Bishop Cotton School (BCS), Shimla is preparing to host its Jubilee celebrations of the Rev Dr Samuel Slater Memorial English Debates which started in 1996. The Slater debating contest was set up in memory of the first Head of the legendary boarding school, Rev Dr Samuel Slater, who was Headmaster from 1863-1885.
The prestigious tournament has grown over the years and attracts participants from some of India’s most renowned educational institutions. This year BCS will host 31 debating teams on the campus to celebrate 25 years of the inter-school competition in a four-day event starting on 17th October 2022.
One hundred and forty-five debating subjects will be thrashed out by some of the brightest children from classes 10 to 12 across eight venues in the school. Subjects ranging from: ‘physical punishment by parents’, ‘sale of human organs’ and ‘nuclear war’ to the lighter subjects of: ‘video games make you smarter ’ and ‘Bollywood is better than Hollywood’ and ‘social media is making us less social’.
Bishop Cotton School’s Director, Mr Simon Weale, said; “This event brings together and celebrates some of the best young minds in India today. The Slater debates embrace the view that life is about learning by disagreeing, in a friendly atmosphere, and that free speech is the best way to gain new knowledge and
that censorship is inimical to progress.”
The Headmaster Mr Mathew P John who was instrumental in setting up the original debates competition
in 1996 said; “We’re very excited to be holding the Jubilee celebrations after a Covid break. The debating tournament was inaugurated in 1996 as a platform for young men and women from across the country to
interact and build lasting relationships while testing their skill and wits against each other. We’re looking
forward to some very interesting debates from some talented students.”
The event is aimed at providing a significant training ground for the development of communicative
abilities of students and to create learning opportunities in which students develop proficiencies based on sound educational and communication theories.
SLATER DEBATES 2022
Schools that have confirmed participation:
1. La Martiniere for Girls, Kolkata
17. Mallinsons, Srinagar
2. Welham Boys, Dehradun
18. La Martiniere College, Lucknow
3. Army Public School, Delhi
19. Vivek High Sch. Chandigarh
4. St. James, Kolkata
20. Durga Public School, Solan
5. Loreto House, Kolkata
21. Auckland House School, Shimla
6. Woodstock School
22. Auckland Boys, Shimla
7. St.Thomas Girls, Delhi
23. St.Edwards, Shimla
8. Lawrence School Sanawar
24. Convent of Jesus & Mary, Shimla
9. The Doon School
25. Loreto Convent, Shimla
10. Royal Global School Guhawati
26. Stokes Memorial School, Shimla
11. Ida Scudder School Vellore
27. Chalet Day ECI, Shimla
12. St.Xaviers Collegiate School Kolkata
28. Shimla Public School, Shimla
13. Modern High School For Girls, Kolkata
29. Chapslee, Shimla
14. Mayo College, Ajmer
30. Euro School, Mumbai
15. The Shri Ram School, Aravalli (Delhi)
31. Bishop Cotton School, Shimla
16. Tyndale Biscoe, Srinagar
