The presence of literary societies at Erskine College is in no small way owing to the faculty that served at the school in its early years. When the Clark and Erskine Seminary became a four-year denominational college, Ebenezer Erskine Pressly was selected to preside over it. Pressly had participated in literary societies throughout his education. He attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1824, where he graduated after 2 years at the age of 18. There, Pressly was a member of the Erdelphian Literary Society. As such, when students proposed the notion to their faculty in 1839 they were generously supported. Erskine’s first literary society was created in November, 1839 by a small number of students. The Euphemian Literary Society was named after Reverend J.N. Young’s wife, Euphemia. The homage paid to Young’s wife was apt. The prefix “eu” means “good” in Greek, while the suffix “phemi” means “to speak”. The faculty sponsors furthermore advised the young orators on the operational components of a literary society so much so that the organizational structure of the society was virtually identical to the literary societies at Miami. Like literary societies at other schools, and the French salons that proceeded them, the Euphemians looked to Horace when they wrote their constitution. In the Ars Poetica, Horace promotes poetry as a vehicle that does not just delight but also one that serves to teach ethics. Thus, the preamble to the first Euphemian constitution reads: “For our mutual improvement in literature and for the cultivation of virtue and friendship.”
The Euphemian Literary Society experienced rapid growth, enlisting 30 students by the end of 1840. Yet, by 1842 a group students sought to further model Erskine after other colleges and the Philomathean literary society was formed. In 1842, it was agreed, with faculty support, that the presence of an additional literary society would benefit the development of students at Erskine. The split was undoubtedly a well conceived event. As R.H Grier described it, “on a beautiful night in the year 1842, there gathered on Erskine Campus under the star canopied sky a group of students. As they discussed the advisability of forming another literary society, the suggestion was made that the emblem of the new society be as star on which was inscribed the Greek letters A, A, S, E, S signifying Brotherhood, Virtue, Wisdom, Hope and Self Control. From this nucleus sprang the Philomathean Literary Society.” The Philomathean motto was adopted during these early meetings. “Tentare Est Valere”, or “To Try s to be Worthy”, and “Nil Desperendum”, or “Never Despair”, remain as the mission statement of the society today.
At first, the Philomathean’s and Euphemian’s shared the main hall of the college. Each maintained their own library, and by 1912 the Philomathean library held over 3000 volumes. Indeed, libraries were not the only benefit the societies contributed to the young college. The curriculum at Erskine did not include a course on English Literature until 1886, after all. A number of prominent speakers were brought to Erskine as guests of the societies, including Benjamin Franklin Perry, James Lawrence Orr, and Benjamin M. Palmer. Every Friday, meetings were held. The afternoon was used for declamations, while the evening was reserved for debates. Topics were more related to practical matters such as politics and law than would have been discussed in the classroom. As such, students found room to practice skills they would use professionally, in law, seminary work, or even business, that they did not have the opportunity to exercise in class. The societies joined together to publish the Erskine Collegiate Recorder between 1854 and 1861.
The societies took on the role of organizing social events during the 1850′s. The addition of social gatherings was both a necessity and a natural outgrowth of the bonding that took place in each group. Erskine had banned the Greek letter organizations that existed at other colleges which performed the sole function of organizing parties, dances, and soirees. One such group, Sigma Chi, emerged as a clandestine organization at Erskine in the 1850′s but was soon put to rest. At first, the debates and declamations themselves became public gatherings. Eventually, as the interest of young college attendees shifted to sports, the role of the societies shifted to include dances and eventually community involvement. The Junior Exhibitions and the summer commencement orations offered Erskine’s men a chance to mingle with the young women of the neighbouring Women’s College of Due West.
The Philomathean Literary Society received its charter in 1852 following one of the college’s most tragic events. In 1844, the Philomatheans hosted the Euphemians during the selection of a commencement orator in their hall. The debate turned sour when Samuel Miller took offense to the comments of Peter K. Thompson. Miller was outraged and after the debate was adjourned the two exchanged hostile words. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation that ended when Miller repeatedly stabbed Thompson. Thompson was struck in the heart and was killed. The faculty issued a formal explanation to the press. Miller was arrested and served 12 months in prison and was fined $1000. As such, the chartering of the two societies was as much benefit to the longevity of the organizations as it was designed to instill a sense of solemn responsibility in their membership.
The construction of the Philomathean Hall in 1859 indicated the culmination of an era for the society. The Euphemians managed to construct their hall prior to the Philomatheans with the financial backing of one of their members. The Philomatheans took a different route and 15 of their members pledge their bond to secure Thomas Veal as architect. The Hall was open by 1859 and W. W. East, editor of the Yorkville Enquirer, and Dr. JC Maxwell of Newberry spoke at its dedication during the commencement ceremony of 1860. The 15 financial backers found themselves in near poverty after the Civil War but nonetheless promptly paid the contractor. Among the backers were Dr. J.I. Bonner, Dr. J.L. Miller, Captain R.L. Sharp, Robert Ellis, Robert Hadden, S.R. Brownlee and Rev. J.N. Young. Each of the 15 men gave an estimated $100. By 1912, the Euphemian Hall was in such a state of disrepair that had to be torn down. The original Philomathean Hall stands today as the oldest building on the Erskine campus.
Erskine was one of the largest colleges in South Carolina in 1860. With over 120 students it was larger than Furman and Wofford. Only South Carolina College was larger with 184 students. The Civil War brought an end to Erskine’s early prosperity. 36 of 244 graduates, not including the class of 1861, died as a result of the war. Many of those who survived returned to the college severely wounded. The enrolment after the War was too low for the societies to operate independently and they briefly joined as the Adelphian Society. Meetings alternated between the Euphemian and Philomathean Halls until 1867, when the student body was again large enough to warrant separate operations. Yet, the societies had difficulty reasserting their importance until at least 1915. In the absence of the societies’ dominance on the Erskine Campus, the college was fraught with disciplinary issues. Pranks and hazings became a concern for administrators. The “Dinky”, a little engine that ran Due West’s four mile track, was frequently set to run on its own by pranksters who tied down the whistle and throttle causing noise throughout the evenings. Hazings had become common at many colleges, but subsided at Erskine after several students were dismissed. An investigation into dormitory rowdiness led to “the shipping of 1918”. All 12 students involved were suspended for the remainder of the year and all but one for the following 1918-19 session.
The societies experienced a revival around 1915, due to the State Oratorical contest and the inauguration of the Darlington Cup. Euphemian Hall was reconstructed. As well, with the assistance of Darlington, the Philomathean Hall was renovated. The society procured an Italian painter who redid the interior in gold, purple and scarlet resembling a jewelry box. The old library was remodeled to provide offices for the president and his staff in 1921. Yet, by 1925, the society again experienced a dearth of students and night meetings were ended.
Not until the 1930′s did the societies once again resume their rivalries. The societies for men were joined by the Castalian and Amelian socities on the women’s campus. Athletic competition as well as debates for the Darlington Cup divided the campus into partisan factions. From 1922 until 1938, the Cup was won 17 times by the Philomatheans and 9 times by the Euphemeans. The competition between the two societies allowed them to hone their abilities for State level competition. As a result, the State Oratorical trophy was won by Erskine 8 times between 1929 and 1936. Five of these victories were owing to the efforts of Philomatheans. In 1937, the Erskine Catalogue compared the importance of the societies to the college itself, stating, “the college is the department of Impression, the Literary Society of Expression.”
The faculty, however, maintained a direct hand in the organization of the societies which was not relaxed until the 1940s. For instance, until 1937, membership in one of the societies was compulsory. As the faculty pulled back, interest in the societies revived. Soon the community and social service components of the societies flourished. Arbour day projects were launched such as Adopt-A-Highway. Dances were organized by at least the 1960s. The Philomatheans held an annual “Gay 90s” dance until at least the 1990s that commemorated the enthusiasm and optimism of the South following the Reconstruction period of the 1890s. In 1979, the first Philomathean Fall Formal was organized by third generation Philomathean and past president Rick Beard. Other events such as water skiing, dancing, and cook outs became common place.