Newton High School - Newtonian Yearbook (Newton, MA)

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104 THE NEWTONIAN Girls' Debating club President, Ellen M. Burdett, 1911, Vice-President, Helen Ganse, '11, Sec- retary, Marion Thomas, '11, Tmasmfcr, Marjorie Rice, 'I1. Executive Commit- tee: Helen Ganse, cha1'rr11zan,' Katharine Bartlett, ,II , Dorothy Farnham, '12, Elizabeth Rice, '13, Elizabeth Starpweather, '14, HE Girls' Debating Society of the Newton High School was founded y and in March, 1909. It was organized, under the leadership of two of H4 'Wi the teachers, by a few girls from the Junior and Senior classes. Although the debates were interesting and instructive, and the subjects numerous and varied, yet in the year and a half of its exist- ence the Club held no public or interscholastic debates. This circumstance was unfortunate but unavoidable, and it remained for this year's Club to remedy the deficiency. At the first meeting of the year, which was held on October 21, the election of officers for the year 1910-11 took place, with the above stated results. After this re-organization meeting, it was found upon computing the membership list, that there were sixty-four ambitious girl orators in the school. And we proudly announce that the Girls' Debating Club has the largest membership list of any society in the school. ' This year a .debate between the Boys' and Girls' Debating Clubs was ar- ranged, and on Wednesday morning, December 21, before the whole school, a very exciting and withal closely contested debate was held, on the subject: Re- solved, that tariff should be levied for revenue only. The Girls defended the affirmative, the Boys the negative. The girls' team picked for the occasion was as follows: Helen Ganse, '11, captain, Katherine Bacon, '11, Katharine Bart- lett, '11, Adelaide Fairbank, '11. The decision was awarded to the negative. Towards the middle of the year, a junior.Branch of the Club was formed for the Freshmen. This was thought advisable, as the Freshmen had had no previous experience in debating. Under this new regime they will obtain a year's training in debating before entering the Senior Branch or Debating Club proper. Katherine Donovan, '14,,was elected President and Mildred Corson, ,I4, Secre- tary and' Treasurer. The executive committee appointed consisted of Elizabeth Starpweather, chairman, Ruth Allen, and Gladys Webster. This junior Branch was made a part of the whole Club, and dependent upon the Senior Branch. In March, the Club challenged the Brookline Girls' Club to an open debate upon the subject: Resolved, that Senators should be elected by direct vote of the people. The Brookline Girls chose the affirmative. 1 ' ....--. I

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THE NEWTONIAN 103 1 j Debating Z:--135' -egg HE Debating Club held a meeting early in the fall and elected West, '11, P1'6'S1'dt?7ll,' Bell, '12, Vice-Pres'z'deut,' Donald Belcher, '11, Sec- W44' retar and T1'casu1'cr. As a club not a reat deal was accom- sm we y . g 'iQfl'ylfjj'ffl plished: few meetings were held, and those far between. But the EQMLSEQ1 greatest work was done along the line of promoting interclass and interscholastic debates. A couple of interclass debates were held and the debaters received a pin signifying the work they had done. In November trials were held for a school team, on the subject: Resolved: that the tariff should be for revenue only. The team chosen was: West, '11, Cap- tain and speaker on the rebuttal, Belcher, '11, Wright, '11, Kepner, '11, alter- nate. Illness prevented Wright's participating in the first debate, which was held in the assembly hall with the girls, December 17. The subject was the same as that of the trials. The judges, Mr. Bothfeld, Mayer Hatfield, and Captain How- ard, gave the decision to the boys, who supported the negative. Trials for a team to compete with Somerville High School brought out the following team: Atkins, '11, Captaing Cooke, '11g West, '11, This team on March I7 defeated Somerville in the assembly hall. The subject was: Resolved: that the railroads of the United States should be owned and operated by the Federal Government. Newton argued for the negative. Since this was the first interscholastic debate Newton had won in some years the result was particularly gratifying. The same team that debated with the girls' team journeyed to Brookline, April 28. The subject was: Resolved: that Massachusetts should adopt the Initiative and Referendum as a part of the legislative system. The judges awarded the decision to the negative. The various musical organizations of Newton and her opponents supported the debating loyally by the pleasing selections rendered by them at the debates.

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THE NEWTONIAN 105 By the time the N 6'ZUf0111'01L is issued, the momentous question will have been decided. As it stands now the Girls' new team, chosen from the trials of April 20, consists of Katherine Bacon, ill, captain, Elizabeth Wardle, ,II g Beatrice Allen, ,II. We put a great deal of confidence in our team, and know that it is not misplaced, for this new team of ours contains the best literary and oratorical ability in the Club, of which there is quantity as well as quality. So here's hoping for the success of the Girls, Debating Team of the Newton High School, in the coming Brookline Debate. And here's to the success of the Club in future years. ELLEN M. BURDETT, President. LX 'fr-A ,..-. X. Elie Gercle jfrancaisn Officers: President, I. H. Hustisg Secretary, Elizabeth Tyler, Treasurer, Bertha Ruef. f HE Cercle Francais held its first meeting on Friday. january 13, 'l 1: gm? HIP tl: 'Vg l vfkl Q V ...V i i:....:4q by 14l 1 KA if li ,N Marseillaise with a goodly showing of new members. For the first time an im- pressive. ceremonial was used in conferring membership cards, and the dignity of our president in administering the oath was quite remarkable. Then followed gamesg we closed by rendering La avec benucoujr d'enlrai11. Since then there have been three other meetings coming on the second Fri- day of the month, at which there has been an average attendance of about thirty. At the April meeting. we had the pleasure of having Miss Sanderson with us and Spent the afternoon in singing the chausons that we have so laboriously learned. We have added a number of new games to those of last year, and these have been S0 well enjoyed that sometimes the meetings have become almost hilarious. We feel that the year's success has been largely due to the untiring interest of Miss Bruce, and to her we wish to tender our thanks. The juniors have supported the club well, and next year we hope that they will be interested to continue it. They have our sincere good wishes for making it a success.