Stover was interested at once. He saw an instrument at hand for which he had been looking—something to bring the class together.
"Look here, it's bigger than that, Brocky," he said earnestly. "I'm not criticizing—I like the idea, the whole thing, you know. But here's what we can do. Make the club, say, forty, and get into it all the representative elements of the class—make it a real meeting place. Get the fellows who are going to be managers and captains. They've all got to speak—the fellows on papers, the real debaters—and you'll have something that'll bring the class together."
"What would you debate?" said Swazey, while the others considered Stover's suggestion.
"College subjects every one has an opinion about at first," said Regan. "And then get into red-hot politics."
"Of course Stover's idea is a social one—democratic if you will," said Brockhurst perplexed. "My idea was for a more intimate crowd, all alike, trying to discuss real things."
"Brocky, I don't believe you can do it," said Stover. "My experience is that the big discussions, the ones worth while, always are informal, just as they've been in this crowd, and the crowd mustn't be too large." Several nodded assent. "The other thing is something we need in the class. We've been torn to pieces, all at loggerheads, and I believe, outside of the debating, this is the first step to getting together. Moreover, I think you'll find all crowds will jump at the chance. Let me talk it around."
"I think Dink's got the practical idea, Brocky," said Regan. "And, moreover, he's the man to work it."
As they went out together they were met with the sensation of the campus—the sophomore societies had been abolished!
Stover stopped McNab, who was hurrying past.