Phi Kappa Literary Society
Encyclopedia
College literary societies (American)
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. In the period from the late eighteenth century to the Civil War, collegiate...
, located at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
.
The Society was founded in 1820 by Joseph Henry Lumpkin
Joseph Henry Lumpkin
Joseph Henry Lumpkin was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Education:...
, later to become the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia and eponym for the University of Georgia Lumpkin School of Law, and by William Crabbe, Edwin Mason, and Henry Mason
Henry Mason
Henry Mason was one of the co-founders of the American piano manufacturer Mason and Hamlin.He was the son of American church music composer Lowell Mason, and the brother of composer William Mason.-Notes:...
, who formed the society after splitting from the Demosthenian Literary Society
Demosthenian Literary Society
The Demosthenian Literary Society is a debating society at The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. It was founded in 1803 by the first graduating class of the University's Franklin College. The society was founded on February 19, 1803 and the anniversary is celebrated now with the Society's...
.
Literary societies
College literary societies (American)
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. In the period from the late eighteenth century to the Civil War, collegiate...
were nineteenth century forerunners to the modern social fraternities and sororities that emerged early in the twentieth century on college campuses. Literary societies tended to focus on debate and parliamentary procedure as a way of preparing their student members for roles in public and political life. Few societies remain active in holding regular meetings and debate; some, like the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
have become honorary societies.
The Phi Kappa Literary Society is one of the few active literary societies left, meeting every academic Thursday at 7pm on the University Georgia's North Campus in Phi Kappa Hall. The Phi Kappa Literary Society still holds debates and a forum for creative writings and orations.
Phi Kappa Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the North Campus of the University of Georgia, was built at a cost of $5,000 and dedicated on July 5, 1836. Currently, though, the Phi Kappa Literary Society does not privately own the rights to their hall, and share use of the building with the Georgia Debate Union.
Famous alumni
- Joseph Henry LumpkinJoseph Henry LumpkinJoseph Henry Lumpkin was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Education:...
, First Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia - Benjamin M. PalmerBenjamin M. PalmerBenjamin Morgan Palmer , an orator and Presbyterian theologian, was the first moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America. As pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans, his Thanksgiving sermon in 1860 had a great influence in leading Louisiana to join the...
, First Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America - Howell CobbHowell CobbHowell Cobb was an American political figure. A Southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851...
, Secretary of U.S. Treasury, Constitutional Convention Chairman of the Confederate States of America - Morris Berthold Abram, Founder of UN Watch, Permanent U.S. Ambassador to UN
- Thomas Reade Rootes CobbThomas Reade Rootes CobbThomas Reade Rootes Cobb was an American lawyer, author, politician, and Confederate officer, killed in the Battle of Fredericksburg during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, Confederate General, Editor of the first Georgia Code - Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederate States of America, United States Representative
- Henry W. GradyHenry W. GradyHenry Woodfin Grady was a journalist and orator who helped reintegrate the states of the former Confederacy into the Union after the American Civil War....
, Editor of the Atlanta Constitution, Voice of the "New South" Movement - Clark HowellClark HowellClark Howell was a Pulitzer Prize winning American newspaper man and politician from the state of Georgia.-Biography:Howell was born on September 21, 1863 in Atlanta, Georgia...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning Editor of the Atlanta Constitution, founder of WGST 640 AM radio station, namesake of Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of TechnologyThe Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
's Howell HallHowell Hall (Georgia Tech)Howell Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. It is named for Clark Howell, original endower of WGST. Howell Hall was designed by architects Bush-Brown & Gailey for $163,000... - Eugene TalmadgeEugene TalmadgeEugene Talmadge was a Democratic politician who served two terms as the 67th Governor of Georgia from 1933 to 1937, and a third term from 1941 to 1943. Elected to a fourth term in 1946, he died before taking office...
, Governor of Georgia - Thomas W. HardwickThomas W. HardwickThomas William Hardwick was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.Hardwick was born in Thomasville, Georgia. He graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor of arts degree in 1892 and received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia in 1893...
, United States Senator from Georgia - Richard B. Russell Jr., United States Senator from Georgia, President pro tempore of the United States SenatePresident pro tempore of the United States SenateThe President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body...
- Ernest VandiverErnest VandiverSamuel Ernest Vandiver Jr. was an American politician who was the 73rd Governor of the US state of Georgia from 1959 to 1963.-Early life and career:...
, Governor of Georgia - Herschel V. Johnson, Governor of Georgia, 1860 Democratic Party Vice-Presidential Nominee
- Carl SandersCarl SandersCarl Edward Sanders Sr. is an American politician who served as the 74th Governor of the state of Georgia from 1963 to 1967.Sanders was born in Augusta, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship...
, Governor of Georgia - Benjamin H. Hill, Confederate General, United States Senator from Georgia
- Phil GrammPhil GrammWilliam Philip "Phil" Gramm is an American economist and politician, who has served as a Democratic Congressman , a Republican Congressman and a Republican Senator from Texas...
, United States Senator from Texas - William TateWilliam Tate (academic)William Tate served as the Dean of Men at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia from 1946 until 1971....
, University of Georgia Dean of Men - Nathaniel Harris, Governor of Georgia, Founder of Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of TechnologyThe Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
- Francis S. BartowFrancis S. BartowColonel Francis Stebbins Bartow was an attorney, Confederate States of America political leader, and military officer during the early months of the American Civil War...
, Confederate Congressman, Confederate General - Henry L. BenningHenry L. BenningHenry Lewis Benning was a lawyer, legislator, judge on the Georgia Supreme Court, and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He is also noted for the U.S...
, Confederate General, Eponym of Fort Benning - Augustus O. Bacon, United States Senator from Georgia, President pro tempore of the United States SenatePresident pro tempore of the United States SenateThe President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body...
- Norman S. FletcherNorman S. FletcherNorman S. Fletcher is an American lawyer and jurist from the state of Georgia. He served on the Supreme Court of Georgia for over 15 years and was the Chief Justice of that body from 2001 through 2005.-Early life and education:...
, Chief Justice, Georgia Supreme Court 2001-2005 - Sam MassellSam MassellSam Massell, a life-long resident of Atlanta, has had successful careers in real estate brokerage, elected office, the field of tourism, and association management....
, Mayor of Atlanta
Source Information
- E. Merton Coulter's College Life in the Old South
- Thomas G. Dyer's The University of Georgia: A Bicentennial History
- T.W. Reed's History of the University of Georgia
- F.N. Boney's A Pictorial History of the University of Georgia