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Societies and Activities

English

Datoo concluded the Thirds and Upper Thirds round with a powerful argument on democracy in crisis. Thomas Baldwin, Fourths, was next. He began the Fourth Form and Divisions round with an impassioned exploration of why arts and humanities are essential to mankind. Nishil Magecha, Divisions, then took to the stage with an engaging pitch on why VR will be the future of education - one to rival any Apprentice contestant. Next up was Benyamin Ahmed, Fourths, whose well-reasoned argument on the tyranny of cancel culture entertained his audience with clever word play and an informal style. Cormac Allen, Divisions, closed the round with a superb, ironically mature speech on maturity: ‘we cannot go back to the person we were yesterday, but equally we cannot go to tomorrow because we are not ready yet.’ Charlie Leigh, Lower Sixth, gave a well paced, intelligent talk on J. K. Rowling and cancel culture. Elliot Gregg’s speech on the impossibility of the American Dream gave an impressive conclusion to competition. Deciding on the winners was a difficult task, taken on by expert on Classical rhetoric, Mr Gazeley. He was impressed by all the speeches, and eventually decided that Sam Keane should be made Thirds and Upper Thirds Winner; Benyamin Ahmed, Fourths and Divisions Winner; and Elliot Gregg, Sixth Form Winner. Cormac Allen and Pranav Mangalagiri were highly commended. Mrs K. Shockley

up the North Island from the sea with a fishing hook made from the jawbone of his grandmother! We have some old hands now in the School, veteran and accomplished tellers like Monty Halkerston in the Upper Thirds, who can tell you how much you gain in confidence and public speaking by telling a story. All are welcome, and the treats, like the stories, are sometimes just too good. Mr M. G. Hilton-Dennis Public Speaking Should we cancel cancel culture? Is democracy in danger? What does social media mean for friendship in 2023? These are some of the issues reasoned out by boys from across the school in speeches this year. Like our first Head Master, the progressive Richard Mulcaster, we see how important it is for boys to master the art of public speaking. Aside from promoting confidence and healthy debate, students get to practise structuring an argument, engaging an audience and communicating a message. The MTS Public Speaking Competition started in English classrooms, where every boy from the Thirds to the Divisions, and into the Lower Sixth, was required to give a three

minute speech. Class winners then made it through to the semi-final, where the finalists were chosen. In the final, Kasper Saihan, Upper Thirds, started proceedings with a lively and well structured talk on social media’s power to defy distance and enable friendships. Sam Keane, Thirds, followed with a confident and amusing counter, arguing that social media is destroying true friendship. Next up was Pranav Mangalagiri, Thirds, who spoke passionately about how we should cancel cancel culture, before Abbas

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