The Philolexian Society of

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

is one of the oldest college literary and debate societies in the United States, and the oldest student group at Columbia. Founded in 1802, the Society aims to "improve its members in Oratory, Composition and Forensic Discussion." The name ''Philolexia'' is

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

for "love of discourse," and the society's motto is the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

word ''Surgam'', meaning "I shall rise." The society traces its roots to a literary society founded by

Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charle ...

in the 1770s. Philolexian (known to members as "Philo," pronounced with a long "i") has been called the "oldest thing at Columbia except the College itself," and it has been an integral part of Columbia from the beginning, providing the institution with everything from its colors, Philolexian Blue (along with White, from her long-dispatched rival Peithologian Society), to some of its most solemn traditions and many of its most noted graduates. Members are admitted after a highly selective evaluation process and are sworn to secrecy thereafter.

Historical background

Philolexian is one of many

literary societies A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of writing or a specific author. Modern literary societies typically promote research, publish newsle ...

that flourished at the nation's early colonial colleges. Before fraternities, publications, and other extracurriculars became common, these groups—which generally bore Greek or Latin names—were the sole source of undergraduate social life. Indeed, it was not unusual for two or more groups to coexist at one institution, often in competition. Surviving examples include the Porcellian Club and Institute of 1770 of

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

; Crotonia Society,

Linonian Society Linonia is a literary and debating society founded in 1753 at Yale University. It is the university's second-oldest secret society. History Linonia was founded on September 12, 1753, as Yale College's second literary and debating society, af ...

Calliopean Society The Calliopean Society (the Fraternity of Phi Epsilon Mu) is a literary and debating society at Yale College founded in 1819. Its name refers to Calliope,chief of the muses and muse of epic poetry, daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne (memory). Hi ...

, and

Brothers in Unity Brothers in Unity (formally, the Society of Brothers in Unity) is an undergraduate society at Yale University. Founded in 1768 as a literary and debating society that encompassed nearly half the student body at its 19th-century peak, the group di ...

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

; Philomathean Society of

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

Philodemic Society The Philodemic Society is a student debating society at Georgetown University 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 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 ...

Union-Philanthropic Literary Society The Union-Philanthropic (Literary) Society (UPLS) is a college literary society at Hampden-Sydney College Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The po ...

Hampden-Sydney College Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census. Hampden Sydney is the home of Hampden–Sydney College, a private all- ...

, the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,

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 university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

and the Whig–Cliosophic Society at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

also has a number of student literary and political societies with similar purposes (though without the Greek names), the most notable being the

Elizabethan Club The Elizabethan Club is a social club at Yale University named for Queen Elizabeth I and her era. Its profile and members tend toward a literary disposition, and conversation is one of the Club's chief purposes. The Elizabethan Club's collectio ...

and the

Yale Political Union The Yale Political Union (YPU) is a debate society at Yale University, founded in 1934 by Alfred Whitney Griswold. It was modeled on the Cambridge Union and Oxford Union and the party system of the defunct Yale Unions of the late nineteenth and ...

Founding

Columbia's first such society was formed in the 1770s, when the school was still known as King's College; among this unnamed organization's members was future Treasury Secretary

(Class of 1778) and his roommate

Robert Troup Robert Troup (1757 – January 14, 1832) was a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New York. He participated in the Bat ...

. After the Revolution, a similar group known as the Columbia College Society for Progress in Letters was formed; among its members were

John P. Van Ness Johannes Petrus "John Peter" Van Ness (November 4, 1769 – March 7, 1846) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1801 to 1803 and Mayor of Washington, D.C. from 1830 to 1834. Early life Van Ne ...

(Class of 1789), later mayor of Washington, D.C., and

Daniel D. Tompkins Daniel D. Tompkins (June 21, 1774 – June 11, 1825) was an American politician. He was the fifth governor of New York from 1807 to 1817, and the sixth vice president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. Born in Scarsdale, New York, Tompkins ...

(Class of 1795), vice president of the United States under James Monroe. The group became extinct in 1795. Building on these earlier efforts, Philolexian was established on May 17, 1802. Among its earliest members were future Columbia president

Nathaniel Fish Moore Nathaniel Fish Moore (December 25, 1782 – April 27, 1872) was the eighth president of Columbia College; he had earlier been a lawyer and served on the faculty. He was the nephew of the college's former president Benjamin Moore. In 1820, M ...

(Class of 1802), and Alexander Hamilton's son,

James Alexander Hamilton James Alexander Hamilton (April 14, 1788 – September 24, 1878) was an American soldier, acting Secretary of State, and the third son of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He entered politics as a Democrat ...

(Class of 1805),

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan. Establish ...

. To accommodate freshmen, who were initially ineligible for admission, the Peithologian Society was formed four years later. For most of the next 100 years, Peithologian would serve as Philolexian's primary literary rival. For most of the 19th century, Philo engaged in a wide range of literary activities, including debates within and without the society, essay writing, correspondence, and hosting speeches by eminent men of the city. In 1852, at the organization's semi-centennial celebration, alumni raised a prize fund of over $1,300 to endow annual awards in three categories: Oratory, Debate, and Essay. (The awards were eventually combined into a general "Philolexian Prize" which, since the 1950s, has been awarded annually by Columbia University's English department.)

20th century

In the 20th century, Philo broadened its range of activities as it became a training ground for essayist

Randolph Bourne Randolph Silliman Bourne (; May 30, 1886 – December 22, 1918) was a progressive writer and intellectual born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and a graduate of Columbia University. He is considered to be a spokesman for the young radicals living du ...

(Class of 1912), poet A. Joyce Kilmer (Class of 1908), and statesman

V.K. Wellington Koo Koo Vi Kyuin (; January 29, 1888 – November 14, 1985), better known as V. K. Wellington Koo, was a statesman of the Republic of China. He was one of Republic of China's representatives at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. Wellington Koo ...

(Class of 1909), all prize winners in their time at Philo. In 1910 the society took a decidedly dramatic turn when it commenced a 20-year stretch of annual theatre productions, ranging from Elizabethan comedies to contemporary works. Many of the older productions, by the likes of

Ben Jonson Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...

, Nicholas Udall, and Robert Greene, were North American debuts. Oscar-winning screenwriter

Sidney Buchman Sidney Robert Buchman (March 27, 1902 – August 23, 1975) was an American screenwriter and film producer who worked on about 40 films from the late 1920s to the early 1970s. He received four Oscar nominations and won once for Best Screenplay ...

('' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Here Comes Mr. Jordan,

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

'') (Class of 1923) got a start playing Shakespeare's Richard II for a Philo production. Although Philolexian members during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

included such figures as future Pulitzer Prize-winning poet

John Berryman John Allyn McAlpin Berryman (born John Allyn Smith, Jr.; October 25, 1914 – January 7, 1972) was an American poet and scholar. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and is considered a key figure in th ...

and publisher

Robert Giroux Robert Giroux (April 8, 1914 – September 5, 2008) was an American book editor and publisher. Starting his editing career with Harcourt, Brace & Co., he was hired away to work for Roger W. Straus, Jr. at Farrar & Straus in 1955, where he becam ...

(both Class of 1936) and noted Trappist monk and humanist Thomas Merton (Class of 1938), the economic hardships of the period severely curtailed the group's activities. By the late 1930s, according to former society president

Ralph de Toledano Ralph de Toledano (August 17, 1916 – February 3, 2007) was an American writer in the conservative movement in the United States throughout the second half of the 20th century. A friend of Richard Nixon, he was a journalist and editor of ''Newsw ...

(Class of 1938), the organization was devoted mainly to drinking wine and listening to jazz. Philo effectively ceased to function by the beginning of World War II.

Decline and renewal

But in 1943, at the behest of Columbia history professor and former Philo president

Jacques Barzun Jacques Martin Barzun (; November 30, 1907 – October 25, 2012) was a French-American historian known for his studies of the history of ideas and cultural history. He wrote about a wide range of subjects, including baseball, mystery novels, and ...

(Class of 1927), several undergraduates competed for the Philolexian Centennial Washington Prize, an oratory competition endowed by J. Ackerman Coles (Class of 1864), bestowed on the society on the occasion of its centennial in 1902. This short-lived revival was followed by another wartime incarnation. By 1952, due to waning interest and, according to some, the infamous presidency of poet

Allen Ginsberg Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...

(Class of 1948), the society entered a 10-year period of dormancy. Another brief revival in 1962, spearheaded by members of the Columbia chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, was followed by an even longer period of inactivity. On Wednesday, October 16, 1985, under the guidance of

Thomas Vinciguerra Thomas Vinciguerra (October 8, 1963 – February 22, 2021) was an American journalist, editor, and author. A founding editor of ''The Week'' magazine, he published about popular culture and other subjects in ''The New York Times'', as well as in ...

(Class of 1985), the society was revived in its current incarnation. Mr. Vinciguerra was subsequently recognized as the society's "Avatar" in honor of this and other critical and successful efforts for Philo. In 2003, an award in his name was established. On Saturday, October 16, 2010, the society celebrated the 25th anniversary of its revival with a reception and meeting for students, alumni (known as "Geezers"), and various supporters; the occasion was dubbed "Resurgam 25." The debate topic, "Resolved: The Philolexian Society Has Never Had It So Good" was overwhelmingly approved.

Current organization

The Philolexian Society holds meetings every Thursday the university is in session; the agenda typically consists of a debate and the presentation of a literary work. It also hosts a

Croquet Croquet ( or ; french: croquet) is a sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops (often called "wickets" in the United States) embedded in a grass playing court. Its international governing body is the Wor ...

Tea, the Annual Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest (which has received coverage in the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'') (the winner of which becomes the

Poet Laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch ...

of the society until the next Contest), a beat poetry event appropriately called Beat Night, and a Greek-style

symposium In ancient Greece, the symposium ( grc-gre, συμπόσιον ''symposion'' or ''symposio'', from συμπίνειν ''sympinein'', "to drink together") was a part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was acc ...

. The organization also publishes a collection of poetry, prose, and visual media called "Surgam". "Surgam" published three issues per year: Fall and Spring, which contain traditional works of literature and arts, and Winter, which compiles the best entries from the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest. "Surgam" is published both in print, and available free of charge at Philolexian Society debates, and online, through th
Surgam website
Starting in 2003, Philolexian has organized a fund for small theatre projects, later named for Robert C. Schnitzer (Class of 1927), and sponsored an improv comedy group called Klaritin. In 2003 the society held a constitutional convention that updated the original document, adjusting the organization to suit changes that had happened in the previous 200 years, such as

co-education Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

. Nonetheless, the society has retained its traditional forms and rituals almost in their entirety. Philolexian has several officers, the Moderator (''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...

'' president), Scriba, and Censor (''

emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

'' president), as well as other enviable positions, including

Herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...

, Keeper of the Halls,

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...

, Sergeant-at-Arms,

Whip A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...

, Minister of Internet Truth, Nomenclaturist-General, Symposiarch, and Literary Czar, editor of the literary journal of the Society. The number of Philolexians is unknown. Those who wish to gain full membership within the society must speak at three consecutive meetings and attend regularly. Those candidates who qualify may receive an invitation to New Member Night, a secretive initiation rite. A petition for membership and a work of original, creative merit must be provided by the candidate. This meeting is not open to the public. Members have access to a large number of privileges through the organization.

Notable Philolexians

In addition to the names cited above, prominent Philolexians have included: * Episcopal Bishop of Pennsylvania

Henry Ustick Onderdonk Henry Ustick Onderdonk (March 16, 1789 – December 6, 1858) was the second Episcopal bishop of Pennsylvania. Early life Onderdonk was born in New York City.Batterson, 94 He studied at Columbia University, receiving his degree in 1805, and then ...

(Class of 1805); *

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Edmund H. Pendleton (Class of 1805); *

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

veteran Lt. Col. John Chrystie, namesake of

Chrystie Street Chrystie Street is a street on Manhattan's Lower East Side and Chinatown, Manhattan, Chinatown, running as a continuation of Second Avenue (Manhattan), Second Avenue from Houston Street, for seven blocks south to Canal Street (Manhattan), Canal ...

in Manhattan (Class of 1806); * New Jersey Governor

Peter Dumont Vroom Peter Dumont Vroom (December 12, 1791 – November 18, 1873), an American Democratic Party politician, served as the ninth governor of New Jersey (serving two terms in office; from 1829–1832 and 1833–1836) and as a member of the Unit ...

(Class of 1808); * Theologian

Jackson Kemper Jackson Kemper (December 24, 1789 – May 24, 1870) in 1835 became the first missionary bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Especially known for his work with Native American peoples, he also founded parishes in wha ...

(Class of 1809); * Episcopal Bishop of New York

Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk (July 15, 1791, New York City – April 30, 1861, New York) was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York from 1830–1861. Early years A member of a prominent Hempstead family, Onderdonk graduated from Colu ...

(Class of 1809); * Financier William Backhouse Astor, Sr. (Class of 1811); * Congressman

Charles G. Ferris Charles Goadsby Ferris ( ca. 1796June 4, 1848) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York, serving two non-consecutive terms from 1834 to 1835, then again from 1841 to 1843. Early life Ferris was bor ...

(Class of 1811); * Maj. Gen.

Stephen Watts Kearny Stephen Watts Kearny (sometimes spelled Kearney) ( ) (August 30, 1794October 31, 1848) was one of the foremost antebellum frontier officers of the United States Army. He is remembered for his significant contributions in the Mexican–American Wa ...

(Class of 1812); * Classical scholar

Charles Anthon Charles Anthon (November 19, 1797 – July 29, 1867) was an American classical scholar. Anthon was a professor at Columbia College and became headmaster of it's grammar and preparatory school. He produced classical works for schools, which conta ...

(Class of 1815); *

District attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

for Southern New York

James I. Roosevelt James John Roosevelt, known as James I. (December 14, 1795 – April 5, 1875) was an American politician, jurist, businessman, and member of the Roosevelt family. From 1841 to 1843, he served one term in the United States House of Representatives, ...

, granduncle of Theodore Roosevelt (Class of 1815); *

New-York Historical Society The New-York Historical Society is an American history museum and library in New York City, along Central Park West between 76th and 77th Streets, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The society was founded in 1804 as New York's first museum ...

President

Frederic de Peyster Frederic de Peyster II (November 11, 1796 in New York City – August 17, 1882 in Tivoli, New York) was a New York City lawyer and prominent member of the De Peyster family. Early life De Peyster was born in Hanover Square in New York City ...

(Class of 1816); * Acting

Governor of Rhode Island The governor of Rhode Island is the head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, o ...

and vice president of the

William Beach Lawrence (Class of 1818); * Bibliophile and

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

co-founder

James Lenox James Lenox (August 19, 1800 – February 17, 1880) was an American bibliophile and philanthropist. His collection of paintings and books eventually became known as the Lenox Library and in 1895 became part of the New York Public Library. Early ...

(Class of 1818), namesake of

Lenox Avenue Lenox Avenue – also named Malcolm X Boulevard; both names are officially recognized – is the primary north–south route through Harlem in the upper portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan. This two-way street runs from F ...

; * Explorer

John Lloyd Stephens John Lloyd Stephens (November 28, 1805October 13, 1852) was an American explorer, writer, and diplomat. Stephens was a pivotal figure in the rediscovery of Maya civilization throughout Middle America and in the planning of the Panama railroad. ...

(Class of 1822); * Railroad engineer

Horatio Allen Horatio Allen (May 10, 1802 – December 31, 1889) was an American civil engineer and inventor, and President of Erie Railroad in the year 1843–1844. Biography Born in Schenectady, New York, he graduated from Columbia University in 1823, a ...

(Class of 1823); * Preacher George Washington Bethune (Class of 1823); *

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

Hamilton Fish Hamilton Fish (August 3, 1808September 7, 1893) was an American politician who served as the 16th Governor of New York from 1849 to 1850, a United States Senator from New York from 1851 to 1857 and the 26th United States Secretary of State ...

(Class of 1827); * Journalist

John L. O'Sullivan John Louis O'Sullivan (November 15, 1813 – March 24, 1895) was an American columnist, editor, and diplomat who used the term "manifest destiny" in 1845 to promote the annexation of Texas and the Oregon Country to the United States. O'Sullivan ...

(Class of 1831), coiner of the phrase "

Manifest Destiny Manifest destiny was a cultural belief in the 19th century in the United States, 19th-century United States that American settlers were destined to expand across North America. There were three basic tenets to the concept: * The special vir ...

"; * Lobbyist

Samuel Cutler Ward Samuel Cutler "Sam" Ward (January 27, 1814 — May 19, 1884), was an American poet, politician, author, and gourmet, and in the years after the Civil War he was widely known as the "King of the Lobby." He combined delicious food, fine wines, and ...

(Class of 1831); * Literary critic

Evert Augustus Duyckinck Evert Augustus Duyckinck (pronounced DIE-KINK) (November 23, 1816 – August 13, 1878) was an American publisher and biographer. He was associated with the literary side of the Young America movement in New York. Biography He was born on Novem ...

(Class of 1835); *

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is any member of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the chief justice of the United States. The number of associate justices is eight, as set by the Judiciary Act of 18 ...

Samuel Blatchford Samuel M. Blatchford (March 9, 1820 – July 7, 1893) was an American attorney and judge. He was most notable for his service as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from April 3, 1882 until his death in 1893. Early ...

(Class of 1837); * Diarist and U.S. Sanitary Commission treasurer

George Templeton Strong George Templeton Strong (January 26, 1820 – July 21, 1875) was an American lawyer, musician and diarist. His 2,250-page diary, discovered in the 1930s, provides a striking personal account of life in the 19th century, especially during the eve ...

(Class of 1838); * Sportsman William R. Travers (Class of 1838), namesake of the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

; * Chemist

Oliver Wolcott Gibbs Oliver Wolcott Gibbs (February 21, 1822 – December 9, 1908) was an American chemist. He is known for performing the first electrogravimetric analyses, namely the reductions of copper and nickel ions to their respective metals. Biograp ...

(Class of 1841), president of the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...

; *

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 1832. The founders voted to name the college after General Laf ...

president James Hall Mason Knox (Class of 1841; *

Mayor of New York City The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property ...

Abram S. Hewitt Abram Stevens Hewitt (July 31, 1822January 18, 1903) was an American politician, educator, ironmaking industrialist, and lawyer who was mayor of New York City for two years from 1887–1888. He also twice served as a U.S. Congressman from an ...

(Class of 1842); * Frederick Samuel Tallmadge (Class of 1845), whose funding made possible the purchase of

Fraunces Tavern Fraunces Tavern is a museum and restaurant in New York City, situated at 54 Pearl Street at the corner of Broad Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. The location played a prominent role in history before, during, and after th ...

by the

Sons of the Revolution Sons of the Revolution is a hereditary society which was founded in 1876 and educates the public about the American Revolution. The General Society Sons of the Revolution headquarters is a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation located at Willia ...

; *

Cornelius Rea Agnew Cornelius Rea Agnew (August 8, 1830 – April 18, 1888) was an American surgeon. Early years Agnew was born in New York City, the son of William Agnew and Elizabeth Thompson Agnew; his ancestors, Huguenot, Irish and Scotch, came to America from ...

(Class of 1849), medical director of the New York Volunteer Hospital; * Financier

William Backhouse Astor, Jr. William Backhouse Astor Jr. (July 12, 1829 – April 25, 1892) was an American businessman, racehorse owner/breeder, and yachtsman who was a member of the prominent Astor family. His elder brother, financier and philanthropist John Jacob Astor II ...

(Class of 1849); * Social reformer

Elbridge Thomas Gerry Elbridge Thomas Gerry (December 25, 1837 – February 18, 1927), usually called "Commodore" Gerry due to the office he held with the New York Yacht Club from 1886 to 1892, was an American lawyer and reformer who was the grandson of U.S. Vice P ...

(Class of 1857), founder of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; * Military theorist

Alfred Thayer Mahan Alfred Thayer Mahan (; September 27, 1840 – December 1, 1914) was a United States naval officer and historian, whom John Keegan called "the most important American strategist of the nineteenth century." His book '' The Influence of Sea Power ...

(Class of 1858); * Real estate developer

Robert Goelet Robert Goelet Jr. (September 29, 1841 – April 27, 1899) was an American heir, businessman and yachtsman from New York City during the Gilded Age. Early life Robert Goelet was born on September 29, 1841 in Manhattan, New York City, to Sarah ...

(Class of 1860); * Columbia College Dean

John Howard Van Amringe John Howard Van Amringe (April 3, 1836 – September 10, 1915) was an American educator and mathematician. Life and career Van Amringe was born in Philadelphia on April 3, 1835. He was a son of William Frederick Van Amringe (1791–1873) and S ...

(Class of 1860); * Novelist

Edgar Fawcett Edgar Fawcett (May 26, 1847 – May 2, 1904) was an American novelist and poet. Biography Early life and education Fawcett was born in New York City on May 26, 1847 and spent much of his life there. Educated at Columbia College, he obtained th ...

(Class of 1867); * Diplomat

Nicholas Fish II Nicholas Fish II (February 19, 1846–September 16, 1902) was a United States diplomat who served as the ambassador to Switzerland from 1877 to 1881 and the ambassador to Belgium from 1882 to 1885. In a widely reported crime of the time know ...

(Class of 1867); * Muckraker

Henry Demarest Lloyd Henry Demarest Lloyd (May 1, 1847 – September 28, 1903) was a 19th-century American progressive political activist and pioneer muckraking journalist. He is best remembered for his exposés of the Standard Oil Company, which were written before ...

(Class of 1867); *

Assistant Secretary of State Assistant Secretary of State (A/S) is a title used for many executive positions in the United States Department of State, ranking below the under secretaries. A set of six assistant secretaries reporting to the under secretary for political affairs ...

and Columbia trustees chairman George Lockhart Rives (Class of 1868); * Historian

William Milligan Sloane William Milligan Sloane (November 12, 1850 – September 11, 1928) was an American educator and historian. Career William Milligan Sloane was born in Richmond, Ohio on November 12, 1850. He graduated from Columbia College of Columbia Universit ...

(Class of 1868); *

Speaker of the New York State Assembly The speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party. As in most countries with a British heritage, the speaker presides over the lower hous ...

and

Hamilton Fish II Hamilton Fish II (April 17, 1849 – January 15, 1936) was an American lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the New York State Assembly and a member of the United States House of Representatives. Early life Fish was born in Albany, N ...

(Class of 1869); * Journalist and social reformer

William Dudley Foulke William Dudley Foulke (November 20, 1848 – May 30, 1935) was an American literary critic, journalist, poet and reformer. Biography William Dudley Foulke was born in New York City on November 20, 1848. He graduated Columbia University in 1869 ...

(Class of 1869); *

Willard Bartlett Willard Bartlett (October 14, 1846 – January 17, 1925) was an American jurist. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. Biography Bartlett was born in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, the son of William Osborne Bartlett and Agnes E. H. Wil ...

(Class of 1869),

Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals. They are also known as the Chief Judge of New York. The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals. In addition, th ...

; *

Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also c ...

president

Stuyvesant Fish Stuyvesant Fish (June 24, 1851 – April 10, 1923) was an American businessman and member of the Fish family who served as president of the Illinois Central Railroad. He owned grand residences in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island, entertain ...

(Class of 1871); * Dramatic scholar

Brander Matthews James Brander Matthews (February 21, 1852 – March 31, 1929) was an American academic, writer and literary critic. He was the first full-time professor of dramatic literature at Columbia University in New York and played a significant role in est ...

(Class of 1871); * Music critic

Gustav Kobbé Gustav Kobbé (March 4, 1857Lewis Randolph Hamersly, ''et al.Who's who in New York (city and State)'' New York: L.R. Hamersly, 1904. p. 353. – July 27, 1918)

(Class of 1877); * New York City subway chief engineer

William Barclay Parsons William Barclay Parsons (April 15, 1859 – May 9, 1932) was an American civil engineer. He founded Parsons Brinckerhoff, one of the largest American civil engineering firms. Personal life Parsons was the son of William Barclay Parsons (1828– ...

(Class of 1879); *

William Fellowes Morgan, Sr. William Fellowes Morgan Sr. (September 24, 1860 – May 2, 1943) was an American banker, businessman and politician. He served as president of the Brooklyn Bridge Freezing and Cold Storage Company, which he founded, and as secretary and treasurer ...

(Class of 1880), president of the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness; * John Armstrong Chaloner (Class of 1883), madman; *

and Assistant Secretary of War J. Mayhew Wainwright (Class of 1884); * U.S. Ambassador to Germany

James W. Gerard James Watson Gerard III (August 25, 1867 – September 6, 1951) was a United States lawyer, diplomat, and justice of the New York Supreme Court. Early life Gerard was born in Geneseo, New York. His father, James Watson Gerard Jr., was a lawy ...

(Class of 1890); * Pioneering anthropologist

Alfred L. Kroeber Alfred Louis Kroeber (June 11, 1876 – October 5, 1960) was an American cultural anthropologist. He received his PhD under Franz Boas at Columbia University in 1901, the first doctorate in anthropology awarded by Columbia. He was also the first ...

(Class of 1896); *

John Purroy Mitchel John Purroy Mitchel (July 19, 1879 – July 6, 1918) was the 95th mayor of New York, from 1914 to 1917. At 34, he was the second-youngest mayor and he is sometimes referred to as "The Boy Mayor of New York." Mitchel is remembered for his sho ...

(Class of 1899); *

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan. Establishe ...

Charles H. Tuttle (Class of 1899),

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

nominee for

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...

; * ''

'' editor and "Topics of the Times" essayist

Simeon Strunsky Simeon Strunsky (July 23, 1879 – February 5, 1948) was a Russian-born Jewish American essayist and editorialist. He is best remembered as a prominent editorialist for the ''New York Times'' for more than two decades. Biography Early years ...

(Class of 1900); * Playwright George Middleton (Class of 1902), president of the

Dramatists Guild of America The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market. Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active M ...

; * Publisher Alfred Harcourt (Class of 1904), co-founder of

Harcourt Brace Harcourt () was an American publishing firm with a long history of publishing fiction and nonfiction for adults and children. The company was last based in San Diego, California, with editorial/sales/marketing/rights offices in New York City a ...

; * Shoe manufacturer

Ward Melville John Ward Melville (January 5, 1887 – June 5, 1977) was an American philanthropist and businessman active in the "Three Villages" in western Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. He donated 400 acres of land and money to establish Stony Broo ...

(Class of 1909); *

Governor of North Dakota The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of North Dakota and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The Constitution of North Dakota specifies that "the executive power is vested in the governor" in Secti ...

and U.S. Senator

William Langer William "Wild Bill" Langer (September 30, 1886November 8, 1959) was a prominent American lawyer and politician from North Dakota, where he was an infamous character, bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of the governor's office and ...

(Class of 1910); *

Union College Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...

president

Dixon Ryan Fox Dixon Ryan Fox (December 7, 1887 – January 30, 1945) was an American educator, researcher, and president of Union College, New York from 1934 until his death in 1945. Fox graduated from Columbia College in 1911. He took his Ph.D in histor ...

(Class of 1911); * Essayist and critic

(Class of 1912); * American Political Science Association president Arthur MacMahon (Class of 1912); * Political scientist Parker Thomas Moon (Class of 1913); * Lawyer and publisher Douglas Black (Class of 1916), president of

Doubleday and Company Doubleday is an American publishing company. It was founded as the Doubleday & McClure Company in 1897 and was the largest in the United States by 1947. It published the work of mostly U.S. authors under a number of imprints and distributed th ...

, 1946–1963; * Congressman Frederic René Coudert, Jr. (Class of 1918); * Philosopher

John Herman Randall, Jr. John Herman Randall Jr. (February 14, 1899 – December 1, 1980) was an American philosopher, New Thought author, and educator. Life Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of a Baptist minister, he graduated from Morris High School in New Yor ...

(Class of 1918); * Western writer

James Warner Bellah James Warner Bellah (September 14, 1899 – September 22, 1976) was an American Western author from the 1930s to the 1950s. His pulp-fiction writings on cavalry and Indians were published in paperbacks or serialized in the '' Saturday Evenin ...

(Class of 1923); *

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

-winning screenwriter

(Class of 1923); * Humorist

Corey Ford Corey Ford (April 29, 1902 – July 27, 1969) was an American humorist, writer, outdoorsman, and screenwriter. He was friendly with several members of the Algonquin Round Table in New York City and occasionally lunched there. Early years Ford was ...

(Class of 1923); * Writer

Henry Morton Robinson Henry Morton Robinson (September 7, 1898 – January 13, 1961) was an American novelist, best known for '' A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake'' written with Joseph Campbell and his 1950 novel ''The Cardinal'', which ''Time'' magazine reported w ...

(Class of 1923), author of ''

The Cardinal ''The Cardinal'' is a 1963 American drama film produced independently, directed by Otto Preminger and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel of the same name (1950) by Henry Morton Robi ...

'' and co-author of ''

A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake ''A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake'' is a 1944 work of literary criticism by mythologist Joseph Campbell and Henry Morton Robinson. The work gives both a general critical overview of ''Finnegans Wake'' and a detailed exegetical outline of the t ...

''; * Astrologer

Gavin Arthur Chester Alan "Gavin" Arthur III (March 21, 1901 – April 28, 1972) was an American astrologer and sexologist. He was the grandson of Chester A. Arthur, the twenty-first president of the United States. He received his early education from Col ...

(Class of 1924), grandson of President

Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 21st president of the United States from 1881 to 1885. He previously served as the 20th vice president under President James ...

; * David Cort (Class of 1924), foreign news editor of '' Life magazine;'' * New York State Superintendent of Banks and ''

BusinessWeek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...

'' publisher Elliott V. Bell (Class of 1925); * Pioneering James Joyce scholar William York Tindall (Class of 1925): * Philanthropist Lawrence Wien (Class of 1925); * Science fiction anthologist Groff Conklin (Class of 1927); *

-winning screenwriter William Ludwig (screenwriter), William Ludwig (Class of 1932); * City College of New York president Robert Marshak (Class of 1936), president of the American Physical Society; * Robert Paul Smith (1936), author of ''Where Did You Go? Out. What Did You Do? Nothing'' and co-author of ''The Tender Trap (play), The Tender Trap''; * John La Touche (musician), John La Touche (Class of 1937), lyricist for ''Cabin in the Sky (film), Cabin in the Sky'' and ''The Golden Apple (musical), The Golden Apple''; * Conservative author

(Class of 1938); * Minimalist poet Robert Lax (Class of 1938); * Spiritual writer Thomas Merton (Class of 1938); * English professor, and jazz and religion scholar Barry Ulanov (Class of 1939); * Author Ed Rice (Class of 1940); * Dalton School headmaster Donald Barr (Class of 1941); * East Asian scholar and Columbia University provost Wm. Theodore de Bary (Class of 1941); *

-winning screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond (Class of 1941); *''Holocaust'' author Gerald Green (author), Gerald Green (Class of 1942); * Economist Robert Lekachman (Class of 1942); * East Asian scholar Philip Yampolsky (Class of 1942); * New York Giants quarterback Paul Governali (Class of 1943); * Grammy-winning record producer Orrin Keepnews (Class of 1943); * Novelist Walter Wager (Class of 1944); * Beat Generation icon and United Press International editor Lucien Carr (Class of 1946); * Arthur Lazarus, Jr., Native Americans in the United States, American Indian rights lawyer (Class of 1946); * Magazine editor Byron Dobell, mentor of New Journalism pioneer Tom Wolfe (Class of 1947); * Victorino Tejera, philosopher (Class of 1948); * Pulitzer Prize-winning gerontologist Robert Neil Butler (Class of 1949); * Publisher Jason Epstein (Class of 1949); * Poet John Hollander (Class of 1950); * Physician/scientist/essayist Gerald Weissmann (Class of 1950); * Columbia College Dean Carl Hovde (Class of 1950); * Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and translator Richard Howard (Class of 1951); * Editor Robert Gottlieb (Class of 1952); * Literary scholar Jeffrey Hart (Class of 1952); * Television writer Art Eisenson (Class of 1963); * Historian Howard Spodek (Class of 1963); * Rheumatologist and pioneering investigator of Lyme disease Allen Steere (1965); * Actor Ben Stein (Class of 1966); * Historian of science Mott T. Greene (Class of 1967); * Novelist and Academy Award-winning film producer Garth Stein (Class of 1987); * Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Stephanos Bibas (Class of 1989); * Lesbian writer and poet Carol Guess (Class of 1990); *''

'' Style reporter Alex Kuczynski (Barnard College Class of 1990); * Entrepreneur Jack Hidary (Class of 1991), co-founder of the Auto X Prize; * Writer, legal scholar and LGBT activist Jay Michaelson (Class of 1993); * MTV personality Gideon Yago (Class of 2000); * Children's book author Kyle Lukoff (Barnard College Class of 2006).

Awards and accomplishments

Philolexians have: *Won: ** Four Academy Awards ** Three Pulitzer Prizes ** Two Grammy Awards ** One Emmy Award *Included: ** Eight United States House of Representatives, United States Representatives ** Eight University president, college presidents ** Five United States ambassadors ** Four Governor (United States), governors ** Two United States Senate, United States Senators ** Two Mayors of New York City ** One

*Founded or co-founded: ** Travers Stakes, The Travers Stakes ** Harcourt Brace ** Thom McAn Shoes ** The New York Review of Books ** Library of America ** Writers Guild of America ** The Century Association ** Players' Club *Been president of: **

** New York Chamber of Commerce ** New York Athletic Club ** United States National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences ** Doubleday (publisher), Doubleday ** Authors' League of America ** American Physical Society ** American Mathematical Society ** American Anthropological Association ** The American Jewish Committee ** American Historical Association ** American Society of Civil Engineers ** American Academy of Arts and Letters ** Association for Asian Studies ** The Union League Club of New York

References

*Jacques Barzun, Barzun, Jacques (editor): "Samplings and Chronicles, Being the Continuation of the Philolexian Society History, With Literary Selections, From 1912 to 1927," New York, published by the Society, 1927 *James Warner Bellah, Bellah, James Warner: "When the College Was Younger and, Perhaps, More Literary," New York, Columbia College Today, Spring 1962 *Ernest Cardozo, Cardozo, Ernest A.: "A History of the Philolexian Society of Columbia University From 1802-1902," New York, published by the Society, 1902 *Swindler, Josie.
Debate Club's Debauchery Continues in 21st Century
''Columbia Spectator''. (October 27, 2005) *Vinciguerra, Thomas J.: "Contemporary Civilization Meets Monty Python," New York, Columbia College Today, Spring/Summer 1987 *"Philolexian Annals 1902-1912 With the Constitution and By-Laws," New York, published by the Society, 1912 *"The Columbian" (yearbook): New York, Columbia University, various years

Inline references

External links

The Philolexian Society of Columbia UniversityThe Philolexian FoundationColumbia University
{{Columbia, state=expanded Columbia University student organizations Student societies in the United States Student debating societies College literary societies in the United States 1802 establishments in New York (state) Organizations established in 1802