The Debating Society

Another presentation of particular interest was that from Dr. J. T. Sheppard, Provost of King's, to mark his visit to the School for Commemoration, 1948. It consisted of works from his own pen, translations of the Greek dramatists and other books of classical interest :-

DThe "Electra" of Sophocles and the "Peace" of Aristophanes. Euripides' "Helen". Euripides' "The Cyclops". Aeschylus, the Prophet of Greek Freedom. The Wisdom of Sophocles.

In addition to the above the following books were acquired in the course of the term :-

Europe in the 19th and 20th Centuries—Lipson. The Scandinavians—S. M. Toyne. The Second World War (Vol. I)—Winston Churchill. Creevey—John Gore. Tudor Parish Documents—Purvis. Plato's Republic—trans. A. D. Lindsay. Flaubert and Madame Bovary—Steegmuller. Oxford Junior Encyclopedia (Vol. I). Maquis—Millar. The Robe—Douglas. Native Economics of Nigeria—Forde and Scott. The Library Atlas. A Systematic Regional Geography—Unstead. World Survey—Unstead. Contact Catalysis—Griffith. Boiler House and Power Station Chemistry—Francis. Modern Gas Turbines—Judge. The Nature of the Atom—Conn. The Wave Nature of the Electron—Conn. Rugger—Do it this Way—Sugden & Hollis. Cricket—Do it this Way—Wheatley & Parry.

With increasing attendances the Society has fully established itself in the Big Hall for its meetings. Indeed, from a purely statistical point of view the Society would appear to have reached a degree of popularity and success unequalled in its history, the average attendance for this term's debates being comfortably over a hundred. But perhaps more encouraging still has been the increase in the number of speakers from the house, for therein lies the true indication of its success.

The first meeting of the term was held on Saturday, 2nd October, when the motion was "That this House approves of voluntary euthanasia."

J. F. N. Jackson, proposing the motion, said that people suffering great pain who have no prospect of recovery were quite justified in asking for a painless death. He cited several examples where great suffering could only be relieved by a voluntary and easy death. 25

Mr. Le Tocq then rose to oppose the motion. He spoke at length on the principles which might guide a man to make such a decision, and in this connection mentioned many practical difficulties which would be involved. No one in extreme pain was in a position to make such a decision.

M. I. H. Unwin, who seconded the proposition, spoke of the great mental and physical suffering caused by many of the diseases for which there was no known cure, and which, he said, should be alleviated by euthanasia. Patients stimulated by drugs were not alive in the true sense of the word.

M. B. Markus, seconding the opposition, said that an ill man could not make the necessary decision for euthanasia to be really voluntary. He also opposed the motion on religious grounds.

The debate was then thrown open to the House, wand speeches were made by Wilson, Ryder, Chatterton, the Chaplain, Kelsey, Mr. Waine, Buttrum, Wheatley, Frater, Norwood, Graham, Berg and Powell.

The motion was carried by 35 votes to 34.

The second debate took place on Saturday, 16th October; the motion was "That this House would favour the abolition of hunting and coursing."

The Headmaster first spoke for the proposition. He based his case on the plea of needless cruelty to the animals concerned. Blood sports encouraged a morbid curiosity which should be removed from the face of the earth.

J. B. Mortimer, opposing the motion, spoke at length on the history of hunting and coursing, and on the methods employed, claiming that there was little cruelty. Foxhunting provided an effective method for keeping down foxes.

C. D. Ryder then seconded the motion; he claimed that other methods of killing pests were less cruel and that the farmers and poultry-keepers themselves preferred these methods.

C. M. Bainton, speaking fourth, said that the abolition of hunting and coursing was an encroachment on our freedom to enjoy sports; it was only the beginning of a movement which would in time extend to such sports as fishing and shooting.

The debate was then thrown open to the House, and speeches were made by Griffiths, J. C., Chatterton, King, C. D., Unwin, Mr. Rhodes, Wheatley, Hilton, Mr. Le Tocq, and Buttrum.

The motion was defeated by 64 votes to 48.

The third meeting of the term was held on Saturday, 30th October, when the motion was "That modern amusements cater only for those who do not wish to think."

Mr. L. B. Burgess, proposing the motion, analysed the main forms of modern amusement, claiming that they all had one thing in common—noise. Noise and clear thinking were incompatible. 26

D. C. Jack, who opposed the motion, showed that amusements were intended to supply those elements normally lacking in life. He elaborated this fundamental point by referring to the many organisations and movements which supply such amusements.

N. B. Burgess seconded the motion. He emphasized some of the points made by the proposer, saying that modern entertainments provided alternatives to thought.

D. J. Wilson, seconding the opposition, devoted the main body of his speech to an examination of the merits of the film in encouraging thought, saying in this connection that the film was a new art form, and to appreciate art one must think.

When the debate was thrown open to the House, speeches were made by Markus, Mason, Holmes, Unwin, Jackson, Cobham, King, C. D., Daneff, Griffiths, J. C., and Frater.

The motion was defeated by 69 votes to 54.

The next meeting was held on Saturday, 13th November, when the motion was "That this House would approve rearmament even at the expense of economic recovery."

Mr. Crews proposed the motion. He said that the world was divided into two camps : Russian communism and the Western democracies, and we must therefore re-arm to safeguard our economy.

J. M. Graham, opposing the motion, said that if Britain gave a lead to the world by disarming completely, other nations would follow suit and international suspicion would disappear. We had not the wealth to re-arm before economic recovery.

A. R. Royle then seconded the proposition. He said that if we had been armed in 1939 the disasters of the early years of the war would have been avoided. The Russian danger must be guarded against.

P. J. R. Mason, who seconded the opposition, said that Communism must be opposed by economic prosperity and that the Russian danger rests in her suspicion of capitalist powers. This could be counteracted by a firm economic stand.

The debate was then thrown open to the House and speeches were made by Jackson, Cobham, Markus, Kelsey, Reid-Smith, Frater, Jack, Hunt, Haxby, Chatterton, Berg, Powell, and Kendell.

The motion was carried by 83 votes to 21.

The final meeting of the term took place on Saturday, 4th December. It had been decided that a full debate should not be held, but that two short discussions should be held on subjects already debated.

The first discussion revived the question of the alolition of the death penalty. N. B. Burgess spoke for the abolition and J. B. Mortimer against. The main points made for the abolition were that no one had the right to decide on such a penalty and that the countries 27