YOUNG ORATORS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 15, 12 October 1932, Page 11

YOUNG ORATORS

Wellington College Boys SPEAKERS COMPETE Captain Seddon Memorial Six senior boys of Wellington College took part yesterday a£tern °° n f ’“ the first P re P ared a sp I ! e^ rt n 0 Ai t emorial r'qntam R J. s. Seddon Memorial. Cup presented recently to the college bv Mrs Knox Gilmer. The contest was won by J. S. Osborne, whose speech was placed first by the judge, Mr. Mar tin Duckie The speeches were given the Memorial Hall, and the visitors included Mrs. Knox Gilmer, Mrs. Morice, Mrs. Hay, and Mrs. W. A. Armour. The headmaster, Mr. w. a. Armour, was chairman. Before giving his decision, Mr. Buckle said that be ha(l very much appreciated and benefited by the tremendous amount of investigation that had been made by tbe speakers, and the excellent manner in which they bad, in nearly every case, arranged their subjects and delivered their addresses. “The general construction of each speech was, I think, excellent, Mr. Luckie said. “But some of the speakers failed In what is regarded in public speaking as a most important factor, that is, the gathering of your material together in order to put a final argument, and what public speakers call the peroration—the one thing in public speaking is supposed to bring down the house! “But the very fact that you boys have shown such great and outstanding ability in what must have been a try ing ordeal—and this being the first occasion that it has taken place—gives me great reason for believing in the boys of Wellington College making the public men of the future.” Speeches by Boys. Tbe first speaker, W. D. Longhurst, chose as his subject the Red Cross Movement, which began 69 years ago and had since done marvellous humanitarian work all over tbe world. The objects of its formation, said the speaker, were to care for the sick, to tend wounded soldiers, to assist prisoners of war, and to help the aged and needy. The work done by the Red Cross during the last war would always be remembered, said Longhurst. But apart from it's war work, the Red Cross did remarkable peace-time work also, and this could be seen particularly at the present time, when the world was suffering from a period of depression. The second speaker, A. H. Armour, dealt with “Scientific Development in the Service of Humanity,” saying at the outset that contemporary man lived 24 hours a day under advantages gained by science. Armour mentioned the use of fertilisers and other means of increasing food production, the conquest of certain diseases, the development of anaesthetics, the advances taking place in the realm of psychology, and many scientific developments which directly benefited people in their homes and cities. "Organic Evolution.” ' “Organic Evolution” was the subject chosen by J. S. Osborne, who spoke of Charles Darwin as “the greatest naturalist that ever lived.” and as one who had “influenced the framework of human thought more profoundly than any other man.” Osborne outlined Darwin’s theories and the grandeur of the spectacle which organic life presented in the light of them. The fourth speaker, W. S. Mitchell, dealt with the establishment of the League of Nations, which he described as a natural outcome of tbe development of the family, the tribe, and the state. The great American statesman, Woodrow Wilson, whose career Mitchell described in some detail, had been largely responsible for the actual formation of the league, and had been president of the committee which drew up the Covenant. The good work which the league had done already had not been properly noticed by Press or public, Mitchell said. The origin and development of the Salvation Army was described by the fifth speaker, Mr. F. E. Wright. The Army, he said, was an attempt to introduce first century Christianity to the modern world for the benefit of the sick and unfortunate members of the community. The last speaker, H. A. Levestam, described the Renaissance, which had been a movement, he said, without causes of a kind which could be accurately detailed. It was a movement of self-assertion that had been bound to come sooner or later; and, when it occurred, it had made its mark upon every branch of every activity in which man engaged himself. Therein, said Levestam, lay its greatness. Revolutions took place in science, painting, sculpture, literature, poetry and even modes of thought. Seeds which were sowed during the Renaissance had led also, he said, “to Luther, and. tbe emancipation of the soul.” Osborne Placed First. Mr. Luckie announced at the end of the last speech that he had placed Osborne ijrst, Levestam second, and Longhurst and Armour next. “Osborne’s treatment of a subject of considerable difficulty .was exceedingly well done,” Mr. Luckie said. “His intonation was good; he has a complete mastery of his subject; and he had no need at any time to refer to his notes.” .Mrs. Knox Gilmer congratulated Osborne and the other competitors on their work; and before the boys left the hall cheers were given for Mrs. Knox Gilmer, Mr. Luckie, and tbe competitors. BLEDISLOE MEDAL To-morrow’s Contest Two speakers from each of the four centres will be the contestants in the first three-ycarly inter-university oratory contest for tbe Bledisloe Medal, which his Excellency. Lord Bledisloe, has presented for the best oration on a New Zealand subject by a university student. Most of the speakers are graduates as well as students of tbe university. The subjects will b<-: Bishop Selwyn. James Busby, Tamati Waka Nene, Mother Mary Aubert, Sir George Grev. R. J. Seddon, Samuel Marsden, and “The Aunexation of New Zealand.” . ~ . , ~, Tbe contest will be held in the down Hall to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock, in the presence of his Excellency, who wt.l present the medal for the winning oration.