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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review, June 1910

Men's Common Room Club

page 70

Men's Common Room Club.

"... no doubt
A place where we may crack a joke,
Or light a pensive pipe and smoke,
And ponder Bobbie Stout."

Eichelboum.

The first term has seen the establishment of the Club in permanent quarters in the gymnasium.

A grant of £10 from the Students' Association enabled the Committee to proceed with furnishing and setting its house in order generally, and it is hoped during the vacation to complete this work.

The Club has been considerably hampered by lack of funds, and also by a failure of a great many men, and particularly freshmen, to appreciate the fact that the Club exists for their direct benefit and welfare. The aim of the Committee is so to furnish and fit out its Club-room, that any College man, whether a member of the Club or not, may repair thither and spend his spare moments far from the disturbing elements of lectures, windy corridors, and haunting treasurers.

On two Saturday, 14th and 28th May, formal gatherings of members were held, and pleasant evenings spent. At these fortnightly meetings every member present is expected to render some item, musical or elocutionary, and the talent so far displayed has exceeded the most sanguine expectations.

For the purpose of augmenting the funds, a concert, by members of the Club, was given in the gymnasium on the evening of Saturday, June 11th, before a most appreciative audience, in which the ladies were well represented.

The programme was as follows:—

Part I.
1. Pianoforte Solo J. W. Rutherfurd
2. Song "I Triumph" J. D. Smith
3. Recitatfon "The Irish Fire Brigade" E. Lyon
4. Song "The Little Irish Girl" G. S. Prouse
5. Cigarophone Solos (a) "Song of Sleep" (b) "Song of the Evening Star" E. B. Tustin
6. Recitation "Strength and Beauty" J. M. Hogben
7. Song "Down the vale" D. Hall
page 71
Part II.
1. Pianoforte Solo R. Mackay
2. Song "Turn Ye to Me" G. S. Prouse
3. Recitatfon "Och ! how i envy McGinty!" C. Gamble
4. Thought Reading "A High-class Entertainment" E. Lyon
5. Song "The Irish Jubilee" Geo. Reid
6. Recitation "Jim Barnes's Soliloquy" L. P. Leary
7. Song "Love that is true will last for ever J. D. Smith
God Save the King.

The audience showed its through appreciation of the entertainment by encoring almost every item, and then worked off its exhilaration in a "Cinderella" dance, which was quite in accord with the best traditions of the old "hop floor on the top floor."

This entertainment was eminently satisfactory from the financial no less than from the social point of view, as it resulted in a net gain of about six pounds.

The Executive of the Common Room Club desires, through the medium of the Spike, to point out to every non-member of advantages of becoming a member of the Club. Here at Victoria College—despite our cherished belief to the contrary—we lack in its truest sense social intercourse, that which should surely be part of our education at a University College.

The majority of Victoria College men spend the greater part of their time beyond the precincts of the College, and in the past the work of promoting social intercourse has been imperfectly carried out by means of occasional dances or other social functions. It is the purpose of the Common Room Club to bring us closer, to assist men to a better knowledge and understanding of their fellows, to help them to learn something of the ambitions and ideals of their fellows.

The Club cannot exercise this, its true function, until every male student shows his practical interest in it by becoming a member.

The thanks of the Club are due to all those ladies and gentlemen who have so generously given us practical assistance by providing articles of furniture, pictures, books and magazines.