The new secretary alarmed his patrons by his versatility and energy.

The old humdrum questions vanished almost completely from the programme, and were replaced by such interesting conundrums as "Is life worth living ?" "Ought the _Daily News_ to be taken in at the school library ?" "What is a lie ?" and so on.

Beyond that, he boldly appropriated evenings for other purposes than the traditional debate.

On one occasion he organised a highly successful reading of _Coriolanus_, in which the juniors, to their vast delight, were admitted to shout as citizens.

Another evening was given to impromptu speeches, every member who volunteered being called upon to draw a subject out of a hat and make a speech upon it there and then.
And more than once the order of the day was readings and recitations, in which the younger members were specially encouraged to take part, and stood up gallantly to be shot at by their critical seniors.
Whatever might be said of this novel departure from old tradition, no one could deny that the Discussion Society had looked up wonderfully during the last six months.