Phi Kappa Literary Society
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The Phi Kappa Literary Society is a debate society, located at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.
The Society was founded in 1820 by Joseph Henry Lumpkin, later to become the first Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court and eponym for the [University of Georgia Lumpkin School of Law], and by William Crabbe, Edwin Mason, and Henry Mason, who formed the society after splitting with the Demosthenian Literary Society.
Literary societies 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 have become honorary societies.
Originally a secret, the society's true name was revealed in E. Merton Coulter's "College Life in the Old South" to be Philo Kosmean. Although a loose translation, the society believes it to mean "I love order and discipline." Before this revelation, only members of the society were allowed to know and it was never to be spoken outside of Phi Kappa Hall.
Phi Kappa Hall, one of the oldest buildings on North Campus of the University of Georgia, was built at a cost of $5,000 and dedicated on July 5, 1836.
Phi Kappa currently holds meetings 7pm every academic Thursday in Phi Kappa Hall on North Campus at the University of Georgia.
Famous alumni
- Joseph Henry Lumpkin, First Chief Justice, Georgia Supreme Court
- Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Confederate States of America
- Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb, Confederate General and Editor of the first Georgia Code
- Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America
- Henry W. Grady, Editor of the Atlanta Constitution
- Eugene Talmadge, Georgia Governor/Segregationist
- Richard B. Russell, United States Senator
- Ernest Vandiver, Georgia Governor
- Carl Sanders, Georgia Governor
- William Tate, University of Georgia Dean of Men
- Phil Gramm, United States Senator
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
External references
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