The Philodemic Society is a student

debating society Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

founded in 1830 by Father James Ryder, S.J. The Philodemic is among the oldest such societies in the United States, and is the oldest secular student organization at Georgetown. The society's motto, "" reminds its members that they are pursuing Eloquence in Defense of Liberty. Debates are held weekly on Thursdays at 8 p.m. in the Philodemic Room in

Healy Hall Healy Hall is a National Historic Landmark and the flagship building of the main campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Constructed between 1877 and 1879, the hall was designed by Paul J. Pelz and John L. Smithmeyer, both of whom also ...

. In recent years, the Philodemic has taken a more active role in engaging other prominent debating societies on the Eastern seaboard. The Philodemic maintains several intercollegiate friendships, most notably with the

Demosthenian Literary Society The Demosthenian Literary Society is a literary society focused on extemporaneous debate at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. It is among the oldest literary societies in the English-Speaking world and was founded on February 19, 1803 by ...

of the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

, the

Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, commonly known as DiPhi or The Societies, are the original collegiate debating societies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and together comprise the oldest student organization at the Uni ...

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, and the

Jefferson Literary and Debating Society The Jefferson Literary and Debating Society (commonly known "Jeff Soc") is the oldest continuously existing collegiate debating society in North America, having been founded on July 14, 1825, in Room Seven, West Lawn. Named after founder of the U ...

at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

History

In 1830, students under the leadership of Father James A. Ryder, S.J., later elevated to

university president A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor ...

, founded the Philodemic Society. The only other student group at that time was a religious group, the

Sodality of Our Lady The Sodality of Our Lady, also known as the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Latin, ''Congregationes seu sodalitates B. Mariæ Virginis''), is a Roman Catholic Marian society founded in 1563 by young Belgian Jesuit Jean Leunis (or Jan) a ...

. The society's first debate was on the topic of "

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

or General Washington: Which was the better man?" Though a secular society, the Philodemic often recognized Georgetown's Catholic traditions, and beginning in 1841, added an official commemoration of the Jesuit landing at

St. Mary's City, Maryland St. Mary's City (also known as Historic St. Mary's City) is a former colonial town that was Maryland's first European settlement and capital. It is now a large, state-run historic area, which includes a reconstruction of the original colonial set ...

, to their calendar. Several other groups were founded in its shadow. Founded in 1839 as Georgetown's second debate society, the Philonomosian Debating Society became the second largest debating society around 1912–1913 when demand for membership in both the Philonomosian and Philodemic Societies could not accommodate both lower and upper classmen. After this point in time, both Societies became exclusively upperclassmen and membership was capped at 40. This Society held its own special cup called the Philonomosian cup and debated regularly like the Philodemic until it was disbanded in 1935. In 1912 the White Debating Society was founded in honor of

Supreme Court Justice The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest-ranking judicial body in the United States. Its membership, as set by the Judiciary Act of 1869, consists of the chief justice of the United States and eight Associate Justice of the Supreme ...

Edward Douglass White Jr., a former Philodemician. This society functioned as one of the junior debate societies on campus whose purpose was to train underclassmen that would be recruited by the more senior societies on campus. The strength of this society lay in its concentration of extemporaneous speaking. The Gaston Debating Society was founded in 1913 as Georgetown's second junior debate society for underclassmen. The motto of this society was, "advancing ourselves in love of knowledge and truth, and to make progress in eloquence". In recent years, membership has generally fluctuated between 60 and 90 members throughout the year, as roughly 20–30 members are inducted during the academic year and roughly the same number of senior members graduate each spring. Since 1881, with the construction of

by Paul J. Pelz under the direction of University president Patrick Healy two years prior, the Philodemic has been headquartered in a debating hall on the second floor of Healy, specially designed for the Philodemic. The Philodemic Room is directly adjacent to the president's office and includes a president's chair designed by Pelz himself. In the 1990s, the Philodemic was not permitted to access the room for a number of years, with the room being utilized as a conference room. During this time period, debates were held in other campus venues, and even once in the hallway outside the Philodemic Room. The Society also holds certain special debates, such as the annual humorous Christmas debate, in historic

Riggs Library Healy Hall is a National Historic Landmark and the flagship building of the main campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Constructed between 1877 and 1879, the hall was designed by Paul J. Pelz and John L. Smithmeyer, both of whom also ...

, also in Healy Hall. Although since its refounding in 1989, the Philodemic no longer participates in competitive intercollegiate policy or parliamentary debate, historically, the Philodemic was a powerhouse of intercollegiate debating. In 1895, the Philodemic journeyed to Boston College to participate with Boston College's Fulton Society in the first ever debating competition between two Catholic schools. The Philodemic's prowess was such that for an 18-year period, from 1921 to 1939, Philodemic teams were undefeated in any intercollegiate competition. The Society operates a Philodemic Library, and members are encouraged to donate works. With the advent of the digital age, the Society seeks to digitize the 185 years' worth of Philodemic archives and records that currently are kept in the Special Collections Office of

Lauinger Library The Joseph Mark Lauinger Library is the main library of Georgetown University and the center of the seven-library Georgetown library system that includes 3.5 million volumes. It holds 1.7 million volumes on six floors and has accommodations for ...

Debates

In order to become a member of the Philodemic Society, a Georgetown undergraduate student must give three unscripted floor speeches over the course of one semester or four speeches over the course of two or more semesters. Each undergraduate on the Induction List is assigned a mentor from within the Society to familiarize him or her with the traditions, practices and rules of the Philodemic and assist in the preparation of an induction keynote. The Philodemic Society maintains a formal dress code for all their debates. Proper attire for weekly debates is "Western Business Attire." Every Thursday, after the debate, the Society journeys to Martin's Tavern on

Wisconsin Avenue Wisconsin Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Washington, D.C., and its Maryland suburbs. The southern terminus begins in Georgetown just north of the Potomac River, at an intersection with K Street under the elevated Whitehurst Freeway. The s ...

to continue the discussion.

Weekly debates

Two keynote speeches are given at the start of each debate, one speaker on the affirmation and the other in the negation of a resolution that had been previously selected by the Society at a Business Meeting. The number of keynotes may be doubled for the purposes of inducting new members into the Society. Much of the fall semester contains debates with four keynotes as many new members are inducted into the Society during this part of the year. The keynoters give prepared speeches for the purposes of laying the groundwork for the Debate and outlining the most relevant and pertinent arguments that are meant to be expounded upon by the Society at large during the following floor debate. Once the keynoters have finished making their remarks, the president reads the house rules, and opens the floor to the Debate. The Philodemic room is divided in two—with the negation and affirmation sitting on opposite sides of the room. The president calls on speakers, alternating speakers between those speaking on behalf of the affirmation and those speaking on the side of the negation. Floor speeches are relatively short—under three minutes—and are meant to be an unprepared address that anyone in attendance may give at a moments notice. Little or no preparation is intended for these speeches as members and non-members alike are encouraged to use these opportunities to hone their speech giving skills and quick thinking abilities by giving on-the-fly, pertinent and sometimes, dramatic speeches. Preference is given to Society members in order of seniority. At the President's discretion, he or she may call for a non-members' speaking time during which the President will only call on non-member undergraduate speakers. This is usually when non-member undergraduates attain their three or four speeches. After several rounds of floor speeches that last for about one hour, the keynoters are invited back to give their closing remarks. Once they are finished, the President divides the room, and the keynoters physically count the people that are standing on their side of the room. Abstentions stand in the middle between to the two sides. Georgetown_University_-26

The Hamilton Homecoming Debate

Every year, early in the fall semester, the Philodemic holds the annual Hamilton Homecoming Debate that invites alumni of the Society to return to campus and relive their days as undergraduates in the Society. The event is cherished by members both graduated and undergraduate as it gives them a chance to reconnect with old friends and see how the Society has progressed as an organization since leaving campus. It also represents an important opportunity for members of the Society to network with and learn from graduated peers who can offer their invaluable insights, opinions and experience of life after college.

The Dean Gordon Debate

The Dean Gordon Debate stands out among debates as one night where the members of the Society collectively agree to forgo the normal rules of formality, poise and decency usually expected at Debates. Held in April each year, this debate reveals a side of the Philodemic usually seen only outside the austerity of the Philodemic Room. Instead of the usual serious resolution, the member of the Society decide on a resolution that is aimed at fostering a downright silly debate of witty remarks, ironic stories and hilarious banter made up of nonsense puns and whimsical comments. The goal is to get the most laughs as humanly possible. Members will constantly attempt to outdo each other all in the hopes to impress the audience with his or her clever speech and slick wordplay. It is an altogether lighthearted and humorous affair that is staple of life in the Philodemic. The Dean Gordon Debate is named after an Philodemician and Georgetown Alum, Richard Gordon, who, as associate and assistant dean of the law school, was instrumental in the refounding of the Philodemic in the 1990s. Dean Gordon, who died in 2004, was a former President of the Philodemic and the Merrick Medal winner in 1950.

The Richard T. Merrick Debate

Inaugurated in 1874, the Merrick Debate is the Society's most prestigious event of the year. The resolution is discussed and decided by the Society at length months beforehand to ensure that the debate is both relevant to the world today, and has deep roots in the western philosophical tradition on which the Society was founded. The Merrick Debate is the crowning end of the Philodemic season and is held every year in April. The Society had held 144 Merrick Debates since the debate's inception. It is named after the noted 19th century lawyer Richard T. Merrick, who endowed the award and medal in 1874. The Merrick Debate generally occurs at midday; in the past, debates were often held in Georgetown's historic Gaston Hall, but are now generally held in the Philodemic Room or

. On the evening of the debate, the Society holds a black tie celebration at a venue in Washington; in recent years, the Society has held the gala at locations including the

National Press Club Organizations A press club is an organization for journalists and others professionally engaged in the production and dissemination of news. A press club whose membership is defined by the press of a given country may be known as a National Press ...

and the City Tavern Club. Unlike the weekly debates in which there are two keynoters that are selected by seniority, the four Merrick keynoters are selected by the Society during a competitive spring season of debate. At the conclusion of spring Merrick debates, the Society votes on the best speakers of the night and the speakers who get the most votes are awarded Merrick points based on how many votes they received. The members with the top four most points at the end of the season become the four members that give keynotes at the Merrick Debate. Being selected to keynote the Merrick Debate is among the most impressive achievements one can attain within the Society. The actual debate is judged by guest judges. These judges have ranged from politicians, civil rights leaders, famous journalists, to prominent religious and military leaders. Among the judges in recent years have been E.J. Dionne, Patrick J. Conroy,

Dan Lungren Daniel Edward Lungren (born September 22, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, during his tenure, the district covered most of Sacramento Coun ...

Chai Feldblum Chai Rachel Feldblum (born April 1959)Thomas L. Ambro,

Joseph Lhota Joseph J. Lhota (; born October 7, 1954) is an American public servant and a former politician who served as the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and was also a former deputy mayor of New York City. He was the Republican nomi ...

and

Albert Wynn Albert Russell Wynn (born September 10, 1951) is an American lobbyist and former politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 4th district of Maryland from 1993 to 2008. On February 13, 2008, ...

. At the conclusion of the debate, the judges chose the keynoter they believe best demonstrated "Eloquence in Defense of Liberty" and award him or her the Merrick Medal. This is considered a particularly prestigious honor as this medal is the only decoration a Georgetown student may wear during graduation that is not awarded at graduation. Altogether, the Merrick Debate represents the finest example of what the Philodemic is as a debate society and it is an event well worth attending.

Intercollegiate Debate

In recent years, the Philodemic has attempted to resuscitate its long tradition of intercollegiate debate with the Annual East Coast Conference of Collegiate Literary Debate Societies, held in conjunction with a historical celebration known as Kai Yai Yai. The competition, which is usually known simply as "Kai Yai Yai", is held at the beginning of October and has in recent years included the

Philomathean Society The Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania is a collegiate literary society, the oldest student group at the university, and a claimant to the title of the oldest continuously-existing literary society in the United States.This cl ...

of the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

, the American Whig–Cliosophic Society of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

, the

of the

and the

The University of Georgia ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

. The Philodemic has historically participated in the Winchester Cup, an annual competition with the

of the

, and the Columbia Cup, a debate with the

Enosinian Society The Enosinian Society is a debate and literary society founded in 1822 during the first semester of the Columbian College. It is currently known as The George Washington University Debate & Literary Society. Adapting its name from the Greek wor ...

The George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presid ...

before they became defunct in 2010.

Notable Philodemicians

* William Matthews Merrick (Class of 1831), Congressman from Maryland, Federal Judge * Daniel Carroll Digges (Class of 1833), Maryland politician *

Alexander Dimitry Alexander Dimitry (February 7, 1805 – January 30, 1883) was a mixed race Louisiana creole. He was the first state superintendent of public instruction in Louisiana, an author, diplomat, educator, journalist, lawyer, orator, and publicist. He ...

, American diplomat, linguist and scholar; ambassador to Costa Rica and

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...

* Charles Constantine Pise, first (and, to date, only) Roman Catholic

Chaplain of the United States Senate The chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for senators, their staffs, and their families. The chaplain is appoi ...

* Solomon Hillen Jr., Congressman from Maryland, Mayor of Baltimore * Francis Kernan (Class of 1836), Senator from New York *

William Wing Loring William Wing Loring (December 4, 1818 – December 30, 1886) was an American soldier who served in the armies of the United States, the Confederacy, and Egypt. Biography Early life William was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, to Reuben a ...

, Officer in the United States Army, the Confederate Army, and Egyptian Army * James Ryder Randall, poet and author of "

Maryland, My Maryland "Maryland, My Maryland" was the state song of the U.S. state of Maryland from 1939 until 2021. The song is set to the melody of "Lauriger Horatius" — the same tune "O Tannenbaum" was taken from. The lyrics are from a nine-stanza poem written by ...

" * Georges-Casimir Dessaulles, (Class of 1848), Canadian senator * Bernard G. Caulfield (Class of 1848), Congressman from Illinois * Tomás Herrán (Class of 1863), Colombian diplomat, namesake of the

Hay–Herrán Treaty The Hay–Herrán Treaty was a treaty signed on January 22, 1903, between United States Secretary of State John M. Hay of the United States and Tomás Herrán of Colombia. Had it been ratified, it would have allowed the United States a renewab ...

of 1903 *

Edward Douglass White Edward Douglass White Jr. (November 3, 1844 – May 19, 1921) was an American politician and jurist from Louisiana. White was a U.S. Supreme Court justice for 27 years, first as an associate justice from 1894 to 1910, then as the ninth chief ...

(Class of 1863), 9th Chief Justice of the United States * Stephen Russell Mallory, Jr. (Class of 1869), Senator and Representative from

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

* Agustín de Iturbide y Green, Prince of Iturbide (Class of 1884), heir to the Mexican throne *

Condé Benoist Pallen Condé Benoist Pallen (December 5, 1858 – May 26, 1929) was an American Catholic editor and author. Biography Pallen was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1858. His father, Montrose A. Pallen, was a physician who was a native of Mississippi ...

(Class of 1880), Catholic editor and author *

Condé Montrose Nast Condé is a French place name and personal name. It is ultimately derived from a Celtic word, "Condate", meaning "confluence" (of two rivers) - from which was derived the Romanised form "Condatum", in use during the Roman period, and thence to t ...

(Class of 1894), noted magazine publisher * Robert J. Collier (Class of 1894), editor of ''

Collier's Weekly ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened in 1905 to ''Colli ...

'' *

Philip Hart Philip Aloysius Hart (December 10, 1912December 26, 1976) was an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, he served as a United States Senator from Michigan from 1959 until his death from cancer in Washington, D.C. in 1976. He was known as ...

(Class of 1934), former Senator from Michigan * Antonin Scalia (Class of 1957), Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court * Robert S. Bennett (Class of 1961), noted American attorney * Robert Shrum (Class of 1965), noted political consultant *

Frank Keating Francis Anthony Keating II (initially born as David Rowland Keating) (born February 10, 1944) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 25th governor of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2003. , Keating is one of only five governors in Okl ...

(Class of 1966), 25th

Governor of Oklahoma The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The governor is the '' ex of ...

* John G. Koeltl (Class of 1967), Judge of the

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case citations, S.D.N.Y.) is a federal trial court whose geographic jurisdiction encompasses eight counties of New York State. Two of these are in New York City: New ...

* Paul D. Clement (Class of 1988), 43rd

U.S. Solicitor General The solicitor general of the United States is the fourth-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice. Elizabeth Prelogar has been serving in the role since October 28, 2021. The United States solicitor general represent ...

* Jeff Wall (Class of 1998), former

* Emma Green (Class of 2012), journalist

Honorary Philodemicians

Starting in 1831, the members of the Philodemic Society began electing honorary members and the electee would have to confirm his desire to become a member. "At that time and for years afterward it was considered a mark of especial distinction to be elected an honorary member of the society and some of the foremost men in public life at the national capital were so honored." Honorary members include

George Washington Parke Custis George Washington Parke Custis (April 30, 1781 – October 10, 1857) was an American plantation owner, antiquarian, author, and playwright. His father John Parke Custis was the stepson of George Washington. He and his sister Eleanor grew u ...

, William Gaston,

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

James Hoban James Hoban (1755 – December 8, 1831) was an Irish-American architect, best known for designing the White House. Life James Hoban was a Roman Catholic raised on Desart Court estate belonging to the Earl of Desart near Callan, County Kilkenny ...

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

, Robert E. Lee, Robert McClelland, Franklin Pierce,

William Winston Seaton William Winston Seaton (January 11, 1785 – June 16, 1866) was an American journalist and the thirteenth Mayor of Washington, D.C. Life He was born in King William County, Virginia. From 1812 until 1860 he was, with his brother-in-law Joseph ...

, John Hughes and

Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...

Notes

References

External links

Philodemic Society Home Page
* {{Authority control Georgetown University student organizations Student debating societies College literary societies in the United States 1830 establishments in Washington, D.C. Student organizations established in 1830

History

Debates

Weekly debates

The Hamilton Homecoming Debate

The Dean Gordon Debate

The Richard T. Merrick Debate

Intercollegiate Debate

Notable Philodemicians

Honorary Philodemicians

See also

Notes

References

External links