Headmaster's Essay Society
Academic pupils likely to apply for Universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, that select through interview, are invited to join the Headmaster's Essay Society, along with other pupils who have demonstrated a real passion for intellectual enquiry.
The Society meets for an hour and a half each week in the Gothic Library (Headmaster's Study) and each member has a 45 minute opportunity to present an academic enthusiasm to the Headmaster, the Director of Studies and other members. Talks usually last for ten or fifteen minutes before leading into close questioning and thence to lively debate. Genuinely interested pupils are never turned away, and an especially stimulating and challenging series of talks often results.
Past topics have included a good range of subjects: why the music industry tends to strangle creativity; how free speech is being denied us; the science of face reconstruction; the evils of imperialism (or not); still waiting for Godot; after such knowledge as Primo Levi's what forgiveness; the complications of the development of Law; renewable energy; was Marie Antoinette really so bad; and, of course, the inexhaustible "you may or may not like it, but is it art?" to name but a few.