From “Q.C.G.”, May 1906

 

Debating Society.

 

To write an article under this heading in the “Merry month of May” is no very congenial task, whilst to read accounts of Debating Society Meetings two months after is not particularly interesting, so we shall merely take a short survey of the Society during the present Session. One is justified in saying that on the whole it has been most successful, the meetings having been well attended, whilst a great many laid aside their diffidence and nervousness and have since developed into orators “to the manner born.” We had some excellent debates on varied subjects— from Wellington v. Napoleon to “Smoking an injurious habit” - and the public lectures were most interesting as the attendance showed. The best thanks of the Society are due to the President, Profs. Bromwich, Kinkead and Wardell for their brilliant lectures.

 

The election of Officers passed off very quietly without any of the excitement which tradition says was associated with such a proceeding in days gone by. How the Officers elected will perform the duties required remains to be seen, but we are sure they will do their best, and we have it on the authority of a most respectable old adage “they can do no more.”

 

Mr. Lynham made a very good chairman and that position is by no means an easy one.

 

The applause from the back benches was sometimes too prolonged to be pleasant, especially on “Ladies’ Night” and on “Parliamentary Night,” when its effect on the performers was neither beneficial nor helpful. However, applause of that kind does no one any harm.

 

We hope that next Session many more will attempt to speak (and succeed for that matter) and that many may possess that characteristic of the schoolmaster in the “Deserted Village” - “e’en though vanquished he could argue still.” Perhaps “the words of learned length and thundering sound” are not so desirable, but if they are spoken not read one does not mind.

 

We are glad that the Inter-Collegiate Debate at Cork was such a success, and we would express the hope that such a Debate will take place in Galway next year. It is most desirable that the three Queen’s Colleges should be more in touch with each other than they are at present, and there is no better way of attaining this end than by meeting on the Debating Platform as well as on the Athletic Field.

 

J. B. M. A.