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On July 8th, 1958, the school debating team comprising M.
Shanmughalingam, Ooi Boon Seng and Khoo Choong Keow, recaptured the coveted
challenge shield in the annual debating competition between V.I. and M.B.S.
The competition was first started in 1956 and was won by the V.I. which, in
the following year, lost to its rivals down the road.
The school team opposed the motion that "examinations are no test of fitness". The "impromptu" format was a rather different one from the previous year. The subject was revealed to both sides only at 12 noon of the same day and the debate was convened at the school hall at 4:30 p.m. Despite only having four and a half hours of preparation, both sides acquitted themselves well. In the end, the judges, led by Mr. Gerald Hawkins, decided unanimously that the V.I. team had won by a nose. The debate was presided over by the donor of the shield himself, Dato Sir Clough Thuraisingam. Datin Thuraisingam presented the shield to the winners.
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