to hold (also keep) schools: to engage in academic disputation or discussion. Obsolete.

intransitive. To engage in discussion or argument; esp. in a public assembly. Const. upon, on, †of.

To argue or debate; to engage in controversy; formerly also, to dispute or discuss publicly as at a university, for or against a thesis, etc…

transitive and intransitive. Chiefly U.S. To argue, debate, or speak publicly about (something), now esp. competitively. Cf. forensic, adj. 1, fore…