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University of St Andrews Union Debating Society
The University of St Andrews Union Debating Society is a student debating society at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Tracing its origins back to 1794 and established under the current name in 1890, it is the oldest continuously operating debate society of its kind in the English-speaking world (predated only by the College Historical Society at Trinity College Dublin which ceased operations for a period beginning in 1794) and the oldest as a whole in the United Kingdom.
It also holds weekly public debates in the Lower Parliament Hall, which are free and open to all students - the only Scottish Debating Society to do this.
In 2015, the society became the first in Scotland to win the European Universities Debating Championship, a competition that they compete at every year.
The society's motto remains "pro amicitia et litteris" meaning "for friendship and learning".
The origins of the University of St Andrews Debating Society can be traced to the formation in 1794 of the university Literary Society. Despite being initially popular, the society began to suffer from a lack of funding beginning in the 19th century. To remedy this, Article 3 of the Literary Society's 1832 constitution imposed a one shilling fee per semester and fines varying in severity for lateness, absence, or the use of 'improper language'. At this stage of its history, the Literary Society operated under a strange mixture of egalitarianism and exclusiveness. Initially, there was no president of the Society and meetings were chaired by each member in rotation, taking place in St Salvator's Quadrangle. During this period, the only leadership positions were that of Secretary and Treasurer and all decisions were taken collectively by the Society as a whole. However, membership was limited to twenty-five students all of whom were required until 1844 to attend or have attended the university's classes in Logic or Moral Philosophy. Membership was by election only, and no 'strangers' were permitted to attend debates. In 1846, The Classical Society, a rival debating society, was established and was soon vying with the Literary Society for the attention of the student body. In 1847, this new society began a new tradition of hosting an end of term feast called the Gaudeamas, which was later hosted jointly with the Literary Society beginning in 1866. However, it soon became apparent that there were simply not enough students at the university to justify the existence of two debating societies and consequently in 1890 the Classical Society and Literary Society merged to form the Union Debating Society.
In 1892, the acquisition of James Crichton's House by the fledgling Students' Union, which despite not being officially affiliated with the Society, allowed it to host debates in the Union Diner. This, and the fact that the Union Debating Society now had over seventy members (a third of the total student population), gave the Society renewed confidence and a greater importance than ever before in the lives of students.
In 1898 the Society decided to form Debates Board, in order to manage the running of the society, it consisted of an honorary president, two honorary vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, a "general committee" of four members, a 'College Echoes' Reporting Committee, and a Debates Committee of four members. In 1910 the constitution was amended to include the election of an official president of the Society was created, however as World War I began Society membership dropped and no president was elected between 1914 and 1919. Following the war, the Union Debating Society remained in decline, so to combat this the Society's vice-president (Mr. D. Dick) proposed that its membership become a part of the subscription to the Students' Union, although these negotiations ultimately broke down. These discussions were reopened on 21 March 1925 by then President D. Kennedy who proposed in his farewell address that the Union Debating Society become a committee of the Students' Union. This move was supported by treasurer J. B. Torrance and the decision was ratified on 30 October 1925, following which the Union Debating Society was affiliated with the Students' Union, and all male matriculated students of the university would be members. The chair of the Union Debating Society would be elected as the Union Convenor of Debates, and debating would be done completely under the auspices of the Students' Union. The Debates Board ceased to exist, and the title of 'President of the Union Debating Society' was kept purely as a courtesy title.
Despite this change, attendance at debates continued to drop, especially as more women attended the university and were disallowed from participating in the Society. In response, a new mixed-sex competitor for the Union Debating Society emerged, called the Parliamentary and Dialectic Society, taking over most of its primary functions. The Parliamentary and Dialectic Society prided itself on allowing female members to speak at debates, and restricting the input of male speakers on sensitive issues, which led to it losing the backing of the Students' Union in 1932. When asked by female members of the P and D if the Union Debating Society would now allow women to become members, then president Stephen W. Bonarjee told them to 'go away and start your own society,' leading to the creation of the Women's Debating Society in 1932.
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University of St Andrews Union Debating Society
The University of St Andrews Union Debating Society is a student debating society at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Tracing its origins back to 1794 and established under the current name in 1890, it is the oldest continuously operating debate society of its kind in the English-speaking world (predated only by the College Historical Society at Trinity College Dublin which ceased operations for a period beginning in 1794) and the oldest as a whole in the United Kingdom.
It also holds weekly public debates in the Lower Parliament Hall, which are free and open to all students - the only Scottish Debating Society to do this.
In 2015, the society became the first in Scotland to win the European Universities Debating Championship, a competition that they compete at every year.
The society's motto remains "pro amicitia et litteris" meaning "for friendship and learning".
The origins of the University of St Andrews Debating Society can be traced to the formation in 1794 of the university Literary Society. Despite being initially popular, the society began to suffer from a lack of funding beginning in the 19th century. To remedy this, Article 3 of the Literary Society's 1832 constitution imposed a one shilling fee per semester and fines varying in severity for lateness, absence, or the use of 'improper language'. At this stage of its history, the Literary Society operated under a strange mixture of egalitarianism and exclusiveness. Initially, there was no president of the Society and meetings were chaired by each member in rotation, taking place in St Salvator's Quadrangle. During this period, the only leadership positions were that of Secretary and Treasurer and all decisions were taken collectively by the Society as a whole. However, membership was limited to twenty-five students all of whom were required until 1844 to attend or have attended the university's classes in Logic or Moral Philosophy. Membership was by election only, and no 'strangers' were permitted to attend debates. In 1846, The Classical Society, a rival debating society, was established and was soon vying with the Literary Society for the attention of the student body. In 1847, this new society began a new tradition of hosting an end of term feast called the Gaudeamas, which was later hosted jointly with the Literary Society beginning in 1866. However, it soon became apparent that there were simply not enough students at the university to justify the existence of two debating societies and consequently in 1890 the Classical Society and Literary Society merged to form the Union Debating Society.
In 1892, the acquisition of James Crichton's House by the fledgling Students' Union, which despite not being officially affiliated with the Society, allowed it to host debates in the Union Diner. This, and the fact that the Union Debating Society now had over seventy members (a third of the total student population), gave the Society renewed confidence and a greater importance than ever before in the lives of students.
In 1898 the Society decided to form Debates Board, in order to manage the running of the society, it consisted of an honorary president, two honorary vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, a "general committee" of four members, a 'College Echoes' Reporting Committee, and a Debates Committee of four members. In 1910 the constitution was amended to include the election of an official president of the Society was created, however as World War I began Society membership dropped and no president was elected between 1914 and 1919. Following the war, the Union Debating Society remained in decline, so to combat this the Society's vice-president (Mr. D. Dick) proposed that its membership become a part of the subscription to the Students' Union, although these negotiations ultimately broke down. These discussions were reopened on 21 March 1925 by then President D. Kennedy who proposed in his farewell address that the Union Debating Society become a committee of the Students' Union. This move was supported by treasurer J. B. Torrance and the decision was ratified on 30 October 1925, following which the Union Debating Society was affiliated with the Students' Union, and all male matriculated students of the university would be members. The chair of the Union Debating Society would be elected as the Union Convenor of Debates, and debating would be done completely under the auspices of the Students' Union. The Debates Board ceased to exist, and the title of 'President of the Union Debating Society' was kept purely as a courtesy title.
Despite this change, attendance at debates continued to drop, especially as more women attended the university and were disallowed from participating in the Society. In response, a new mixed-sex competitor for the Union Debating Society emerged, called the Parliamentary and Dialectic Society, taking over most of its primary functions. The Parliamentary and Dialectic Society prided itself on allowing female members to speak at debates, and restricting the input of male speakers on sensitive issues, which led to it losing the backing of the Students' Union in 1932. When asked by female members of the P and D if the Union Debating Society would now allow women to become members, then president Stephen W. Bonarjee told them to 'go away and start your own society,' leading to the creation of the Women's Debating Society in 1932.