Page 93 - 1918 VES Meteor

I mentioned in the editorials that the Literary S·;ciet.•
"·as the most flagrant example of our "rotten" esprit de
corps. I repeat. that statement here. No one who hns
attended any of its meetings can denv it. Those of von who ... ._ " .
are membet'S of the Socict,v remember, perhaps, the meeting at which I was called upon to make an extemporaneous speech; you v.·ill nlso remember that I refused; fnrthcr action on the part. of your memory will recall the fact th::tt at this particular meeting the disorder, ro,Ydyism, and mis- conduct was typical. "'\Yhat a splendid opportunity for a speech-for a good, strong speech-and I did not take ad,·antage of it. Why? Because I was afraid-not of speaking pnhlicly, or of sa;-·ing what I felt, bnt afraid that in my di:::p.n~t of the proceedings I migltt haYe said stron~et· things than I had intended and that I would ha>e been so:-r.'· for afterward. I proposed to sn.r at the next meeting, ralmJ,,· but directly, what I \\·oulu have said with perhaps too much feeliug at that 111eeting. But none of the chief offenders ''"ere present, nor were the:- present at any meetin!! there- aftct·; their nbsence, howe,·er, was disregarded by the officers of the Society.
I began this wirh no intention of making this scrrc as au apology for m.'· apparent timidity, hnt with the "•)le purpose of saying some of the things I would ha,·c said if I had mnde the speech. It is cas;- to understand my interest in the Literary Societ:-why I should not like to sec it ig110mini- 011sl:· debased. I was instrumental in founding it, wrote its
!
I ,I
constitution, fostet·ed it, and was its first president. _\s I
Yiscount )forley sa;-s, ··Such recollections must always be
i I