Q.C.G.

The Debating Society

The proceedings at this Society were varied enough and monotonous enough to be interesting. The attendances throughout were very good, and the presence of the ladies leant a sweet, delicate air of refinement. Many a speaker caught his breath and showed a dreamy look in his eyes when that indescribable, soft rustle of skirts reached his ear, or the delicious odour of Parma violets assailed his nostrils. Perhaps the presnece of fresh beauty had a numbing effect on the oratorical powers of the bashful young man; a restraining effect on the fierce and spirited orator and a cramping effect on the fluent and easy speaker. However, that peculiar something that tells of the presence of woman, moulded for good or bad - I say good - the fortunes of the Debating Society in the present Session. We had few new speakers who consistently attended the meetings, and our best new member, Mr. Matthews, left us - alas! after the Christmas holidays. The sweet, lisping accents of our feminine acquisitions I dare not criticise, for I am but a delver in earth, not a sifter of gold or diver for pearls.

Of course the great feature of the term was the Public Lecture, delivered by the President of the College, on the Sun. We all know his rare gift of placing before the audience great scientific facts in an attractive form, and he never puzzles by abstruse technical language the understanding of his hearers. The lecture was illustrated by lantern slides, which were very beautiful and interesting; and the audience, from the frivolous little maid to the staid city father, had its attention riveted on the lecturer from beginning to end.

The papers read before the Society were varied in character and matter, but in almost every case the subject was very cleverly handled, and very fortunately of a type to provide discussion. Mr. Fogarty’s paper on the “Celtic Revival” contained a number of points with which the majority of the members present did not agree; he went in too much for “profit and loss,” whereas those who spoke afterwards wished to champion the poetry and sentiment which play so great a part in the Irishman’s life. Mr. May read a straight-forward paper on “Debating Societies,” and Mr. Matthews created many a laugh by his dissertation on “Bluestockingism,” a subject with which he showed himself intimately acquainted; but he was, perhaps, a little too hard-hearted. One might notice in the opinions put forward on different questions, genius, common sense, or downright lunacy, and there is a lot to be learned of one’s fellow creatures and life generally, even from the nervous oratory of bashful amateurs,

The last meeting held before the Christmas holidays took the form of a Smoking Concert and was an unqualified success; indeed it might make one lean to the opinion that we were much better musicians than debaters.

On the “Hat” nights when it was incumbent on nearly every member present to speak, it was to be remarked how many brilliant debaters hid their light under a bushel, and judging from these two nights devoted to impromptu speeches it is strange that the society is not a greater success when there is so much material for its advancement. It would be well if the meetings were attended with more regularity. Complaints are sometimes heard that things are not in so flourishing a condition as they were some time ago, and these complaints are uttered by men who attend perhaps one meeting in the term, and are mainly acquainted with the proceedings by means of hearsay evidence. If they who say such things went to a little trouble and came to the meetings prepared to speak on the subjects before them, it would be of much practical benefit both to the Society and to themselves.

At the first meeting of the second term Mr. O’Brien gave “Some Recollections of Q.C.C.,” telling much of student life in our sister College in the South. The debate led by Mr. Rogers and Mr. May on “A Classical v. a Mathematical Education,” was perhaps the best of the season, for the subject was within the reach of all, and nearly everyone present had some interest at stake; the Mathematical side won by 15 to 11, but many did not vote, and all felt that it was a sort of compromise.

Of course the ladies organised an entertainment, which was simply a delicious treat. A susceptible and confiding friend of mine confessed to falling in love six times that night, and vaguely wondered if he should ever again see such beauty, such grace in the Greek Lecture Room.

At the second Public Lecture, given on Feb. 13^th, Professor R. J. Anderson, President of the Society, gave a very instructive discourse on the subject of “Training v. Heredity.” The lecture, which was illustrated by lantern slides, in addition to a variety of curious flowers and a number of specimens from the Natural History Museum, was followed with deep interest by those present, the subject being one that interests all of us, more or less. The President of the College was in the chair.

The closing Public Lecture of the Session will be given by Prof. McElderry.