College literary societies

College literary societies in American higher education were a distinctive kind of social organization, distinct from literary societies generally, and they were the precursors of college fraternities and sororities.^[1] In the period from the late eighteenth century to the Civil War, collegiate literary societies were an important part of campus social life. College literary societies are often called Latin literary societies because they typically had compound Latinate names.

Since these organizations are virtually the oldest kind of student organization in America, where they have survived, they are seen as ancient institutions. One author from Georgia acknowledged that fact (by parody) in discussing his own society: "The origin of the Washington Society dates back to the glory days of the Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era. It was during this time that great plant-eating dinosaurs roamed the Earth, feeding on lush growths of ferns and palm-like cycads and ennettitaleans. Meanwhile, smaller but vicious carnivores stalked the great herbivores. The oceans were full of fish, squid, and coiled ammonites, plus great ichthyosaurs and the long-necked plesiosaurs. Vertebrates first took to the air, like the mighty pterosaurs and the first true birds. The supercontinent Pangaea began to break up and disperse itself across the Earth's surface, sending a big chunk of land to the very spot where Thomas Jefferson's decomposed old ass lies buried today. And it is on this same chunk of land, a few miles away, that Mr. Jefferson's University sits, home to the Washington Literary Society and Debating Union.^[2]

Literary and other activities

Most literary societies' literary activity consisted of formal debates on topical issues of the day, but literary activity could include original essays, poetry, music, et c. As a part of their literary work, many also collected and maintained their own libraries for the use of the society's members. "[C]ollege societies were the training grounds for men in public affairs in the nineteenth century." ^[1]

The societies could fulfill this function because they were independent organizations, and entirely student run activities. "[T]he societies were virtually little republics, with their own laws and a democratically elected student administration."^[1]

Topics could include Classical history, religion, ethics, politics, and current events. Controversial topics not covered in the official curriculum were often the most popular. Studies have been done, for example, finding an increasing discussion of slavery at literary society meetings through the 1850s.

Demosthenian Hall at the University of Georgia, built in 1824

Libraries

Since every college literary society saw itself as complementing the classical curriculum with the knowledge of current events, the societies also had libraries. "At a number of Northern colleges...the society libraries were larger than the college libraries. The society libraries were also high in quality, as shown by their printed catalogs... Rivalry between the two societies at each college extended to their libraries; each tried to have a larger library than the other."^[1] A number of societies, especially in the South, would build separate buildings for the societies and their libraries.^[1] On the austere college campus of two centuries ago, "the only fairly comfortable and attractive places were the rooms of the literary societies. Their members,... raised money for rugs, draperies, and comfortable, even luxurious, furniture." ^[1]

In relation to the campus

Typically, a college would have two or more competing societies. The campus societies were generally intense competitors. Some examples include the American Whig and Cliosophic Societies at Princeton University, Social Friends and United Fraternity at Dartmouth College, the Philorhetorian and Peithologian societies at Wesleyan University, the Philologian and Philotechnian societies at Williams College, the Philomathean and Zelosophic societies at the University of Pennsylvania, the Philolexian and Peithologian societies at Columbia University, the Clariosophic and Euphradian societies at the University of South Carolina, the Demosthenian and Phi Kappa societies at the University of Georgia, the Linonia and Brothers in Unity at Yale University, the Miami Union and Erodelphian societies at Miami University and Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These societies were usually in a limited adversarial role; at Columbia University the Peithologian and Philolexian were competitors, and they maintained a rivalry that was friendly at best and highly charged at worst. In his famous diary, George Templeton Strong recorded that a Philolexian gathering was disrupted by "those rascally Peithologians"; and firecrackers and stink bombs, tossed into the midst of each other's meetings, were usually the weapons of choice.

Membership in these societies was not only open to all the students in the college, but in many cases membership was all but required. At the opening of University of South Carolina virtually all students were members of the Philomathic Society which was soon divided by lot into the Clariosophic and Euphradian societies. In some cases, intense recruitment battles would ensue over new students, and to avoid problems some colleges chose to assign incoming students to one or the other literary society. This pattern was followed, for example, at Dartmouth, where the faculty imposed rule was "The students of College shall be assigned according to the odd or even places which their names shall hold on an alphabetical list of the members of each successive class..."^[3] Having two societies on a campus encouraged competition, and a thriving society would have interesting enough meetings to attract full attendance from its membership and perhaps even people from the community. These societies met publicly, sometimes in large lecture rooms, and in most instances the literary exercises would consist of a debate, but could also include speeches, poetry readings, and other literary work.

Private literary societies

There also is a fundamentally distinct type of literary society, that, although formed at a college and following the same forms and kinds of literary exercises, were limited to a small subset of the college. These are private literary societies, such as Phi Beta Kappa or Yale's Elizabethan Club. Membership is usually by invitation. They share all the characteristics with a college literary society, except that they are not open to all students; and they share many of the characteristics of a college fraternity.

Literary Societies & Fraternities

In the 1830s and 1840s, students began to organize private literary societies for smaller groups, and these more intimate associations quickly developed into wholly secret associations. These groups are the earliest college fraternities. Kappa Alpha, Sigma Phi, Delta Phi, Mystical Seven, Alpha Delta Phi, Psi Upsilon, and Delta Kappa Epsilon, in fact, virtually all the pre-Civil War college fraternities were either first organized as literary societies or derived from factions split off of literary societies. These new organizations held meetings and were organized on identical lines to the large literary societies. Soon, the existence of these smaller private Greek letter organizations undermined the large Latin literary societies. Competition from athletics and other entertainments also took a toll, so that many dissolved or existed in name only by the 1880s. A literary society almost always provided its members with an extensive library, either available to members only, or to the campus at large. When the societies dissolved, their libraries were transferred to the college libraries, and in many colleges the acquisition of the literary societies' libraries was a significant change in their collection, usually broadening the colleges libraries' scope into popular literature, but often also adding important and rare works.

Although literary societies had Latin names, and fraternities had Greek names reduced to initials, this is not always the case, however; Phi Phi Society at Kenyon and the Phi Kappa at Georgia are examples of large literary societies with Greek names. The Clariosophic and Euphradian societies at South Carolina both had Greek letter aliases, Mu Sigma Phi and Phi Alpha Epsilon, respectively, which appeared on their seals, but which were not used in normal conversation or writing.

In the following table, there are two types of literary societies societies listed together, the college literary societies, (frequently half the college's student body), and smaller private societies, and were admission by invitation. Some of these societies are still active.

List of literary societies in the USA

Founded	Ended	Society	College or University	Source and notes
1750	1787	F. H. C.	William & Mary	[4]
1750	1772	Crotonia Society	Yale	[4]
1753	(unkn.)	Linonian Society	Yale	[4]
1765	1928	American Whig Society	Princeton	[4]
1765	1928	Cliosophic Society	Princeton	[4]
1768	(unkn.)	Brothers in Unity	Yale	[4]
1770	(unkn.)	Institute of 1770	Harvard	[4]
1771	(unkn.)	Pronouncing Society	Brown	[4]
1773	1781	P. D. A.	William & Mary	[5]
1776	1786	Athenian Society	Rutgers	[4][6]
1776	1787	Phi Beta Kappa Society	William & Mary	[4]
1776	1782	Polemical Society	Rutgers	[6][6]
1780	Present	Phi Beta Kappa Society	Yale	[7]
1781	Present	Phi Beta Kappa Society	Harvard	[4]
1783	Defunct	Social Friends Society	Dartmouth	[4]
1786	Present	Belles Lettres Society	Dickinson	[8][9]
1786	Defunct	United Fraternity	Dartmouth	[4]
1787	Present	Phi Beta Kappa Society	Dartmouth	[4]
1789	Present	Union-Philanthropic Society	Hampden-Sydney	[10][11]
1789	Present	Union Philosophical Society	Dickinson	[8]
1789	1795	Society for Progress in Letters	Columbia	[12]
1791	(unkn.)	Porcellian Society	Harvard	[13]
1793	1890	Calliopean Society	Union	[14]
1794	1866	Philermenian Society	Brown	[4][15]
1795	Present	Dialectic Society	North Carolina	[16]
1795	Present	Philanthropic Society	North Carolina	[16]
1795	(unkn.)	Philologian Society	Williams	[16]
1795	(unkn.)	Philotechnian Society	Williams	[16]
1796	(unkn.)	Adelphic Society	Union	[16]
1797	Present	Franklin Literary Society	Jefferson	[17]
1797	(unkn.)	Philo Literary Society	Jefferson	[17]
1802	Present	Philolexian Society	Columbia	[4][12]
1802	1887	Athenian Society	Bowdoin	[16]
1803	Present	Demosthenian Literary Society	Georgia	[10][16]
1803	(unkn.)	Phi Sigma Nu Society	Vermont	[16]
1805	Present	Peucinian Society	Bowdoin	[16]
1806	(unkn.)	Peithologian Society	Columbia	[4]
1806	1970	Clariosophic Society	South Carolina	[18][19]
1806	1970	Euphradian Society	South Carolina	[1][19]
1806	1866	United Brothers Society	Brown	[4][15]
1807	(unkn.)	Philological Society	Pennsylvania	[4]
1809	(unkn.)	Union Literary Society	Washington	[17]
1811	(unkn.)	Hermean Society	Pennsylvania	[10]
1813	Present	Philomathean Society	Pennsylvania	[4]
1814	(unkn.)	Washington Literary Society	Washington	[17]
1814	(unkn.)	Phoenix Society	Hamilton	[16]
1814	(unkn.)	Union Society	Hamilton	[16]
1817	Present	Phi Beta Kappa Society	Union	[7]
1819	Present	Calliopean Society	Yale	[10][20]
1819	1830	Patrick Henry Society	Virginia	[10]
1820	Present	Phi Kappa Literary Society	Georgia	[10][21]
1820	(unkn.)	Henodelphisterian Society	Indiana	[22]
1821	(unkn.)	Alexandrian Society	Amherst	[1]
1821	(unkn.)	Athenian Society	Amherst	[1]
1822	(unkn.)	Franklin Debating Society	Randolph-Macon	[10]
1824	1834	Franklin Society	Brown	[23]
1824	(unkn.)	Athenaeum Society	Trinity	[1]
1824	(unkn.)	Society for Inquiry	Colgate	[1]
1825	Present	Jefferson Society	Virginia	[10][24]
1825	Present	Phi Beta Kappa Society	Bowdoin	[7]
1825	1892	Philoclean Society	Rutgers	[1]
1825	(unkn.)	Agatheridan Society	Nashville	[18]
1825	1891	Peithissophian Society	Rutgers	[1][6]
1825	(unkn.)	Erodelphian Literary Society	Miami University	[25]
1826	(unkn.)	Franklin Society	William & Mary	[1]
1826	(unkn.)	Philozetian Society	Western Reserve	[26]
1827	(unkn.)	Literary Fraternity	Colby	[1]
1827	(unkn.)	Parthenon Society	Trinity	[1]
1827	(unkn.)	Philomathesian Society	Kenyon	[27]
1828	(unkn.)	Nu Pi Kappa Society	Kenyon	[27]
1828	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	College of Charleston	[28]
1829	(unkn.)	Beth-Hacma	Maryville	[29]
1829	(unkn.)	Sophirodelphian Society	Maryville	[29]
1829	(unkn.)	Transylvania Whig Society	Transylvania	[30]
1829	(unkn.)	Union Philosophical Society	Transylvania	[31]
1829	(unkn.)	Zelosophic Society	Pennsylvania	[1]
1830	Present	Phi Beta Kappa Society	Brown	[7]
1830	Present	Philodemic Society	Georgetown	[10][32]
1830	(unkn.)	Athenian Society	Indiana	[22]
1830	(unkn.)	Calliopean Society	Maine Wesleyan	[1]
1830	(unkn.)	Philosophronian Society	Hanover	[33]
1830	(unkn.)	Union Literary Society	Hanover	[33]
1831	Present	Washington Literary Society and Debating Union	Virginia	[2][10]
1831	(unkn.)	Adelphic Society	Western Reserve	[26]
1831	(unkn.)	Erosophic Society	Alabama	[1]
1831	(unkn.)	Euphradian Society	College of Charleston	[28]
1831	(unkn.)	Franklin Society	Western Reserve	[26]
1831	(unkn.)	Peithologian Society	Wesleyan	[1]
1831	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Indiana	[22]
1831	(unkn.)	Philorhetorian Society	Wesleyan	[1]
1831	(unkn.)	Miami Union Literary Society	Miami University	[25]
1832	(unkn.)	Philomathic Society	Alabama	[1]
1833	1834	Franklin Polemic Society	Mercer	[10]
1833	Present	Washington Society	Randolph-Macon	[10]
1834	1943	Eucleian Society	New York	[1]
1834	1888	Philomathean Society	New York	[10]
1834	(unkn.)	Beth-Hacma ve Berith	Maryville	[29]
1834	Defunct	Ciceronian Society	Mercer	[10]
1834	(unkn.)	Ladies' Literary Society	Oberlin	[34]
1834	Defunct	Phi Delta Society	Mercer	[10]
1834	(unkn.)	Philo-Franklin Society	Allegheny	[1]
1834	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Wabash	[35]
1835	(unkn.)	Allegheny Society	Allegheny	[1]
1835	(unkn.)	Calliopean Society	Denison	[26]
1835	(unkn.)	Diagnothian Society	Franklin & Marshall	[1]
1835	(unkn.)	Erosophian Adelphoi Society	Colby	[1]
1835	(unkn.)	Euphronean Society	Wabash	[35]
1835	(unkn.)	Euzelian Society	Wake Forest	[36]
1835	(unkn.)	Philomathesian Society	Wake Forest	[36]
1835	(unkn.)	Society for Religious Inquiry	Vermont	[1]
1836	(unkn.)	Chi Delta Society	East Tennessee	[37]
1836	(unkn.)	Philomathesian Society	East Tennessee	[37]
1836	(unkn.)	Union Literary Society	Muskingum	[18]
1837	Present	Philanthropic Society	Davidson	[18][38]
1837	Present	Eumenean Society	Davidson	[18][38]
1837	Defunct	Phi Gamma Society	Emory	[18]
1837	(unkn.)	Philosophian Society	McKendree	[18]
1838	(unkn.)	Cliosophic Society	College of Charleston	[28]
1838	(unkn.)	Platonian Society	Indiana Asbury	[18]
1839	(unkn.)	Alpha Kappa Society	Marietta	[18]
1839	(unkn.)	Dialectic Society	Oberlin	[34]
1839	Present	Euphemian Society	Erskine	[10][39]
1839	Defunct	Few Society	Emory	[10]
1839	(unkn.)	Licivyronian Society	William & Mary	[1]
1839	(Defunct 1863)	Phi Delta Society	Oglethorpe	[40]
1839	(unkn.)	Philological Society	Indiana Asbury	[18]
1839	(unkn.)	Philomathesian Society	Oberlin	[34]
1839	(unkn.)	Psi Gamma Society	Marietta	[18]
1839	Present	Thalian Society	Oglethorpe	[40]
1840	(unkn.)	Adelphian Society	Colgate	[1]
1840	(unkn.)	Aeonian Society	Colgate	[1]
1840	(unkn.)	Calliopean Society	Emory & Henry	[41]
1840	Defunct	Hermesian Society	Emory & Henry	[41]
1840	(unkn.)	Phi Delta Society	Western Reserve	[26]
1840	(unkn.)	Philalethian Society	Hanover	[42]
1840	(unkn.)	Tau Chi Society	William & Mary	[1]
1841	(unkn.)	Philopaedian Society	St. Xavier	[18]
1842	(unkn.)	Adelphi Society	Howard	[43]
1842	(unkn.)	Franklin Society	Howard	[43]
1842	(unkn.)	Phi Phi Alpha Society	Michigan	[1]
1843	(unkn.)	Alpha Nu Society	Michigan	[18]
1843	(unkn.)	Franklin Society	Denison	[1]
1843	Present	Sigma Pi Society	Illinois	[18][44]
1844	(unkn.)	Clever Fellows Society	Albion	[45]
1844	(unkn.)	Clever Girls Society	Albion	[45]
1845	(unkn.)	Adelphi Society	Knox	[46]
1845	(unkn.)	Atheniaedes Society	Albion	[47]
1845	Defunct	Calliopean Society	Citadel	[10][48]
1845	(unkn.)	Eclectic Society	Albion	[47]
1851	Present	Excelsior Men's Society	Heidelberg	[18]
1845	(unkn.)	Hermean Society	Geneva	[1]
1845	Present	Phi Alpha Society	Illinois	[18][44]
1845	(unkn.)	Zetagathea Society	Ohio Wesleyan	[18]
1846	(unkn.)	Alfreidian Lyceum Society	Alfred	[18]
1846	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Muskingum	[18]
1846	(unkn.)	Philosophian Society	Wittenberg	[18]
1847	(unkn.)	Calliopean Society	Wabash	[18]
1847	(unkn.)	Chrestomathean Society	Ohio Wesleyan	[18]
1847	(unkn.)	Lyceum Society	Wabash	[18]
1847	Present	Polytechnic Literary Society	Citadel	[10][48]
1848	1948	Chrestomathic Society	College of Charleston	[10][49]
1848	(unkn.)	Philomatic Society	Spring Hill	[50]
1848	(unkn.)	Tripartite Union	Lycoming	[1]
1849	(unkn.)	Alethearian Society	Geneva	[51]
1849	(unkn.)	Gnothautii Society	Knox	[18]
1849	1946	Hermaean Society	Mississippi	[10]
1849	1934	Phi Sigma Society	Mississippi	[10]
1849	(unkn.)	Philo-Christomathean Society	Geneva	[51]
1849	Defunct	Platonian Society	McKendree	[18]
1850	(unkn.)	Athenian Society	Wisconsin	[52]
1850	(unkn.)	Belles Letters Society	Lycoming	[1]
1850	(unkn.)	Ciceronian Society	Roanoke	[18]
1850	Defunct	Columbian Society	Carson-Newman	[10]
1850	1865	Delphic Society	Rochester	[1][53]
1850	(unkn.)	Demosthenean Society	Roanoke	[18]
1850	(unkn.)	Eupia Society	Bucknell	[18]
1850	(unkn.)	Orophilian Lyceum Society	Alfred	[18]
1850	Defunct	Philomathean Society	Carson-Newman	[10]
1850	(unkn.)	Philophrenian Society	Columbian	[18]
1850	(unkn.)	Pithonian Society	Rochester	[1]
1850	(unkn.)	Soverville Society	Ohio Female	[18]
1850	(unkn.)	Theta Alphea Society	Bucknell	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Addisonian Society	Kentucky Military	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Adelphean Society	Wesleyan	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Alleghenian Lyceum Society	Alfred	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Amphictyon Society	Lawrence	[1]
1851	(unkn.)	Athenian Society	Ohio Wesleyan	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Belles Letters Society	MacMurray	[54]
1851	(unkn.)	Clionian Society	Free Academy	[1]
1851	(unkn.)	Philolexian Society	Kalamazoo	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Waynesburg	[1]
1851	(unkn.)	Philophronean Society	Otterbein	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Sherwood Rhetorical Society	Kalamazoo	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	St. Aloysius Philodemic Society	Notre Dame	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Students Philomathean Society	Hartsville	[18]
1851	(unkn.)	Union Society	Waynesburg	[1]
1852	Present	Philomathean Society	Wesleyan	[18]
1852	(unkn.)	Gamma Epsilon Society	Lycoming	[1]
1852	(unkn.)	Ladies Literary Society	Milton	[18]
1852	(unkn.)	Philaletha Society	Otterbein	[18]
1852	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Hiram	[55]
1852	(unkn.)	Philomathian Society	Mississippi	[18]
1852	(unkn.)	Philomethean Society	Wesleyan	[18]
1852	(unkn.)	Phrenocosmian Society	Free Academy	[1]
1853	(unkn.)	Amphictyon Society	Cornell College	[18]
1853	(unkn.)	Chrestomathian Society	Grinnell	[18]
1853	(unkn.)	Clio Society	Capital	[18]
1853	(unkn.)	Emma Willards Society	Waynesburg	[1]
1853	(unkn.)	Hentz Society	La Grange	[56]
1853	(unkn.)	Judson Society	La Grange	[56]
1853	(unkn.)	Parthenian Society	Baltimore	[18]
1853	(unkn.)	Periclesian Society	Franklin	[57]
1853	(unkn.)	Phi Nu Society	MacMurray	[54]
1853	(unkn.)	Phileans Society	Waynesburg	[1]
1853	(unkn.)	Union Literary Society	Geneva	[51]
1853	(unkn.)	Webster Society	Franklin	[57]
1854	(unkn.)	Alethezethian Society	Antioch	[58]
1854	2001	Archanian Society	Univ. of the Pacific	[18]
1854	(unkn.)	Aristotelian Society	Central[disambiguation needed ]	[1]
1854	(unkn.)	Calhoun Society	Wofford	[59]
1854	1875	Delphic Society	Hiram	[60][61]
1854	(unkn.)	Erodelphian Society	Burlington	[18]
1854	(unkn.)	Hamline Society	Iowa Wesleyan	[62]
1854	(unkn.)	Hesperian Society	Hiram	[60]
1854	(unkn.)	Hesperian Society	Wisconsin	[52]
1854	(unkn.)	Linnaen Society	Mount Union	[18]
1854	(unkn.)	Phi Alpha Society	Central[disambiguation needed ]	[1]
1854	(unkn.)	Philomathian Society	Bethel	[18]
1854	(unkn.)	Washington Society	Bethel	[18]
1855	(unkn.)	Alethean Society	Baldwin	[18]
1855	(unkn.)	Calliope Academy	Spring Hill	[50]
1855	(unkn.)	Crescent Society	Antioch	[58]
1855	(unkn.)	Curious Society	Milwaukee	[18]
1855	(unkn.)	Erosophian Society	Marshall	[1]
1855	(unkn.)	Hyperion Society	Marshall	[1]
1855	(unkn.)	Philalethean Society	Lawrence	[57]
1855	(unkn.)	Philologian Society	Richmond	[18]
1855	(unkn.)	Philopenthean Society	Geneva	[1]
1855	(unkn.)	Phoenix Society	Lawrence	[57]
1855	(unkn.)	Star Society	Antioch	[58]
1856	Defunct	Beltionian Society	Wheaton	[63]
1856	(unkn.)	Hinman Society	Northwestern	[60]
1856	(unkn.)	Mathesian Society	Northwestern Christian	[64]
1856	(unkn.)	Philadelphian Society	Monmouth	[18]
1856	(unkn.)	Philalethic Society	Santa Clara	[18]
1856	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Willamette	[65]
1856	(unkn.)	Philoneikean Society	Moores Hill	[66]
1856	(unkn.)	Phoenix Band Society	Earlham	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Alpha Kappa Phi Society	Hillsdale	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Amphictyon Society	Hillsdale	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Eurodelphian Society	Spring Hill	[50]
1857	(unkn.)	Hesperian Society	Ohio Female	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Ionian Society	Earlham	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Ladies Literary Union	Hillsdale	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Literary Adelphi Society	Michigan	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Otterbein	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Phreno-Cosmian Society	Baldwin	[18]
1857	(unkn.)	Pythonian Society	Northwestern Christian	[64]
1857	(unkn.)	Sigournean Society	Moores Hill	[66]
1858	(unkn.)	Adelphian Society	Cornell College	[18]
1858	(unkn.)	Athena Society	Lawrence	[1]
1858	(unkn.)	Excelsior Society	Albright	[1]
1858	(unkn.)	Preston Society	Wofford	[59]
1858	(unkn.)	Rhizomian Society	Univ. of the Pacific	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Alethean Society	Beloit	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Archaean Society	Beloit	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Belles Letters Society	Illinois Wesleyan	[67]
1859	(unkn.)	Belles Letters Society	Southern	[68]
1859	(unkn.)	Clariosophic Society	Southern	[68]
1859	(unkn.)	Delean Society	Beloit	[18]
1859	Present	German Verein (now the Alpha Omega Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity)	German Wallace	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Germanae Sodales Society	Hillsdale	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Literary Society	Maryland	[69]
1859	(unkn.)	Neocosmian Society	Albright	[1]
1859	(unkn.)	Philestorian Society	Santa Clara	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Ruthean Society	Iowa Wesleyan	[70]
1859	(unkn.)	Sophronikopean Society	Missionary	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Star Society	Adrian	[18]
1859	(unkn.)	Webster Society	Michigan	[18]
1860	(unkn.)	Adelphian Society	Furman	[71]
1860	(unkn.)	Adelphic Society	Northwestern	[60]
1860	(unkn.)	Athenaeum Society	Chicago	[18]
1860	(unkn.)	Erosophian Society	Lombard	[18]
1860	(unkn.)	Eulexian Society	St. Stephens	[18]
1860	(unkn.)	Franklin Reading Society	Furman	[71]
1860	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Milton	[18]
1860	(unkn.)	Philosophian Society	Furman	[71]
1860	(unkn.)	Reynolds Society	Stockwell	[18]
1861	(unkn.)	Addisonian Society	Wayland	[18]
1861	(unkn.)	Berean Society	Chicago	[72]
1861	(unkn.)	Phi Alpha Pi Society	Olivet	[18]
1861	(unkn.)	Tri Kappa Society	Chicago	[72]
1861	(unkn.)	Zetagathian Society	Iowa State	[73]
1865	(unkn.)	De La Salle Club	Manhattan	[18]
1865	(unkn.)	Erosophian Society	Baylor	[1]
1865	(unkn.)	Irving Society	Andalusia, (Pa.)	[18]
1865	(unkn.)	Philalethian Society	Vassar	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Alka Society	Willamette	[65]
1866	(unkn.)	Brown Debating Society	Stockwell	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Clionian Society	Almira	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Garnet Society	Lincoln	[1]
1866	(unkn.)	Lincoln Association	Illinois Soldiers'	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Union Christian	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Robert E. V. Rice Society	Niagara	[1]
1866	(unkn.)	Scientific Society	Wilberforce	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Semicentenary Society	Wilberforce	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	St Joseph Society	St. Joseph	[18]
1866	(unkn.)	Stonewall Society	Baylor	[1]
1866	(unkn.)	Themian Society	Quincy	[18]
1867	(unkn.)	Aristotelian Society	Harlem Springs	[18]
1867	(unkn.)	Athenian Society	Tennessee Wesleyan	[1]
1867	(unkn.)	Byronic Society	Harlem Springs	[18]
1867	(unkn.)	Erosophian Society	Albion	[18]
1867	(unkn.)	Eulexian Society	St. Augustine	[18]
1867	(unkn.)	Euterpean Society	Muhlenberg	[74]
1867	(unkn.)	Neotrophian Society	Bethel	[1]
1867	(unkn.)	Philokosmian Society	Lebanon Valley	[18]
1867	(unkn.)	Philosophian Society	Lincoln	[1]
1867	(unkn.)	Sophronian Society	Muhlenberg	[74]
1867	(unkn.)	Zetalethean Society	Simpson	[18]
1868	(unkn.)	Adelphene Society	Union Christian	[18]
1868	(unkn.)	Alpha Delta Society	Hiram	[55]
1868	(unkn.)	German Society	St. Xaviers	[18]
1868	1888[75]	Irving Society	Cornell University	[18]
1868	(unkn.)	Lehigh Junto	Lehigh	[18]
1868	(unkn.)	Phi Delta Society	Berea	[1]
1868	(unkn.)	Philocurian Society	Northwestern Christian	[18]
1868	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Iowa State	[1]
1868	(unkn.)	Philomathian Society	Illinois	[18]
1869	(unkn.)	Athenian Society	Kings[disambiguation needed ]	[1]
1869	(unkn.)	Basilian Society	Niagara	[1]
1869	Still active	Clionian Society	McKendree	[76]
1869	(unkn.)	Orthopatetic Society	Blackburn	[1]
1869	(unkn.)	Philomathean Society	Tennessee Wesleyan	[1]
1869	(unkn.)	Photozotean Society	Moore's hill	[66]
1869	(unkn.)	Zenobian Society	Minnesota	[18]
1870	Defunct	Aristonian Society	Wheaton	[63]
1870	(unkn.)	Atheneum Society	Willamette	[65]
1870	(unkn.)	Bachelor Society	Iowa State	[1]
1870	1906	Baconian Society	Potsdam	[77][78]
1870	(unkn.)	Castelian Society	Rockford	[1]
1870	(unkn.)	Crescent Society	Iowa State	[1]
1870	(unkn.)	Erodelphian Society	Highland	[18]
1870	(unkn.)	Grinnell Institute	Grinnell	[18]
1870	(unkn.)	Irving Society	Wooster	[18]
1870	(unkn.)	Philologian Society	St Stephens	[18]
1870	(unkn.)	Philotechnic Society	Louisiana State	[1]
1870	Present	Signet Society	Harvard
1870	(unkn.)	Vesperian Society	Rockford	[1]
1870	(unkn.)	Wayland Society	Brown	[18]
1871	(unkn.)	Bettina Society	German Wallace	[18]
1871	(unkn.)	Bonhommian Society	Highland	[18]
1871	(unkn.)	Cliolian Society	Iowa State	[1]
1871	1889	Delphic Society	Geneseo	[79][80]
1871	(unkn.)	Sodalian Society	Wilberforce	[18]
1872	(unkn.)	Adelphic Society	Geneva	[51]
1872	Defunct	Excelsior Society	Wheaton	[63]
1873	Defunct	Alamo Society	Southwestern	[10][81]
1874	(unkn.)	Ossoli Society	Northwestern	[60]
1875	Defunct	San Jacinto Society	Southwestern	[10][81]
1876	(unkn.)	Eutaxian Society	Oregon	[82]
1876	(unkn.)	Laurean Society	Oregon	[82]
1881	Defunct	Alethean Society	Southwestern	[10][81]
1885	Defunct	Clio Society	Southwestern	[10][81]
1889	Present	Winthrop Literary Society	Winthrop	[10]
1897	Present	Gamma Nu Society	Illinois	[10][44]
1911	Present	Elizabethan Club	Yale	[10]
1911	Present	Gamma Delta Society	Illinois	[44]
1912	1913	Hesperian Society	Heidelberg	[10][83]
1912	present	Philomathean Society	Univ. of the Pacific	[84]
1913	Present	Euglossian Society	Heidelberg	[10][83]
1913	Present	Philalethean Society	Heidelberg	[10]
1913	Present	Philalethean Society	Rutgers	[10]
1915	Defunct	Hypatian Society	South Carolina	[10]
1916	Present	Sigma Phi Epsilon Society	Illinois	[10][85]
1920	Present	Chi Beta Society	Illinois	[10][44]
1921	Present	Aptonalton Literary Society	Heidelberg University
1924	Present	Euphrosynean Society	South Carolina	[10]
1928	Present	American Whig-Cliosophic Society	Princeton	[10][86]
1929	Present	Pi Pi Rho Society	Illinois	[10][44]
1991	Present	Philomathean Society	Union	[16][87]

College literary societies today

The Philomathean Society (1813) of the University of Pennsylvania is the oldest continuously-existing literary society in the United States. The University of Georgia hosts two literary societies (both of which were temporarily disbanded during the Civil War and the subsequent Union occupation): the Demosthenian Literary Society, founded in 1803, and the Phi Kappa Literary Society, founded in 1820 and dormant from the 1970s until its official reestablishment in 1991. Similarly, the Philolexian Society of Columbia University, established in 1802, operated more or less continuously until the early 1950s when it sputtered out and, except for a brief revival in the early 1960s, was not revived until 1985.

Some early college social fraternities still meet in a literary society format, including Kappa Alpha, Alpha Delta Phi, and Mystical 7.

There are seven literary societies at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois where they have remained despite the nationwide trend of developing into fraternities and sororities; these include: Phi Alpha Literary Society, Chi Beta Literary Society, Sigma Pi Literary Society, Gamma Nu Literary Society, Sigma Phi Epsilon Literary Society, Pi Pi Rho Literary Society, and Gamma Delta Literary Society.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv} College Literary Societies: Their Contribution to Higher Education in the United States, 1815-1876 by Thomas S. Harding
2. ^ ^{a b} "The Washington Literary Society and Debating Union - History". Scs.student.virginia.edu. 1979-11-16. http://scs.student.virginia.edu/~wash-soc/history.html. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
3. ^ Lord, John King, A History of Dartmouth College, 1815, 1909, (Concord, N. H.: The Rumford Press, 1913), p. 515.
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t} David Potter, Debating in the colonial chartered colleges; an historical survey, 1642 to 1900, (New York: Teacher's College, Columbia Survey, 1642 to 1900, (New York: Teacher's College, Columbia University, 1944), pgs. 67-70.
5. ^ Carson, Jane, "James Innes and His Brothers of the F.H.C."; (Charlottesville, Virginia: The University Press of Virginia, 1965)
6. ^ ^{a b c d} "Inventory to the Records of the Peithessophian Society of Rutgers College, 1825-1927". .scc.rutgers.edu. http://www2.scc.rutgers.edu/ead/uarchives/peithof.html. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
7. ^ ^{a b c d} Phi Beta Kappa was only a private literary society, and only until ca. 1831.
8. ^ ^{a b} Morgan, James Henry, Dickinson College: the History of One Hundred and Fifty Years, 1783-1933, (Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College, 1933), pg. 401.
9. ^ "Dickinson College - Campus Life". Dickinson.edu. http://www.dickinson.edu/stulife/orgdetail.cfm?oid=64. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
10. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao} "www.demosthenian.org". www.demosthenian.org. http://www.demosthenian.org/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
11. ^ "UPLS - Home". People.hsc.edu. http://people.hsc.edu/organizations/upls/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
12. ^ ^{a b} The Philolexian Society (2009-11-25). "Philowixian - The Philolexian Society". Columbia.edu. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/philo/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
13. ^ Morison, Samuel Eliot, Three Centuries of Harvard, 1636 - 1936,(Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1936).
14. ^ "Philomathean Society - History". Vu.union.edu. http://www.vu.union.edu/~philo/history.html. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
15. ^ ^{a b} "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Philermenian Society". Brown.edu. http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=P0190. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
16. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} Storie, Catherine Penniman, "The American College Society Library and the College Library," College and Research Libraries, VI (June 1945), pgs. 242-47.
17. ^ ^{a b c d} McClelland, W.C. (1903). "A History of Literary Societies at Washington & Jefferson College". The Centennial Celebration of the Chartering of Jefferson College in 1802. Philadelphia: George H. Buchanan and Company. pp. 111–132. http://books.google.com/books?id=t1QyAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA111. 
18. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do} Seeley, I. C., Manual of College Literary Societies with Statistical Table, (Kalamazoo: Chaplin & Ihling Bro's Book and Job Printers, 1871), pgs. 19-135.
19. ^ ^{a b} "Carolinian: Campus Traditions". Sc.edu. http://www.sc.edu/carolinian/features/fea_01apr_01.html. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
20. ^ "Elms and Magnolias: The 19th Century". Library.yale.edu. 1996-08-12. http://www.library.yale.edu/mssa/elms/19th.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
21. ^ by Admin. "News - Phi Kappa Literary Society at UGA, The University of Georgia". Phikappa.org. http://www.phikappa.org/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
22. ^ ^{a b c} Woodburn, James Albert, History of Indiana University, (Bloomington, Indiana University, 1940), I, 24, 77.
23. ^ "Encyclopedia Brunoniana | Franklin Society". Brown.edu. http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=F0260. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
24. ^ "Jefferson Society". Jefferson Society. http://www.jeffersonsociety.org/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
25. ^ ^{a b} private society
26. ^ ^{a b c d e} Potter, David, "The Literary Society", History of Speech Education in America; Background Studies, ed. Karl R. Wallace, (New York, New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1954), p. 241
27. ^ ^{a b} Parker, Wyman W., "The College Reading of a President", Library Quarterly, XXI, (April, 1951).
28. ^ ^{a b c} Easterly, James Harold, History of the College of Charleston, Founded 1770, (Charleston, S.C., 1935), pp. 82-83, 137-138.
29. ^ ^{a b c} Wilson, Samuel Tyndale, Century of Maryville College, (Maryville, Tennessee, 1916), pg. 199.
30. ^ Transylvania Whig Society, Records, May 11, 1829 - July 25, 1834, MC, May 11, 1829.
31. ^ Union Philosophical Society, Records, May 11, 1829 - July 25, 1834, MC, May 11, 1829.
32. ^ "Philodemic Society of Georgetown University". Philodemic.wordpress.com. http://philodemic.wordpress.com/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
33. ^ ^{a b} Hanover College, The Crow, 1890-91, (Hanover, Indiana), pg. 59.
34. ^ ^{a b c} Fletcher, Robert Samuel, A History |- of Oberlin College from its Foundation Through the Civil War, (Oberlin, Ohio: Oberlin College, 1943), II, pg. 761.
35. ^ ^{a b} Osborne, James insley, and Gronert, Theodore Gregory, Wabash College: the First Hundred Years, 1832-1932, (Crawfordsville, Indiana: R. E. Banta, 1932), p. 103.
36. ^ ^{a b} Paschal, George Washington, History of Wake Forest College, (Wake Forest, N. C.: Wake Forest College, 1935), I, pg. 490.
37. ^ ^{a b} White, Moses, Early History of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville: By Order of the Board of Trustees, 1879), pgs. 32-33.
38. ^ ^{a b} "Literary Societies". Library.davidson.edu. http://library.davidson.edu/archives/ency/euphi.asp. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
39. ^ "Euphemian Literary Society". Euphemian.org. http://www.euphemian.org/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
40. ^ ^{a b} Tankersley, Allen P., College Life at Old Oglethorpe, (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1951), pgs. 45-46.
41. ^ ^{a b} Callipoean Society, Emory and Henry College, Catalogue of the Library of the Calliopean Society of Emory and Henry College, (Wytheville, Virginia: D. A. St. Clair, 1872), passim; Hermesian Society, Emory and Henry College, 1872Catalogue of the Library of the Calliopean Society of Emory and Henry College, (Bristol, Virginia: Bristol News Book and Job Office, 1872), passim.
42. ^ Philalethean Society, Records, MS, I, Oct 30 & Nov. 5, 1840.
43. ^ ^{a b} Howard College Bulletin, XXXV (October, 1927), pg. 22.
44. ^ ^{a b c d e f} [1]^{[dead link]}
45. ^ ^{a b} Erosophian Society, Catalogue of the Officers, Members, Graduates, and Library of the Erosophian Society of Albion College, (Albion: Cole's Steam Printing House, 1879), p. 3.
46. ^ Calkins, Earnest Elmo, They Broke the Prairie; Being an Account of the Settlement of the Upper Mississippi Valley by Religious and Educational Pioneers, Told in Terms of One City, Galesburg, and of One College, Knox, (New York: Charles Scribner's Sone, 1937), pg+N167s. 131-32.
47. ^ ^{a b} Eclectic and Atheniaedes Societies, Catalogue of the Officers, Members, and Library of the Eclectic and Atheniaedes Societies of Albion College, Together with the Constitutions and By-laws, (Albion: F. F. Cole, 1877), pg. 3.
48. ^ ^{a b} "Brief History of The Citadel". Citadel.edu. http://www.citadel.edu/citadel-history/brief-history.html. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
49. ^ "Chrestomathy". Cofc.edu. http://www.cofc.edu/chrestomathy/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. ^{[dead link]}
50. ^ ^{a b c} Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama, 1830-1905, (Mobile, Alabama: Commercial printing Company, 1906), pg. 128.
51. ^ ^{a b c d} Downie, James Vale, "Old Literary Societies," Geneva Alumnus, July, 1945, pgs. 4-5.
52. ^ ^{a b} Curti, Merle, and Carstensen, Vernon, The University of Wisconsin, 1848 - 1925, a History, (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1949), I, 423-424.
53. ^ "Delphic Society Records, 1850-1865". Dev.library.rochester.edu. 2005-07-19. http://dev.library.rochester.edu/index.cfm?page=1531. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
54. ^ ^{a b} Waters, Mary, First Hundred Years of MacMurray College, (Springfield, Illinois: Williamson Priinting & Publishing Co., 1947), pgs. 102-103.
55. ^ ^{a b} Stein, John H., "The Development of the Hiram College Library from the Literary Society Libraries Which Formed its Nucleus," (unpublished Masters' thesis, Kent State university, 1950), pgs. 23-31.
56. ^ ^{a b} LaGrange Female College, Catalog of the Faculty, Pupils, and Patrons of the LaGrange Female College, at LaGrange, Ga., for the Scholastic Year Closing July 13th, 1853, (New York: John F. Trow, Printer, 1853), pgs. 21-22.
57. ^ ^{a b c d} Cady, John F., Centennial History of Franklin College, (Franklin: Franklin College of Indiana, 1934), pg. 128.
58. ^ ^{a b c} Lyle, Guy R., "College Literary Societies in the Fifties," Library Quarterly, IV, (July, 1934), pgs. 488-489.
59. ^ ^{a b} Wallace, David Duncan, History of Wofford College, 1854 - 1949, (Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press), pg. 79.
60. ^ ^{a b c d e} Wilde, Arthur Herbert, Northwestern University, a History, 1855 - 1905, (New York: University Publishing Society, 1905), III, 31, 49.
61. ^ "A memorial.: The reunion of the Delphic literary society, of Hiram college, 1854-1875". Quod.lib.umich.edu. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa;idno=AGE3432. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
62. ^ Hamline Literary Society, Regular Open Session of the Hamline Literary Society at University Chapel, Friday evening, June 2nd, 1876.
63. ^ ^{a b c} Gardiner, Gordon P., History of the Beltionian Literary Association, (Wheaton: Wheaton College, 1936), pgs. 11-13.
64. ^ ^{a b} Smith, Leland R., The early Days of the Pythonian Society, MS, pg. 1.
65. ^ ^{a b c} Gatke, Robert Moulton, Chronicles of Willamette, the Pioneer University of the West, (Portland, Oregon: Binfords & Mort, 1943), pg. 179.
66. ^ ^{a b c} Warneke, Omer E., "A History of Moores Hill College", (unpublished Master's thesis, College of Education, Butler University, 1942), pgs. 121-122.
67. ^ Watson, Elmo Scott, Illinois Wesleyan Story, 1850 - 1950, (Bloomington, Ill.: Illinois Wesleyan University Press, 1950), pgs. 38, 62, 68.
68. ^ ^{a b} Perry, Wilbur Dow, History of Birmingham-Southern College, 1856 - 1931, (Methodist Publishing House, 1931), pgs. 16-17.
69. ^ Cordell, E. F., University of Maryland (1807-1907), (New York: Lewis Publishing Company, 1907), I, pg. 475.
70. ^ Ruthean Literary Society, Eighteenth Anniversary of theRuthean Literary Society, Union Hall, Friday Evening, June 15th, 1877.
71. ^ ^{a b c} McGlothlin, W. J., Baptist Beginnings in Education: a History of Furman University, (Nashville: Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Church, 1926), pg. 115.
72. ^ ^{a b} University of Chicago, Index Universitatis, Vol. I, No. 1, March 1862.
73. ^ Zetagathian Society, Constitution, By-laws, and History of the Zetagathian Society, S. U. I., (1908).
74. ^ ^{a b} davidson, John s., "Literary Society Libraries at Muhlenberg College," College and Research Libraries, XVII, (April, 1955), pg. 184.
75. ^ Last document public meeting held in May 1887 as a coeducational society. F.E. Moyer, ”Cornell Student Activities,” Cornell Magazine(8:4)(Jan. 1895) at 192. A fraternity later claimed to be the "custodian" of this society and claims to carry out private literary exercises within one fraternity house.
76. ^ Walton, William Clarance, Centennial McKendree College with St. Clair County History, (Lebanon, Ill.: McKendree, 1928), pgs. 310- 312.
77. ^ "First quarto-centennial history of ... - Google Books". Books.google.com. 2007-01-12. http://books.google.com/books?id=6mXQn6kZOx4C&pg=PA191&lpg=PA191&dq=baconian+society+potsdam&source=bl&ots=ZKEbfo7Cq9&sig=JdV2a0kkFxDPaLrRwrw4ta-fs08&hl=en&ei=bmJFTLCCFoG0lQeyn5jeBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=baconian%20society%20potsdam&f=false. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
78. ^ "Excerpts from “Normal Magazine" - March 1907". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~stlawgen/MISC/school/NormalMar07.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
79. ^ The Normalian (1915), SUNY Geneseo Yearbook, p. 57.
80. ^ "inter_greek_council | SUNY Geneseo". Geneseo.edu. http://www.geneseo.edu/inter_greek_council. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
81. ^ ^{a b c d} "The establishment of Southwestern University". Impactnews.com. 2008-06-13. http://impactnews.com/georgetown-hutto-taylor/history/1193-the-establishment-of-southwestern-university. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
82. ^ ^{a b} Sheldon, Henry D., The University of Oregon Library, 1882 - 1942, ("studies in Bibliography, no. 1"; Eugene: University of Oregon Library, 1942), pg. 3.
83. ^ ^{a b} "Heidelberg University. Societies". Heidelberg.edu. http://www.heidelberg.edu/studentlife/studentactivities/greeklife/societies. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
84. ^ [2]^{[dead link]}
85. ^ "Illinois College-Sigma Phi Epsilon". .ic.edu. http://www2.ic.edu/sigma_phi_epsilon/. Retrieved 2010-09-05. 
86. ^ http://whigclio.princeton.edu/
87. ^ "Philomathean Society". Vu.union.edu. http://www.vu.union.edu/~philo/. Retrieved 2010-09-05.