The
Philolexian Society of
Columbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. Columbia's main campus lies in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, in New York City...
is one of the oldest
college literary societiesCollege 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...
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
Philolexian is
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
for "lover of discourse," and the society's motto is the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
word
Surgam, meaning "I shall rise."
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 SocietyThe Peithologian Society was an undergraduate literary organization at Columbia University. It was founded in 1806, four years after Columbia's first literary group, the Philolexian Society, by freshmen who were disenfranchised by Philolexian's requirement that its members be upperclassmen...
), to some of its most solemn traditions and many of its finest (as well as a few of its most notorious and most dissipated) graduates.
Philolexian is one of many
literary societiesCollege 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...
that flourished at the nation's early colonial colleges.
The
Philolexian Society of
Columbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. Columbia's main campus lies in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, in New York City...
is one of the oldest
college literary societiesCollege 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...
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
Philolexian is
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
for "lover of discourse," and the society's motto is the
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
word
Surgam, meaning "I shall rise."
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 SocietyThe Peithologian Society was an undergraduate literary organization at Columbia University. It was founded in 1806, four years after Columbia's first literary group, the Philolexian Society, by freshmen who were disenfranchised by Philolexian's requirement that its members be upperclassmen...
), to some of its most solemn traditions and many of its finest (as well as a few of its most notorious and most dissipated) graduates.
History
Philolexian is one of many
literary societiesCollege 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...
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
Philodemic SocietyThe Philodemic Society is a student debating club at Georgetown University. It was founded in 1830 by Father Ryder, in whose honor an award is given every Spring at the Merrick Debate. The Philodemic is among the oldest such societies in the United States, and the oldest secular student...
of
Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. While the school struggled financially in its early years, Georgetown expanded into a branched university after the...
, the
Union-Philanthropic SocietyThe Union-Philanthropic Society is an college literary society at Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia.For over two centuries, the Union-Philanthropic Society has offered Hampden-Sydney a unique forum for discussion...
of
Hampden-Sydney CollegeHampden-Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia. Founded in 1775, Hampden-Sydney is the oldest private charter in the South, as well as the 17th oldest institution of higher education and one of only three four-year, all-men's liberal arts colleges in...
, the
Philomathean SocietyThe Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania is the oldest continuously-existing literary society in the United States and the oldest student group at Penn...
of the
University of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private research university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and is one of several institutions that claims to have been the first university in America...
, the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies of the
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. The university is the oldest in, and flagship of, the University of North Carolina system...
, the Demosthenian and Phi Kappa Literary Societies at the
University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
, The
Jefferson Literary and Debating SocietyThe Jefferson Literary and Debating Society is a debating and literary society at the University of Virginia. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest organization at The University and one of the oldest continuously existing debating societies in North America....
at the
University of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and the
Whig-Cliosophic SocietyThe American Whig-Cliosophic Society is a political, literary, and debating society at Princeton University and the oldest debate union in the United States...
at
Princeton UniversityPrinceton University a private university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League and is considered one of the Colonial Colleges....
.
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
Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton was the first United States Secretary of the Treasury, a Founding Father, economist, and political philosopher...
(Class of 1778) and his roommate
Robert TroupRobert Troup was an American soldier, lawyer and jurist. He was born in Elizabethtown, New Jersey and attended King's College...
. 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 (Class of 1789), later mayor of Washington, D.C., and
Daniel D. TompkinsDaniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, Governor of New York, and the sixth Vice President of the United States.-Name:...
(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 MooreNathaniel Fish Moore, the nephew of former president Benjamin Moore, was Columbia's eighth president; he had earlier been a lawyer and served on the faculty.-Notes:...
(Class of 1802), and Alexander Hamilton's son,
James Alexander HamiltonJames Alexander Hamilton was the third son of Alexander Hamilton. He graduated from Columbia University, was an officer in the War of 1812, and served as acting Secretary of State to Andrew Jackson. He then became a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York....
(Class of 1805). To accommodate freshmen, who were initially ineligible for admission, the
Peithologian SocietyThe Peithologian Society was an undergraduate literary organization at Columbia University. It was founded in 1806, four years after Columbia's first literary group, the Philolexian Society, by freshmen who were disenfranchised by Philolexian's requirement that its members be upperclassmen...
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 1950's, has been awarded annually by
Columbia University'sColumbia University in the City of New York is a private university in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. Columbia's main campus lies in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, in New York City...
English department.)
20th Century
In the 20th century, Philo broadened its range of activities as it became a training ground for essayist
Randolph BourneRandolph Silliman Bourne was a progressive writer and public intellectual born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and a graduate of Columbia University...
(Class of 1912), poet
A. Joyce KilmerAlfred Joyce Kilmer was an American journalist, poet, literary critic, lecturer and editor. Though a prolific poet whose works celebrated the common beauty of the natural world as well as his religious faith, Kilmer is remembered most for a short poem entitled Trees , which was published in the...
(Class of 1908), and statesman
V.K. Wellington KooVi Kyuin Wellington Koo , Western name V.K...
(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 JonsonBenjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
,
Nicholas UdallNicholas Udall , was an English playwright, cleric, pederast and schoolmaster, the author of Ralph Roister Doister, generally regarded as the first comedy written in the English language.-Biography:...
, and
Robert GreeneRobert Greene was an English author best known today for his pamphlet Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit, containing a polemic attack on William Shakespeare. He was born in Norwich and attended Cambridge University, receiving a BA in 1580, and a MA in 1583 before moving to London, where he arguably...
, were North American debuts. Oscar-winning screenwriter
Sidney BuchmanSidney Robert Buchman was a film writer and producer who worked on 38 films from the late 1920s to the early 1970s....
(
Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonMr. Smith Goes to Washington is an American comedy/drama film starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, about one man's effect on American politics. It was directed by Frank Capra – his last film for Columbia Pictures, the studio where he made his name – and written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis...
, Here Comes Mr. JordanHere Comes Mr. Jordan is a comedy film in which a boxer, mistakenly taken to Heaven before his time, is given a second chance back on Earth. It stars Robert Montgomery, Claude Rains and Evelyn Keyes. The movie was adapted by Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller from the play Heaven Can Wait by Harry...
, CleopatraCleopatra is a 1963 film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The screenplay was adapted by Sidney Buchman, Ben Hecht, Ranald MacDougall, and Joseph L. Mankiewicz from a book by Carlo Mario Franzero. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy McDowall and Martin Landau. The...
) (Class of 1923) got a start playing Shakespeare's
Richard IIKing Richard the Second is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to be written in approximately 1595. It is based on the life of King Richard II of England and is the first part of a tetralogy, referred to by some scholars as the Henriad, followed by three plays concerning Richard's...
for a Philo production.
Although Philolexian members during the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
included such figures as future Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
John BerrymanJohn Allyn Berryman was an American poet, born in McAlester, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and often considered one of the founders of the Confessional school of poetry. He was the author of The Dream Songs, which are playful, witty, and...
and publisher
Robert GirouxRobert Giroux was an American book editor and publisher. While an editor with Harcourt, Brace & Co., he was hired away to work for Roger W. Straus, Jr. at Farrar & Straus, where he became a partner and, eventually, chairman...
(both Class of 1936) and noted Trappist monk and humanist
Thomas MertonThomas Merton was a 20th century American Catholic writer. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. He wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Merton was a keen...
(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 ToledanoRalph de Toledano was a major figure in the conservative movement in the United States throughout the second half of the 20th century.-Life:...
(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 BarzunJacques Martin Barzun is a French-born American historian of ideas and culture.-Life:Barzun was born in Créteil, France, to Henri-Martin and Anna-Rose Barzun. He spent his childhood in Paris and Grenoble. His father was a member of the Abbaye de Créteil group of artists and writers and also worked...
(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; in 1947, 14 Columbia College undergraduates became the last students to sign one of the original Philolexian parchment membership scrolls. In 1952, due to waning interest and, according to some, the infamous presidency of poet
Allen GinsbergIrwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet. Ginsberg is best known for the poem "Howl" , in which he celebrates fellow members of the Beat Generation and critiques what he saw as the destructive forces of materialism and conformity in the United States.-Early life and family:Ginsberg was born into...
(Class of 1948), the society entered a 10-year period of dormancy. Another brief revival in 1962 was followed by an even longer period of inactivity.
In 1985, under the guidance of Thomas J. Vinciguerra (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.
Current Organization
The Philolexian Society holds meetings every Thursday the College is in session; the agenda typically consists of a debate and the presentation of a literary work. Meetings often act serious and absurd simultaneously. As a result of the long history of the club, numerous in-jokes, scripted by tradition, are told throughout the session. Philolexian also hosts a
CroquetCroquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport, which involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
Tea, the Annual
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry ContestThe Joyce Kilmer Memorial Bad Poetry Contest has been hosted by Columbia University's Philolexian Society, a literary society, since 1986, drawing crowds of 200-300 students and participants vying for the title of best of the worst. Columbia faculty members serve as judges...
(which has received coverage in the New York Times) (the winner of which becomes the
Poet LaureateA Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for State occasions and other government events....
of the society until the next Contest), a beat poetry event appropriately called Beat Night, and a Greek-style
symposiumSymposium originally referred to a drinking party but has since come to refer to any academic conference, or a style of university class characterized by an openly discursive format, rather than a lecture and question–answer format...
. The organization also publishes a collection of poetry and prose called "Surgam." Starting in 2003, Philolexian has organized a fund for small theatre projects, later named for
Robert C. SchnitzerRobert C. Schnitzer was an American actor, producer, educator, and theater administrator. Schnitzer, a former Weston, Connecticut resident, was active in the Westport-Weston Arts Council and later the Westport Arts Center...
(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. Nonetheless, the society has retained its traditional forms and rituals almost in their entirety. Philolexian has several officers, the Moderator (
de factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "by [the] fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established"...
president), Scriba, and Censor (
emeritusEmeritus is an adjective that is used in the title of a retired professor, bishop, or other professional. Emerita is often used as the female equivalent, although avoided by purists, since phrases such as professor emerita are ungrammatical in Latin...
president), as well as other positions, including
HeraldA herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
, Keeper of the Halls,
Chancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called The Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, Sergeant-at-Arms,
WhipThe whip is a role in party politics whose primary purpose is to ensure control of the formal decision-making process in a parliamentary legislature. Whips are party 'enforcers', who typically offer both inducements and punishments to party members...
,
Minister of Internet TruthA webmaster , also called a web architect, web developer, site author, website administrator, or webmeister, is a person responsible for maintaining a website...
, Nomenclaturist-General, and Editor of Surgam, the annual literary journal of the Society. These titles are derived from the roles performed at the meeting, at which the Moderator leads debate, the Scriba records minutes, and the Censor adds his or her views about the debates, punishing or rewarding members if necessary.
The number of Philolexians is actually unknown, because any person who attends even part of a meeting is officially a member (the organization's website claims that the number is greater than one but less than infinity). Those who wish to gain full membership within the society must speak well at three "consecutive" meetings and attend regularly. Those candidates who qualify may receive an invitation to New Member Night, a secretive initiation rite. To further test a potential Full Philo's merit, he or she must also present a petition reflecting the approval of other Philolexians and some work of original creative merit in order to be considered at New Member Night, as well as surviving
The Horrors. This meeting is not open to the public, and if asked, Full Philos may only disclose that it involves
weaselWeasels are mammals in the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family.Originally, the name "weasel" was applied to one species of the genus, the European form of the Least Weasel...
s and/or platypi. Full Philos have access to a large number of privileges through the organization.
Notable Philolexians
In addition to the names cited above, prominent Philolexians have included:
- Pennsylvania bishop Henry Ustick Onderdonk
Henry Ustick Onderdonk was the second Episcopal bishop of Pennsylvania.-Early life:Onderdonk was born in New York City. He studied at Columbia University, receiving his degree in 1805, and then traveled to Britain for further education, receiving his medical degree from the University of Edinburgh...
(Class of 1805);
- U.S. Congressman Edmund H. Pendleton (Class of 1805);
- New Jersey Governor Peter Dumont Vroom
Peter Dumont Vroom , an American Democratic Party politician, served as the 9th Governor of New Jersey and as a member of the United States House of Representatives for a single term, from 1839–1841.He was born in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey and graduated from...
(Class of 1808);
- Theologian Jackson Kemper
Bishop Jackson Kemper was the first missionary bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.Baptized David Jackson Kemper by Dr...
(Class of 1809);
- New York bishop Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk
Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York from 1830 – 1861. -Early years:...
(Class of 1809);
- Financier William Backhouse Astor, Sr.
William Backhouse Astor, Sr. was an American businessman and member of the prominent Astor family.-Biography:...
(Class of 1811);
- Congressman Charles G. Ferris
Charles Goadsby Ferris was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born at "The Homestead," Throgs Neck, the Bronx, New York, Ferris received a limited education.He studied law.He was admitted to the bar and practiced in New York City....
(Class of 1811);
- Maj. Gen. Stephen Watts Kearny (Class of 1812);
- Classical scholar Charles Anthon
Charles Anthon was an American classical scholar, born in New York City.After graduating with honors at Columbia College in 1815, he began the study of law, and in 1819 was admitted to the bar, but never practiced...
(Class of 1815);
- Acting Rhode Island Governor William Beach Lawrence
William Beach Lawrence was an American politician and jurist who served as lieutenant governor of Rhode Island from 1851 to 1852....
(1818);
- Bibliophile James Lenox
James Lenox was an American bibliophile and philanthropist, born in New York City. A graduate of Columbia College, Lenox was a founder of the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. His collection of paintings and books eventually became known as the Lenox Library and later became part of the New...
(Class of 1818);
- Explorer John Lloyd Stephens
John Lloyd Stephens 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 LL.D was an American civil engineer and inventor.Born in Schenectady, New York, he graduated from Columbia in 1823, and was appointed the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company chief engineer. In 1828 he was sent to England to buy locomotives for the canal company's projected railway...
(1823);
- United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence. The current Secretary of...
Hamilton FishHamilton Fish , born in New York City, was an American statesman who served as Governor of New York, United States Senator and United States Secretary of State.-Biography:...
(Class of 1827);
- Journalist John L. O'Sullivan (Class of 1831), coiner of the phrase "manifest destiny";
- Lobbyist Samuel Cutler Ward
Samuel Cutler Ward was an American statesman, lobbyist, orator and author.Ward was born in Manhattan New York City, the son of investment banker and art collector Samuel Ward and Julia Cutler; grandson of Col...
(Class of 1831);
- Literary critic Evert Augustus Duyckinck
Evert Augustus Duyckinck was an American publisher and biographer. He was associated with the literary side of the Young America movement in New York.-Life and work:...
(Class of 1835);
- Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
Samuel BlatchfordSamuel Blatchford was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from April 3, 1882 until his death.-Early life:...
(Class of 1837);
- Diarist George Templeton Strong
George Templeton Strong was an American lawyer 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 events of the American Civil War...
(Class of 1838);
- Sportsman William R. Travers
William Riggin Travers was an American lawyer who made a fortune on Wall Street. Along with John Hunter, in 1863 he founded Saratoga Race Course and served as its first president. Saratoga's Travers Stakes is named in his honor and is the oldest major Thoroughbred horse race in the United States...
(Class of 1838);
- Chemist Oliver Wolcott Gibbs
For the writer, see Wolcott Gibbs.Oliver Wolcott Gibbs 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.- Biography:Oliver Wolcott Gibbs was born in New York City in 1822 to...
(Class of 1841);
- Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The Mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
Abram S. Hewitt (Class of 1842);
- Financier William Backhouse Astor, Jr.
William Backhouse Astor, Jr. was a businessman and a member of the prominent Astor family.-Biography:The younger son of William Backhouse Astor, Sr., he was joint heir to the Astor real estate empire, though he left its active management to his elder brother John Jacob Astor III .Astor graduated...
(Class of 1849);
- Military theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan
Alfred Thayer Mahan was a United States Navy flag officer, geostrategist, and educator. His ideas on the importance of sea power influenced navies around the world, and helped prompt naval buildups before World War I. Several ships were named , including the lead vessel of a class of destroyers...
(Class of 1858);
- Columbia College Dean John Howard Van Amringe
John Howard Van Amringe was a U.S. educator and mathematician. He was born in Philadelphia, and graduated from Columbia in 1860. Thereafter, he taught mathematics at Columbia, holding a professorship from 1865 to 1910 when he retired...
(Class of 1860);
- Novelist Edgar Fawcett
Edgar Fawcett was an American novelist and poet. Fawcett was born in New York on May 26, 1847, and spent much of his life there. Educated at Columbia College, he obtained the A.B. there in 1867 and his M.A. three years later. At Columbia, he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Phi. Although...
(Class of 1867);
- Diplomat Nicholas Fish
Nicholas Fish was an American Revolutionary soldier, born in New York City.He attended Princeton but left before graduating to pursue the study of law at King's College through the office of John Morin Scott in New York...
(Class of 1867);
- Assistant Secretary of State and Columbia trustees chairman George Lockhart Rives (Class of 1868);
- Historian William Milligan Sloane
William Milligan Sloane was an American educator and historian, born at Richmond, Ohio.-Biography:...
(Class of 1868);
- Journalist and social reformer William Dudley Foulke
William Dudley Foulke was an American literary critic, journalist, poet and reformer.-Biography:He was born in New York City and graduated Columbia Law School in 1871...
(Class of 1869);
- Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
president Stuyvesant FishStuyvesant Fish was president of the Illinois Central Railroad.-Biography:Fish was born in New York City, the son of Hamilton Fish and his wife Julia Ursin Niemcewicz, née Kean. A graduate of Columbia College, he was later an executive of the Illinois Central Railroad, and as its president from...
(Class of 1871);
- Dramatic scholar Brander Matthews
James Brander Matthews , was a U.S. writer and educator. Matthews was the first U.S. professor of dramatic literature. He graduated from Columbia College in 1871, where he was a member of the Philolexian Society and St. Anthony Hall, and from Columbia Law School in 1873, but turned to a literary...
(Class of 1871);
- Music critic Gustav Kobbé
Gustav Kobbé M.A. was an American music critic and author, best known for his guide to the operas, The Complete Opera Book, first published in the United States in 1919 and the United Kingdom in 1922.- Biography :Kobbé was born in March 1857 in New York City to William...
(Class of 1877);
- New York City subway chief engineer William Barclay Parsons
William Barclay Parsons was an American civil engineer. He founded the firm that became Parsons Brinckerhoff, one of the largest American civil engineering firms....
(Class of 1879);
- U.S. Congressman and Assistant Secretary of War J. Mayhew Wainwright
Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright was a U.S. Representative from New York.Born in New York City, Wainwright was graduated from Columbia College and Columbia School of Political Science in 1884, and from Columbia Law School in 1886. He was admitted to the bar the same year and practiced in New York City...
(Class of 1884);
- U.S. Ambassador to Germany James W. Gerard
James Watson Gerard was a U.S. lawyer and diplomat.-Biography:Gerard was born in Geneseo, N. Y. He graduated from Columbia in 1890 and from New York Law School. He was chairman of the Democratic campaign committee of New York County for four years, and served as major of the National Guard of the...
(Class of 1890);
- Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The Mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
John Purroy MitchelJohn Purroy Mitchel was the mayor of New York from 1914 to 1917, and at age 34 the youngest ever; he was sometimes referred to as "The Boy Mayor of New York"...
(Class of 1899);
- New York Times editor and "Topics of the Times" essayist Simeon Strunsky
Simeon Strunsky, A.B. was a Jewish American essayist, born in Vitebsk, Russian Empire . He graduated from Columbia University in 1900...
(Class of 1900);
- Playwright George Middleton
George Middleton was an American playwright, director, and producer.-Career:He was famous for his plays The Failures and Adam and Eva...
(Class of 1902), president of the Dramatists Guild of AmericaThe 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 Members are playwrights who have had at least one play...
;
- Publisher Alfred Harcourt
Alfred Harcourt was an American Publisher, Compiler and Founder of Harcourt, Brace & Howe in 1919.Harcourt was born in New Paltz, New York to fruit farmer and attended New Paltz Normal School...
(Class of 1904), co-founder of Harcourt Brace;
- Shoe manufacturer Ward Melville
John Ward Melville was an American philanthropist, and businessman, born to Frank Melville, Jr. Ward Melville attended college at Columbia University, where he was active in the Columbia Daily Spectator and the Philolexian Society. Following graduation in 1909, Melville joined his father's shoe...
(Class of 1909);
- Governor of North Dakota
The Governor of North Dakota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The current Governor is John Hoeven. The Governor has the power to sign and veto laws, and to call the Legislative Assembly into emergency session. The Governor is also chairman of the North Dakota Industrial...
and U.S. Senator William LangerWilliam "Wild Bill" Langer was a prominent American politician from North Dakota. Langer is one of the most colorful characters in North Dakota history, most famously bouncing back from a scandal that forced him out of the governor's office and into prison. He served as the Governor of North...
(Class of 1910);
- Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in the wake of the American Revolution, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents...
president Dixon Ryan FoxDixon Ryan Fox was an American educator, researcher, and president of Union College from 1934-45.Fox graduated from New York University, where he was a member of the Andiron Club...
(Class of 1911);
- Political scientist Parker Thomas Moon
Parker Thomas Moon was a U.S. educator and political scientist, born in New York City, and educated at Columbia University, where he became assistant professor in 1919. In 1921, he became managing editor of the Political Science Quarterly....
(Class of 1913);
- Congressman Frederic René Coudert, Jr.
Frederic René Coudert Jr. ; born, died in New York City) was a Representative from New York.-Background:Coudert attended Browning and Morristown Schools in New York City, then graduated from Columbia University in 1918 and from its law school in 1922...
(Class of 1918);
- Western writer James Warner Bellah
James Warner Bellah was a well-known popular author from the 1930s to the 1950s. His pulp-fiction writings on cavalry and Indians were published in paperbacks or serialized in the Saturday Evening Post. Some of his short works were turned into movies by John Ford. These movies include Fort Apache,...
(Class of 1923);
- Oscar-winning screenwriter Sidney Buchman
Sidney Robert Buchman was a film writer and producer who worked on 38 films from the late 1920s to the early 1970s....
(Class of 1923);
- Writer Henry Morton Robinson
Henry Morton Robinson was an American novelist, best known for his 1950 novel The Cardinal, detailing the life of Stephen Fermoyle, a young American priest who eventually becomes a Prince of the Church...
(Class of 1923), author of The CardinalThe Cardinal is a 1963 film which was produced independently and directed by Otto Preminger, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel by Henry Morton Robinson. The film was shot on location in Boston, Rome and Vienna...
and co-author of A Skeleton Key to Finnegans WakeA Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake by mythologist Joseph Campbell and Henry Morton Robinson is a work of literary criticism. One of the first major texts to provide an in-depth analysis of Finnegans Wake , A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake is considered by many scholars to be a seminal work on the...
;
- Philanthropist Lawrence Wien
Lawrence Wien was an American lawyer, philanthropist and real estate owner.-Early life:Wien was born in Manhattan, New York City, and received his bachelors degree from Columbia College in 1925 and his law degree from Columbia Law School in 1927.-Career:Wien served as the Chairman of the Board of...
(Class of 1925);
- Science fiction anthologist Groff Conklin
Groff Conklin was a leading science fiction anthologist. Born Edward Groff Conklin, he edited 41 anthologies of science fiction, wrote books on home improvement and was a freelance writer on scientific subjects...
(Class of 1927);
- Oscar-winning screenwriter William Ludwig
William Ludwig was an Academy Award winning screenwriter. He won, with Sonya Levien, an Oscar for "Best Writing, Story and Screenplay" in 1956 for Interrupted Melody. Other notable works include the screenplay for the 1955 production of Oklahoma!....
(Class of 1932);
- City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
president Robert MarshakRobert Eugene Marshak was an American physicist dedicated to learning, research, and education.Marshak was born in the Bronx, New York City. His parents, Harry Marshak and Rose Marshak, were immigrants to New York from Minsk. He was educated at Columbia University.Marshak received his PhD from...
(Class of 1936), president of the American Physical SocietyThe American Physical Society was founded in 1899 and is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen science journals, including the world renowned Physical Review andPhysical Review Letters, and...
;
- John La Touche (Class of 1937), lyricist for Cabin in the Sky
Cabin in the Sky is an American musical with music by Vernon Duke, lyrics by John La Touche, and a musical book by Lynn Root. The musical premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 25, 1940. It closed on March 8, 1941 after a total of 156 performances...
and The Golden AppleThe Golden Apple is a musical adaptation of both the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, with music by Jerome Moross and lyrics by John Treville Latouche...
;
- Conservative author Ralph de Toledano
Ralph de Toledano was a major figure in the conservative movement in the United States throughout the second half of the 20th century.-Life:...
(Class of 1938);
- Minimalist poet Robert Lax
Robert Lax was an American poet, known in particular for his association with famed 20th century Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton. A third friend of his youth, whose work sheds light on both Lax and Merton, was Ad Reinhardt. During the latter period of his life, Lax resided on the island of...
(Class of 1938);
- Spiritual writer Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton was a 20th century American Catholic writer. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. He wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Merton was a keen...
(Class of 1938);
- English professor, and jazz and religion scholar Barry Ulanov
Barry Ulanov was an American writer.Ulanov's father was Nathan Ulanov, concertmaster in Arturo Toscanini's NBC Philharmonic. His father taught him violin, but after a car crash in which he broke both wrists, he ceased studying the instrument. He studied at Columbia University, taking his BA there...
(Class of 1939);
- East Asian scholar and Columbia University provost Wm. Theodore de Bary
William Theodore de Bary is an East Asian studies expert at Columbia University, with the title John Mitchell Mason Professor of the University and Provost Emeritus....
(Class of 1941);
- Oscar-winning screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond (Class of 1941);
- Holocaust author Gerald Green
Gerald Green was an American author, journalist, producer and director.-Biography:Green was born in Brooklyn, New York as Gerald Greenberg. He was the son of a physician, Dr. Samuel Greenberg....
(Class of 1942);
- Economist Robert Lekachman
Robert Lekachman was an economist known for his extensive advocacy of state intervention, and for a debating style characterized by slow, sing-song speech and circumlocution....
(Class of 1942);
- East Asian scholar Philip Yampolsky
Philip Boas Yampolsky was an eminent translator and scholar of Zen Buddhism and a former Director of the C. V. Starr East Asian Library of Columbia University...
(Class of 1942);
- New York Giants quarterback Paul Governali
Paul Vincent "Pitchin' Paul" Governali was a professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. An All-American at Columbia University, he was the 1942 recipient of the Maxwell Award for College Player of the Year and the first runner-up for the Heisman Trophy...
(Class of 1943);
- Grammy-winning record producer Orrin Keepnews
Orrin Keepnews is an American writer and jazz record producer.- Career :Keepnews graduated from Columbia with a degree in English in 1943...
(Class of 1943);
- Novelist Walter Wager
Walter Herman Wager was an American novelist.-Early life:He grew up in the East Tremont section of The Bronx, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants; his father, Max, was a doctor, and his mother, Jessie, was a nurse...
(Class of 1944);
- Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City....
-winning gerontologist Robert Neil ButlerRobert Neil Butler is a physician, gerontologist, psychiatrist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, who was the first director of the National Institute on Aging...
(Class of 1949);
- Publisher Jason Epstein
Jason Wolkow Epstein is an American editor and publisher.A 1949 graduate of Columbia College, Epstein was hired by Bennett Cerf at Random House, where he was the editorial director for forty years. He was responsible for the Vintage paperbacks, which published such authors as Norman Mailer,...
(Class of 1949);
- Poet John Hollander
John Hollander is an American poet and literary critic. As of 2007, he is Sterling Professor Emeritus of English at Yale University...
(Class of 1950);
- Columbia College Dean Carl Hovde
Carl Frederick Hovde was an American educator who from 1968 until 1972 was the Dean of Columbia College, the undergraduate division of Columbia University...
(1950);
- Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by Hungarian-American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City....
-winning poet and translator Richard HowardRichard Howard is a distinguished American poet, literary critic, essayist, teacher, and translator. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and is a graduate of Columbia University, where he now teaches. He lives in New York City....
(Class of 1951);
- Editor Robert Gottlieb
Robert Adams Gottlieb , an American writer and editor. From 1987 to 1992 he was the editor of The New Yorker.-Personal:Gottlieb is a graduate of Columbia University....
(Class of 1952);
- Actor Ben Stein
Benjamin Jeremy "Ben" Stein is an American actor, writer, and commentator on political and economic issues. He attained early success as a speechwriter for American presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Later he entered the entertainment field and became an actor, comedian, and Emmy...
(Class of 1966);
- Novelist and Academy Award-winning film producer Garth Stein
Garth Stein is an American author and film producer from Seattle, Washington.-Career:Stein earned a B.A. in 1987 from Columbia College of Columbia University and later received a Master of Fine Arts degree in film from the University's School of the Arts. Afterwards, Stein worked as a director,...
(Class of 1987);
- Lesbian writer and poet Carol Guess
Carol Guess is an American novelist and poet. Her family moved frequently during her childhood. Her father, Harry Guess, was a prominent epidemiologist. Her mother, Gerry Guess, is a homemaker and teacher. Guess attended Columbia University, majoring in English while studying ballet...
(Class of 1990);
- MTV
MTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
personality Gideon YagoGideon Yago is a writer and former correspondent for MTV News and CBS News though he is most recognized for his contributions to MTV.-Background:...
(Class of 2000).
Awards and Accomplishments
Philolexians have:
- Won:
- Four Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is...
- Three Pulitzer Prizes
- Two Grammy Awards
- One Emmy Award
The Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards , Grammy Awards and Tony Awards .They are presented in various...
- Included:
- Eight United States Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, commonly referred to as the "House," is the lower house of the bicameral United States Congress, the upper house being the United States Senate. The composition and powers of the House and the Senate are established in Article One of the Constitution...
- Eight college presidents
University president is the title of the highest ranking officer within the academic administration of a university, within university systems that prefer that appellation over other variations such as chancellor or rector...
- Five United States ambassadors
- Four governors
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
- Two United States Senators
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
- Two Mayors of New York City
- One Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
- Founded or co-founded:
- The Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
- Harcourt Brace
- Thom McAn Shoes
- The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs published in New York City. It takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
- Library of America
The Library of America is a nonprofit publisher of classic American literature.- Overview and history :Founded in 1979 with seed money from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation, the LoA has published nearly 200 volumes by a wide range of authors from Mark Twain to...
- Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers around New York City....
- The Century Association
The Century Association is a New York City club with a distinguished history.Established in 1847 as a club of "authors, artists, and amateurs of letters and the fine arts," the Century's early members included editor/poet William Cullen Bryant and painters Asher Durand, Winslow Homer, and John...
- Players' Club
- Been president of:
- New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society is an American organization located in New York City and dedicated to the preservation of the city's history. The society operates a museum and library at its current headquarters in Manhattan at the corner of 77th Street and Central Park West. The Society building...
- New York Chamber of Commerce
- New York Athletic Club
- National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine."The group holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code....
- Doubleday
- Authors' League of America
- American Physical Society
The American Physical Society was founded in 1899 and is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen science journals, including the world renowned Physical Review andPhysical Review Letters, and...
- American Mathematical Society
The American Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, which it does with various publications and conferences as well as annual monetary awards and prizes to mathematicians.The society is one of the...
- American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and teachers of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
- American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
- American Academy of Arts and Letters
- The Union League Club of New York
External links