The Benedict Joseph Fenwick Debating Society

Rooted in more than a century of history, the B.J.F. Debating Society works to cultivate knowledge, eloquence, and understanding among students at the College of the Holy Cross.

First established in 1846, the B.J.F. Debating Society offered students space to engage in rigorous intellectual discourse for more than 150 years. A look into the historical archives inspired the society's revival in 2023 — and now, it's carrying out the same mission that inspired countless students through the years.

The Benedict Joseph Fenwick Debating Society was established in 1846, named in honor of Holy Cross' founder. It should be noted that the historical record is inconclusive about the society's founding date; while some materials, such as a 1953 yearbook, set it at 1849, most agree on 1846. By and large, the society's participants were upperclassmen.

The society enabled students to debate the most relevant issues of the day. At the start of the twentieth century, for instance, debate topics included the then-recent downfall of Tammany Hall, King Edward's coronation, the viability of socialism, the importance of higher education, and immigration policy.

The society debated a then-controversial question at Holy Cross: whether seniors should be allowed to wear a distinctive academic dress. "The question of distinctive costumes for the senior class has been proposed time and time again by various students," read an article in the student newspaper, "but has always encountered the opposition of those who maintain that the principle of Holy Cross is democracy and a close bond of intimacy between all classes."

With World War II escalating in Europe, the B.J.F. Society held a public debate in Kimball Hall on whether the United States should become involved in the conflict. Two attorneys and a police captain served as judges, and audience members were invited to contribute their opinions in an open forum. That semester, the Society would go on to hold another debate about American policy toward the Philippines.

With a string of victories in tournaments at Hofstra, Georgetown, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Society marked one of its most successful years yet. In addition to participating in over sixty intercollegiate contests, the Society undertook efforts to safeguard its long-term success by increasing underclassmen participation.