Show Societies T THE HE literary and debating societies of the University have done good work this year but tt trey ey might have done better had more of the students become become be be- come active mem members bers It is is not not too toolate toolate late yet and we urge that th those se who have neglected this part of their college training during the first term now jq join n none one or more of the societies and become become become be be- come earnest and active mem members bers One characteristic characteristic- of the work is that the programs have been timely The discussion of the dead questions of the past has largely been dispensed with while the living issues of the day are given attention The leading political questions of our own nation and the international difficulties of the world are discussed by lecture or debate dehate keeping keeping keeping keep keep- ing the student alive in in the history of oft t the e present which h is of of m most mst st c. c concern c 1 t to to J ril f I us But science and literature as well weh as politics come in for a share of atten atten- atten tion The current scientific discoveries and scientific social problems are treated under the first firs heading while the study of the lives and works of living authors or of those that have lately passed away keeps the stude student t informed in the most modern literature The discussion of these various subjects subjects subjects sub sub- helps the student to live in the light of the present and everyone must learn to do this if he would make life successful There f are so many people in this world that live in the past a past a century behind the times Yet the themay they may be well instructed instruct d in ancient history and ancient languages which are al alvery all very well in their place These subjects when properly studied throw much light on the present and the future but bur when a student spends all his time in inthe inthe inthe the study of things ancient evidently he has no time timeto to think about the present or the future How then th-en can his knowledge of the past throw light on the present if the latter is not within his field of vision The education of suc such a person is sided one-sided and consequently consequently conse conse- q of com comparatively little value He that would be truly educated must study all things both ancient and m modern dern Prove all things and cleave unto that which is good This means t that at it is not enough nough to stuff oneself wi with h facts or fiction as the case may be but that everything should be examined in all of its phases that we may get at the basis of truth and study human life and history in a philosophical cal way Of course there is much of this done in class work but it should be supplemented supplemented supple supple- m n ed and there is no better place to todo todo todo do that than in the h students students' societies that than s societies 1 j. j rr I. I th k e. e i J. J H i t j ft e But the literary and debating atin societies have a wider sphere than that of simple instruction uc ion The dis discipline that is g gained i ed by y society oci ty wo work k will be of ot I in inestimable inestimable in- in estimable value to the future citizen and member of society We have spoken of educated d men that live in the past we have now to speak of a similar class who have have become saturated in book lore b but t. t who if s suddenly called upon upon to f face e an audience would W u d b be at a loss both oth for som something thing to say and ho how to say it It is a w well re recognized og fact th that t tre re readiness li ess in writing comes comes through practice combined with a study of t the e principles of language A pe person son might study rhetoric and compos composition tion t theoretically theoretically theoretic theoretic- ally for an age and ye yet if he had no practice in writing would think it a g great eat task to prepare an article for tl the e press The same princ principle pIe holds hold true r in reference to public speaking or e even e p private conversation Readiness in t the the- e latter is gained by y associating with our f fellows The societies are especially d designed to aid students in becoming successful in the former The mem members bers o of these of-these t these s societies also become familiar with parliamentary u usage age and nd the rules th that that govern govern all l public ass assemblies m blies 4 i. i |