satisfied; for step by step, with the assistance of diagram, lantern slide, and experiment, the whole path that led to the discovery of Radium was pointed out and explained. Further experiments showing the action of Radium were then performed, the apparatus being managed by Mr. J. Warnock, MA. Professor Trench, President of the Society, occupied the chair.

On Parliamentary night the chief item was a bill brought in by an impetuous engineer—beg pardon, M.P.—for the abolition of the Medical School; but the medicals were in force, and after firmly establishing their own rights, they passed an act disestablishing the Engineering School for ever.

The election of officers was not so exciting as it sometimes has been, for in most cases a considerable majority voted in favour of some one candidate. Everyone was delighted that Professor Bromwich was elected President, and under his patronage, with Mr. Harrison as Chairman, we may expect a very successful time next Session.

The most remarkable feature of the programme for the past year is. the absence of a debate of any kind, ten out of the sixteen subjects being put down as “Essay.” Much of the difficulty experienced in arranging interesting meetings is due to the fact that in the Session everyone has his hands full, and is consequently very unwilling, if not quite unable, to devote to what is a comparatively unimportant object, the time and energy necessary to produce a good result. . The enthusiast may say that the Society should have an important position as part of College life; but with an exam. staring him in the face, the average student can hardly be expected to regard work of any kind as welcome. It would be a good thing for the new Secretaries to make out at once a list of suitable subjects for debate, which they might submit to the members, securing a definite number of the items for next year’s programme before the close of the present Session. If this be done, we shall have no hesitation in predicting a most prosperous Session for the Literary and Debating Society in the coming year.

“Loquax.”