COLLEGE DIALECTIC SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19949, 9 June 1930, Page 13

COLLEGE DIALECTIC SOCIETY.

OLLA PODRIDA COMPETITION, f __— ■' \ : i The annual Olla Podrida oonipptition of original literary work was held by the Canterbury College Dialectic Society } in the Little Theatre, Canterbury Col- '} lege, on Saturday evening; Members * of the Society read out all the literary . 1 pieces, which were of'-a fairly high , standard. All effortssubmitted .were, divided into a serious and a humordus section, there being two prizes awarded in each division, one on the popular . ' vote, and the other on the judge's decision. - Mr E. K. Cook with a one-act play, "Set Bact," won the popular decision as the best serious contribution, while "The Sword," by Miss D. M. M'aginness, was awarded the judge's prize. In > the humorous section, Miss Bden Bretherton's short story, "Mums," gained the popular verdict, • while Mr C. S. L'orry's '' Upon Being Petty'' was awarded the judge's prize. Commenting on the work submitted, the judge, Professor Shelley, . stated that: some of it was quite good, but liud suffered a great deal in the way in which it had been read out. In his opinion not nearly enough attention was paid to the art of speaking and of reading, which were well worth cultivating- Of the serious work, "Set Back" aimed higher and achieved more than any other piece submitted, but it had many limitations. lb a one-act play it was necessary to get the right atmosphere from the beginning, and in his opinion the introduction of this piece was not exciting enough. A dominant theme was also lacking, there being sufficient incident and theme for u much larger play. "The Sword" was written ' in good straightforward English, but was inclined to be .rather bald. Among the pieces in lighter vein "Mums" was a good effort, but the opening was rather involved, and the theme a slender one. "On Being Petty" was good in its way, but much of the explanation was rather detailed and unnecessary. Professor Shelley was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for acting aa judge. .