Last weekend, Emily R and Beth E triumphed at the Mid-Seasonal Debating Tournament.

Emily and Beth represented Columba College with skill and composure. In the final, they debated against a team from Taieri College and had to argue against the motion: "This House believes that conscientious objectors should be honoured on war memorials." It was a thoughtful, interesting, well-attended debate.

The annual tournament was run by the Otago University Debating Society and sponsored by the Archibald Baxter Memorial Trust, which promotes excellence in student debating while spreading Archibald Baxter's message of resisting war and conflict and finding peaceful alternatives. The tournament attracted teams from across Dunedin's secondary schools.

Congratulations, Emily and Beth, on your well-deserved success.

https://www.archibaldbaxtertrust.com/

The Archibald Baxter Memorial Trust kindly donated two books to Emily and Beth, who have generously decided to contribute them to the school library. The books are Out of the Shadows: The Life of Millicent Baxter and We Will Not Cease by Archibald Baxter, with a foreword by Michael King.