St Michaels College - Yearbook (Toronto, Ontario Canada)

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EXECUTIYE OF INTERCOLLEGE DEB.-XTIXG UXIUX. 1914-If-, Top Row: CELOYER, Wvvrlijfc Callvgrg R. B. XYH1T131f1EAD. Osgoodc Hallg E. D. fell,-XY, BA., Ffzmrliy of .5'1'if111n' 1111117 lillfjfllyflfl ilzgj XV. A. Ross, M.A.. Knox Cnllcgvg P. K, H.u11:Lx'. Jlrllasfrz' l.'111'z'm'51 f-1'. Bottom- R0'zU.' L. G. HUTTON, SR! -X'.-TI'Cl7,Y.. T'1'ff01'1'a fnllcgvq -T. RIL'C.XRTI'IY, Pzmrififfzzf. St, .U1'1'!m1'l'.c C1f!!1jr11',- Plum. 1y,L 1.1.xx1 H. T.-XFT, I'l01l0l'Ul'-X' 1D7'L',YI'C71l'1I1'.' XY. MCI-. CLARKE, T'ivf-P1'v,1'1'dc11f5 A. C. S. 'l'111vET'r. KI..-X., N1-p1-1-51-11f11riq'p gf Sf'Itdl'lIfS' Cozzzlvil. 149 I

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Gbe 3ntercoIIege Eebating 'Gluten HE year just drawing to a close has been a most suc- cessful one in St. Michael's College from the point of view of Debating and Public Speaking. The Inter- college Debating Union to which St. Michaels belongs, is composed this year of nine colleges, viz. 1 Victoria, Wlycliffe. Knox, Osgoode Hall, University of McMaster, School of Science, University College, Trinity and St. Michaels and four series of debates take place each year to decide the cham- pionship of the Union. The object of this union, as stated in its constitution, is to encourage debating and public speaking among the students of the different colleges, and if the encour- agement it gives bears any fruit its work is a most important one, for to the present day graduate of our universities nothing is so important as the ability to be able to speak and debate from the public platform. The debates this year have all been of a very high standard and as is to be expected in a war year, every phase of the great confiict now raging has been thrashed pro and con. In the first series St. Michael's defeated Osgoode Hall and so were re- turned winners. along with Victoria, Knox, McMaster and the School of Science. ln the shuffle for places in the second series, St. Michaels drew the bye and were returned semi- finalists. In the third round St. Michaels Knox and Mc- Master were left and Knox was chosen to meet the double blue. In the debate which ensued Knox were returned victors and were left to light for the shield against McMaster. The Final debate took place in Convocation Hall on NVednesday, March 3rd and in one of the hnest debates of the year the University of McMaster were returned winners and presented with the Kerr Shield. To St. Michaels College special praise, I think, is due for their showing in the Tntercollege Debating Union. In the ma- jority of the debates they have as opponents men who are graduates of universities of two or three years' standing, and who now are doing post graduate work in either Law, Divinity or Arts. The students who debate for St. Michaels are always undergraduates, but since she first entered the Union, four years ago, they have never once felt the handicap they are working under, but have always acquitted themselves nobly and have always brought honour to themselves and their Alma Mater. -T. MCC. s llI'ul',,, ,,,. ..l1f-v - ,, ,vll lulll , muum .,.,,,,,, ,I IIIII' uni . J ...fn ,, .--- lllls vu it .Huw ...... .... S -...hurl ' .... ...... , ,, I- tu T ,... ..... ' li? -. rfr-- .. . 1' G, mm ' - ' NIM- 1 I ' Aix- 1...-.,,. muff!! UK llllfi wig If -t.,,,,-,,.umH'v 48

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jfirst Tlntercollege Debate, St. flbichaels vs. wsgoobe N the evening of Nov. 2llCl, 1914, I gazed wonderingly at the gaily decorated club-room of St. Michaels A by-stander inquired, f'Are you not going to the debate? This eveningfl he continued, two worthy representa- tives of Osgoode Hall, with a host of supporters, come to meet two of St. Michaels famous debatersf' I will go. I replied, for I have heard much concerning the progress made by that college in inter-college debating. As we strode into the hall, I was surprised at the goodly representation of ladies, most of whom, as I afterwards learn- ed, came from St. joseplfs Convent. The faces of the students beamed with joy, as they beheld their convent cousins, who had at last come to visit them. A few minutes afterwards Mr, Bernard Fitzpatrick took the chair, and with a few well-chosen remarks, introduced the subject of debate, namely, 'That the franchise should be ex- tended to women. The afhrmative was upheld by St. Michaels, the negative by Osgoode. Mr. joseph McDonagh, the worthy leader of the afhrmative, opened the discussion in his celebrated style. He proved clearly that woman would purify politics, that justice demanded the franchise for women, and that its absence throws woman into a low sphere. After a hearty applause, and the college yell, Mr. I. C. McFarland, the leader of the negative, was intro- duced. I-le gave as his opinion. that the vote is not a right but a privilege granted to men, as being most at to possess it. ' O The second speaker for St. Michaels was Mr. Victor Tray- nor, who acquitted himself well. By great bursts of oratory, and by his strong convincing powers, he left no stone unturned in showing that the granting of the franchise had been success- ful in the United States and any other place in which it had been tried. He asked why the franchise should be limited to man alone, who, in fact, has not inherited it? Mr. J. jackson was the nnal speaker for Osgoode Hall. He was characterized by a plain and convincing style, and oc- casionally threw out hints of satire. His argument, in which he proved that the powers of man were superior to those of woman. was very sound. Mr. McDonagh, who by this time, was overflowing with energy, replied, and weakened the strongest points of the nega- tive by his refutations. Then the judges, Mr. Ludwig, Prof. VV. P. M. Kennedy and judge Denton retired, and during their absence the audience was entertained by Messrs. Guinane and Kraus. On the return of the judges all awaited breathlessly for the words of weal or woe to come from the lips of Prof. Kennedy, who had ascended the platform. He announced that St. Michaels had won, and for almost five minutes the walls of the assembly hall resounded with the exultant shouts of the boys of the double blue. J. P. C.