LITERARY AND DEBATING SOCIETY

After half an hour’s vain perusal of standard authors, back numbers, and the usual periodicals and dreadfuls, in search of something wherewith to preface the following notes, not without a feeling of contempt. and vexation, let us say, did I light upon the following lines of a poet who has been called human:

“And Now,” said the keeper of the Tabard Inn,

“I think, Sir Knight, you kindly might begin.”

Although professing the doctrines of a school whose motto is “Never do the obvious,” I shall, having gone thus far, go further and begin - a tale of pessimism, brightened here and there by a few uncheerful touches — another chapter in the history of the Literary and Debating Society. A glance over the records of its past few years reveals to us, traditions of failure and helplessness, and even in its brighter epochs a decline in status, rendering it the victim of apathy and indifference on the part of its members, the students. Such was its condition up to last year, that great difficulty was experienced in securing members for its committee, the minutes of which record a co-option at every meeting. Yet, despite the circumstances which beset us, some were found among the students, those who knew ‘a thing or two’ no doubt, who questioned the ability of the committee; regarding the whole Society as a great joke! The success of the Society, however, does not depend upon the work of a Committee and Chairman, but upon the members of the Society as a whole, and the present condition obtaining casts great dishonour upon the students of the College.

In addition to this much talked of in-aptitude there is the tendency to forget what the real meaning of a Literary and Debating Society is, an inclination to regard it as a place where we may disport ourselves awhile. This tendency may, perhaps, be attributed to the spirit of the age, which is no doubt glaringly at variance with a true University spirit, although there are others who seem to think that the great influx of the feminine element threatens to complete the downfall of the Society by converting it into a kind of extension of the Ladies’ Room. Much, of course, may be said on both sides, and we do seem to see something in the latter now that we consider it, for a region of high pressure on one side of the archway naturally demands a region of low pressure on the other to maintain the equilibrium of our venerable pile.

As for the proceedings of the Society, we have little to say, other than as usual, the opening ceremony was attended with an unhoped for degree of success, bringing forth, as it did, a new spirit amongst the jibs who seem to be every year improving under the new system of Wider Toleration of Jibdom Movement. The wave of enthusiasm, however, very soon ended in a ripple if indifference as the next debate showed by the non-attendance either of a sufficient audience or enough speakers; it was a case of, Apparet intus domus el atria longa patescunt, but they were empty this time. This was, to say the least, most discouraging, as it seemed the subject was not sufficiently light and humourous for most of the students. One successful debate, however, was held in which the jib orators showed great promise as debators, but until the students themselves realise that serious topics can also form material for intending debates, we can never hope to conduct a Literary and Debating Society upon rational lines and the small number of debates held this year was due entirely to the fact that several good subjects had to he discarded as unsuitable to the general taste.

INEXORABLE.