College Societies

*College Society Memberships*

	The Philorhetorean Society

From time to time, New York Ancestry will acquaint the genealogist with little known (or thought of) sources. Many times, a society would publish a commemoration book such as this.
Names extracted from this month's feature are included in our Name Search.

"THE LITERARY EXERCISES Connected with the Decennial, Vicennnial, Tricennial and Quadragennial REUNIONS of the Philorhetorean Society of Fairfield Seminary, which occurred at Fairfield, N.Y., 1854-1894.

This fraternity was composed of students who were contemporarily or had been at one time, students at the Fairfield Seminary in Fairfield, Herkimer County, New York. Most of its pupils originated from New York State, approximately 700. Within its 146 pages can be found nearly 1000 alumni. (Within our Name Search, members who came from outside of New York State were not included.) The following (heavily) condensed excerpt from the book, taken from its tenth year celebration in 1864, explains some of the history and purpose of the Society.
"Our society was founded in November, 1854… At the first meeting, 29 persons were present… Exercises were opened by prayer, a few regulations for the government of the association were presented and adopted, a question discussed, and the society adjourned... The causes which led to the founding of the society were:
1. There being but one society in the institution, its membership very lard, and hence opportunities were not afforded for near all to participate in the debates.
2. Most of the founders being but transitory students, thought they could ill-afford the expense which would arise from the initiation fee, etc. of our sister society. (Desiring) to enjoy all t he advantages of debate and elocutionary exercises which would arise from a well-established literary society, they formed a club.
The name, Philorhetorean, was selected by Rev. John B. Van Petten, our worthy principal, in memory of an association with which he was connected in his college career. The motto was (then) Nos Laboramus Discere and now is, Animi Imperio Utimur.
The first members had difficulty in establishing the society for they were opposed by the citizens of the country round about, most of them having been active members (in the other Society?). And so, they had to contend without position, patronage or a library. The common weapon and first resort, Derision, was tried in vain upon us. One of the most favorite epithets of its enemies was to denominate the society a "Methodist Prayer Meeting," because we chose to open our exercises with an invocation to Deity. These things only stimulated the founders to greater exertions, they knowing full well that the noblest of our land failed not to invoke the strong right arm of Omnipotence in every undertaking, however small...
The epithet, "25 cent members," was also applied to us on account of our then low rate of initiation…. It was also predicted that our existence would be short…
The close of the first year found us strong in membership, and to give character to the society and represent its talent, it was decided to hold a "Public." On July 1st, 1855, ten members participated. One of the orations, "Cause of Disunion" by John Smalley, was of no ordinary merit…
Tonight we can boast of a membership of four hundred and fifty-nine persons as well as a library which houses six hundred and eight-eight volumes, representing nearly every department in literature.. Also, tonight we have among our members ten Lawyers, six Doctors, eight Professors and seven Divines.
Brethren, in our festive mirth this evening, let us not, I pray you, be unmindful of those of our number (14 in all) who have gone from among us, to solve the mystery of the "Problem of Eternity." Brethren, do go on as you have in the past; adopt for your motto that which is the Empire State's (Ever Upward) and when the solemn hour shall come for you to sunder whatever of ties may bind you to earth, may you be found 'prepared as living stones for that spiritual building that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."