Philomathesian Society of Middlebury College

The Philomathesian Society was a debate society founded at Middlebury College that became a staple of college life in the early part of the 19th century.

While the exact date of the organization’s founding is unknown, it began meeting sometime during the 1802-1803 school year and thrived through the first part of the 19th century, before eventually collapsing in 1868. The Philomathesian Society was a non-discriminatory group that met every Wednesday night to debate many of the same questions that plague our society in the 21st century. One of the most important aspects of the Philomathesian Society was its extensive library that was considered far superior to the actual College’s library.

Much of what we know about the Philomathesian society is derived from the extensive records that the group kept at each of its weekly meetings. Every question ever debated in the Philomathesian Society is chronicled in these volumes. Analyzing these issues, along with the number of members who agreed and/or disagreed with the resolution, provides us with a good view of the society’s views towards slavery, religion, and other important subjects of the era. Membership reached a peak in the 1830’s when the society decided to publish a literary magazine called “The Philomathesian.” This venture, however, quickly disbanded due to lack of funding as the society decided to refocus on its original purpose of oral debates.