The Debating Society

satisfactory result, especially after the very large sum we raised in War Weapons Week only two terms ago. The Secretary is grateful to Mr. Jackson, F. G. Davis and J. D. Dehch for their help in dealing with the 1,390 Certificates issued during the Week. The totals of the ordinary weekly collections are keeping up a steady average of some £12, and of the 284 boys in the School 256 are now members of the Group. The total raised since the Group was formed, in June, 1940, is now £4,266 19s. 5d.

It may be appropriate to add here that for the Red Cross Penny-a-Week Fund the School raised £13 Os. 3d. during the term.

DEBATING SOCIETY.

During the term three very successful meetings of the Society were held, the first on January 30th, the second on February 21st, and the last, which took rather a novel form, on March 7th.

On January 30th, the Society debated that " This House approves the claim of scientists to a greater part in the ordering of world affairs." R. R. L. Pryer, who spoke for the motion, was in favour of the setting up of an advisory body of scientists to govern the actions of politicians, while J. A. Denison, speaking against the motion, expressed the opinion that scientists were temperamentally unfitted for government. Speaking respectively third and fourth, J. P. Corry and H. E. Braun supported what had been stated by those speaking before them, the former stressing that scientists have hitherto been treated very poorly by politicians. The motion was then thrown open to the House, and several speeches were forthcoming. On a vote being taken, the motion was defeated by 11 votes to 9.

The meeting held on February 21st was notable for some spirited exchanges in private business. When the minutes had been read a vote of 'censure was proposed on P. G. R. Dench for failing to make notes of the previous meeting. This was defeated by 14 votes to 13. A second vote of censure, proposed against the Committee for incompetence in the organisation of the forthcoming debate, was carried by 22 votes to 3. P. A. Lockwood was then called upon to propose the motion " That this House believes that superstition is a Good Thing." He made a short but humorous speech, dealing with common superstitions, and 21