St Josephs University - Greatonian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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1934 THE GREATONIAN The Villiger Debating Society l-lE Jesuit system of education is tamed as a producer ot graduates who know how to speak in public. The reason tor ths reputa- tion is without doubt primarily due to the importance placed upon debating in all Jesuit colleges. At St. Joseph's, this activity is carried on principally through the agency at the Villiger Debating Society, which besides being the oldest extra-curricular organization in the College, is always one at the most active, 'lhe season at i933-3-'l was, perhaps, the most enterprising in all Villiger's long history Six intercollegiate platform debates were held, three at home, with the University at Pennsylvania, Penn State College and Holy Crass, and three away, against Catholic University, Penn State and Canisius College. ln addition, eight intercollegiate debates were broadcast over Wl.lT, our opponents including La Salle, Swarthmore, Temple and other neighboring colleges and universities Besides the regular intercollegiate competition, Villiger presented thirty-six intra-society exhibition debates before various Knights at Columbus Councils, l-ioly Name Societies and American Legion Posts throughout the city and suburbs. As an additional means of providing public experience for the members ot the Society who are not yet of intercollegiate calibre, a debating tournament conducted on an elimination basis was inaugurated and sixteen doubles teams were entered. At this writing the victors have not yet been decided. Thomas A. Galbally President ln all, about twenty-five members of the Society were given practical experience in public speaking: nine ot the intercollegiate contests resulted in victory, one was a no-decision contest, and three were lost To Mr. Charles J. Denecke, S.J., who for the past three years has been the moderator ot the Society, we owe a debt of thanks. We take this opporutnity of expressing our sincere gratitude lar all the time and earnest etlort he has spent in sustaining and carrying on the tradition ot the Villiger Debating Society. 1 K One hundred eleven

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THE GREATONIAN 1934 After the curtaln had been rung down for the last tame and the sound of applause had dned away, Olnver Naylor and his bond took possessuon of the foreground vvhlle hundreds of Couples look possession af the polished ballroom floor, Soft rnusnc frlled the roorng vouces rose and fell, yet HW the mndst of all the lights ond muslc, stall lncre stood by the darkened curtain the ghost of the Vagabond, srnvlung, Iaughnng, jeenng cs he leaned forward to whlsper, Gentlemen--'the pIay's the lhingl ' One hundred ten

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THE GREATONIAN 1934 . ,. .,,,,,... c . .. . D. Jones, J. C. Bennington, W, Kane, J. A. Belmont, N. Frignito The Sodality THE Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the great spiritual organization and the keynote of all other societies in any Jesuit College, and rightly so, for it was in a Jesuit College in Rome that this universal society, organized to spread devotion to our Lady, first came into being. The devotion of any group to the Mother of God is edifying, the devotion rendered by Catholic college men to Mary, the Queen Immaculate, is inspiring. Such an inspiration has been given the College ever since the first days of the school's existence when the pioneer students first banded together to render homage to Mary. ln l933-34, under the guidance of Father Thomas A. Fay, S. J., appointed Student Counsellor at the beginning of the school term, the Sodality at St. Joseph's attained new heights of spiritual vigor. Early in October, Father Fay called a meeting of the sodalists to elect officers for the coming year. The election resulted in William J. Kane, Jr., '34, being chosen Prefect and J. Clement Bennington, '35, First Assistant. David N. Jones, a member of the Freshman Sodality in the previous year, was appointed Second Assistant by Father Fay. This year the make-up of the sodality is somewhat different from previous years. l-leretofore, the Senior Sodality, comprising the Senior, Junior and Sophomore Classes, operated as a unit distinct from the Freshman Sodality. l-lowever, due to a conflict in class schedules, it was necessary to combine the two organizations. Meetings were held every Friday morning at 9 o'clocl4 in College l-lall, during which the members heard Mass and recited the office of the Blessed Virgin. Following Mass, a short talk on some appropriate subject was usually given by some member of the faculty or by a selected sodalist. One hundred twelve