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The Cockpit

So They Can't Talk, Huh?

Having just become aware of the total lack of common-common-room facilities at Victoria College, I feel I must protest against the conditions which obtain.

Last evening, while dining, I became involved in a most interesting discussion with two friends, a man and a lady. At 7.15 p.m. we had to leave the Cafeteria, where, by the way, smoking is forbidden. The night was wet and stormy and precluded our continuing the discussion in the open air, while we knew just how long we should be permitted to talk in the passages.

A brilliant inspiration was, the Gymn. Thither we trailed, braving the stormy blast, only to find the Dramatic Club and others in complete possession. Thereupon, in all innocence, we hit upon the idea of occupying a vacant class room, and accordingly we found one with a delightfully warm heater and with door closed we settled ourselves. Five minues later, enter Mr. Brook in high indignation, who protested that we knew quite well we had absolutely no right to meet in disused class rooms, unless we obtained official permission from the highter powers, beforehand. The only suggestion which Mr. Brook could make, was that we should go somewhere where we might talk as much as we liked, i.e., the Library.

The discussion terminated in a somewhat unfinished state on the steps near the telephone, a situation which did not conduce to the best functioning of intellectual powers.

Mr. Editor, if we call ourselves a University, cannot we do something to remedy this state of affairs? How is the intellectual and argumentative life of students to be developed if they are prevented from meeting together informally to discuss the burning questions of the day? No one knows what pearls have been lost to posterity through the untimely conclusion of even that one discussion.

A group of ladies or a group of men may hold most beneficial discussions among themselves, but even better is a group of ladies and men, in combination. Therefore, let us try and think of some way in which the students of this night-school-Varsity may meet and exchange ideas in an environment more comfortable than the back stairs.