History[edit]
In 1830, students under the leadership of Father James A. Ryder, S.J., later elevated to university president, founded the Philodemic Society. The only other student group at that time was a religious group, the Soldality of Our Lady. The society's first debate was on the topic of "Napoleon Bonaparte or General Washington: Which was the better man?"[7] 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 to their calendar.[8]
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 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".[9][10] 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 Healy Hall 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.[11] The Society also holds certain special debates, such as the annual humorous Christmas debate, in historic Riggs library, 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.[12]
The Society operates a Philodemic Library, and members are encouraged to donate works.[13] 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.[14
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