looked on it as a good excuse for getting
off work. Three quarters of the society were from the School House, and
these arrived with deck chairs, cushions and a novel, and thoroughly
enjoyed themselves. Christy was the president, and this was to a great
extent the reason for so general an atmosphere of boredom and
indifference. For Christy was the typical product of conventionality and
pharisaism. He was so thoroughly contented with anything he
superintended that he refused to believe any improvement was possible.
But this year Betteridge was honorary secretary and had tried to infuse
a little life into the society. The subject for the first debate of the
term was "Classical and Modern Education," and Ferrers was going to
speak for the modern side. Ferrers was always writing to the papers, and
was already well known in the common room as a feverish orator. A good
deal had been rumoured about him, and the school were rather anxious to
hear him. There was quite a large audience. At about twenty past seven
Christy came in, and everyone stood up till he had sat down. Burgess was
to open the debate for the classics, and Christy was to second him.
Ferrers and Pothering, the head of Claremont's, were for the moderns.
The debate was supposed to open at twenty past the hour. But Ferrers had
not arrived. There was an awkward pause. At last Christy got up.

"I really think it is useless to wait any longer for Mr Ferrers. We will
proceed. The motion before the House is: That in the opinion of this
House a classical education is more efficacious than a modern one. I
will call on Mr Burgess to open the motion."

There was a little clapping as Burgess got up with a customary display
of conceit. He ran his hand through his hair and took a glance at his
notes, and then began with the blase air of Mercury addressing a
Salvation Army meeting.

"Of course those in favour of modern education will defend themselves on
the grounds of general utility. They will point out the uselessness of
Greek in business; all I can say to that is that the Public School man
should be too much of a gentleman to wish to succeed in business. He
should aim higher; he should follow the ideals set before him by the
classics. Nearly all the poets and politicians of to-day are Public
School men; nearly all ..."

He went on rolling off absurdly dogmatic statements that were based
solely on ignorance and arrogance. He was of the Rogers' school of
oratory. He beli