Subdisputen

The Chemisch Dispuut Leiden knows three subdisputen now. In the history of CDL, subdisputen have often played an important role and it was thus time for the HistoriCie to dive in the CDL archives for the stories. 

Atomoi

Atomoi is a subdispuut that consists of members with very diverse personalities. They were mainly focused on fields that had nothing to do with Chemistry. The diverse activities consisted of meetings (sometimes with speakers with a non-chemical origin), drinks and lunches. They also did fun trips like excursions and fondues. Atomoi also did a lot of sports activities, they even own the CDL-bridge cup, they sailed and played sports with other subdisputen. 

In 1950, the course Chemistry attracts a lot of students and the CDL has grown to have more than 250 members. The success of the course also has a dark side, which is described in the annual report 1953-1954: “Waar vroeger het Dispuut aanvullingen kon bieden op het beperkte studieprogramma, is dit thans niet meer noodzakelijk door de grote verscheidenheid in de meest uiteenlopende vakken.” (The CDL could complement the courses given, but this is not necessary anymore since there is a great variety in subjects.) The full study programme makes students “wetenschappelijk overbelast” (scientifically overloaded) and the interest in chemical related activities decreases. 

In 1958, they experimented with “dispuutkerntjes” existing of first and second year chemists and an older mentor (among those was our oldest honourary member: Prof. J.J.C. Mulder). “Deze groepjes dienen er toe de zogenaamde ongeorganiseerden meer contacten te verschaffen en de 1e en 2dejaars ten voordele van het Chemisch Dispuut te activeren.” (These groups were meant to provide more contacts for the unorganised and to make the first and second years enthusiastic for the CDL.) At first, the students were divided into seven groups, which shows many similarities with the current mentor groups. It soon becomes apparent that a number as name is stupid and the groups begin to give themselves names. During the next General Members Meeting (ALV), at the start of 1959, it becomes clear that “drie subdispuutjes goed lopen, twee redelijk, de overige niet” (three subdisputen are going well, two reasonable and the rest not). It was then decided to “niet-actieve dispuutjes een zachte dood te laten sterven” (let the non-active subdisputen die in a soft way). This explains why there can be found only five names of the seven groups. These subdisputen are Chemophop, Io Flectamus, Quinta Essentia, SN-17 and Queetal.

Io Flectamus

Io Flectamus is a controversial subdispuut. Her devoting members would go through fire for her, her rivals will not pass on the occasion to discredit the proud name of Io.

What is Io? Io is a loud dispuut with a lot of fun, activities and taboo. Io is twelve years old. Io is going to be thirteen years old. In short, Io is everything the members are. The Io membership is easy to combine with the demanding study Chemistry, but is always open for people who think differently.

You have to be an Io member, even if it is only once in your life!

In the years following, the subdisputen grew to an essential part of the CDL. The interdispute competition is mentioned as one of the drivers of this growth. This chemical competition was first organised in 1960 and the first three editions were won by SN-17. In 1963, it was the turn of the other subdisputen for the first time to win, SN-17 became fifth. In the same year five subdisputen celebrated their first lustrum. The CDL board and the now established subdisputen Atomoi and Farce were present.

During the 60s, the ambiance within the subdisputen became more informal. At the end of 1966, the members of Chemophop, Io Flectamus, Queetal, Quinta Essentia and SN-17 went to a Chinese restaurant and a party. Especially SN-17 grew to an association on its own with board medals, a chair hammer, honorary members and a lustrum week in 1973. An enrollment list from 1973 had nine subdisputen (Io Flectamus, Klapstuk ’69, Real L Mil ’70, SN-17, Atomoi, Kathoor, Quinta Essentia, Farce and Chemophop) on which each of them had a recruitment text. It is clear that the subdisputen overshadow the CDL, and the CDL is close to the end. In 1976, it was written that the CDL did not have any members for four years and the resurrection of the CDL begins. It is not easy to find out exactly what consequences this had for the subdisputen, but in the lustrum booklet of SN-17 from 1983 it is written that “SN-17 het enige subdispuut is dat momenteel nog activiteiten ontplooit” (SN-17 is the only subdispuut that is still organising activities). A few years later, in 1986, SN-17 falls apart too and this caused the first period in which subdisputen did not play a big role in the CDL.

SN17

SN17 belongs to one of the first subdisputen of the CDL. It was established in 1958 and existed for many years. SN17 organised many activities that varied from drinks to theater visits. Unfortunately, the CDL had to say goodbye to the subdispuut when it fell apart in 1986.

From the 90s onward, a few new subdisputen were established, starting with Leids Heren Gezelschap “Extraheeren” in 1996. It was later followed by Prlwytzkofski, Cerberus, De Rechtendrinkers, CDL Bestuur “Georgeous” 2000 and the Leidsch Chemisch Heeren Gezelschap. The almanacs from this period give the impression that these subdisputen were mainly established for fun. Also the fact that these subdisputen were not mentioned in the yearly reports give the impression that they played only a small role within the CDL and few is known about them. After a short period with no subdisputen, Leids Chemisch Dispuut “Prisma” was established in November 2013 and not much later Fière and De Brouwmeesters. So who knows, maybe this is the beginning of a new period with a lot of active subdisputen.

Subdispuut

Melodie: Personality

U zit toch ook in een subdispuut
Zo’n echt chemisch subdispuut
Zo’n steengoed subdispuut
Zo’n heel fijn subdispuut
Zo’n dolgezellig subdispuut
Zo’n intellectual subdispuut
U weet dat u niet zonder kunt
Want wie zou willen missen
Dat ongedwongen samenzijn
Want wie zou willen missen
’t Advies van een rijper brein

Io Flectamus die pretendeert
Heel populair te zijn
Zoekt u echter intellect
Moet u ergens anders zijn
Kent u onze benjamin

Die vanaf de oprichting
Zich permitteren kan een Farce te zijn
Ga nu snel hospiteren
Bij Quinta, Kweetal, Chemophop
Maar ga het niet proberen
Bij Athomoi: dat wordt een flop

O, ga toch ook in een subdispuut
Zo’n echt chemisch subdispuut
Zo’n steengoed subdispuut
Zo’n heel fijn subdispuut
Zo’n dolgezellig subdispuut
Zo’n intellectual subdispuut
U weet dat u niet zonder kunt
Want wie zou willen missen
Dat ongedwongen samenzijn
Want wie zou willen missen
De zoutjes en de wijn

Fière

On February 25, 2015, subdispuut "Fière" was officially founded. The purpose of this subdispuut was to assist the assessor externe betrekkingen. They would organize courses to improve acquisition. These were not only for the board, but also for the committees. It has always been a mystery who exactly were the members of this mysterious subdispuut and what they have been up to since their formation in 2015. It also appeared that they had their own banner, but it was so well protected that it has never been seen by outsiders. Fière has been disbanded in 2023.