The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies
Encyclopedia
The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, commonly known as Di-Phi, are the debate and literary societies
of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
One month after the founding of the Debating Society, the Philanthropic Society (originally known as the Concord Society) split off due to strict rules and political disagreements. It took a new motto, "Virtus, Libertas, et Scientia", with the addition of the word Libertas lending some insight into the reasons for splitting. In 1796 the two societies adopted the Greek equivalents of their names, becoming the Dialectic Society and the Philanthropic Society , known as the Di and the Phi for short. Due to the common use of the shortened form, "Philanthropic" is properly pronounced with a long "i" in the first syllable.
In the early days of the University, students were required to join one of the two societies, and the rivalry between the two was extremely bitter. Society members would ride out on horses to greet incoming students, attempting to recruit them and dissuade them from joining the other society. According to legend, this rivalry eventually led to dueling. The university administration eventually intervened and changed the societies' official rules, making membership based upon geography with the Phi members coming from the eastern part of the state and the Di members from the western part (see below for a detailed description of this arrangement). Now together in a Joint Senate, the societies still maintain the rivalry in a much more congenial way.
Shortly after the societies split, they each took a color. The Dialectic Society took a light blue, today known as Carolina blue
, while members of the Philanthropic Society took white. Following a football game against the University of Virginia
, in which UVA students displayed orange and blue pennants, the Societies' colors were adopted as the University's official colors.
Throughout the 19th century, the two societies engaged in an intense rivalry with each other for campus supremacy. The Societies trained students in speaking. And, in the thirty years before the Civil War, they also invited distinguished speakers (often alumni) to address the school at graduation. The addresses, which were multi-day graduation exercises, brought politicians, lawyers, physicians, and others to campus. One of the most important graduation speeches came from North Carolina Supreme Court Justice William Gaston
in 1832, in which he urged the end of slavery.
It became the tradition of the societies to handle the funeral expenses of members who died while attending the University, and several members are now buried in the Societies' adjoining plots in the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery
.
The Dialectic Society Chamber is located on the 3rd floor of New West Hall and the Philanthropic Society Chamber is located on the 4th floor of New East Hall. At one time, each Society's library was located on these floors with their meeting room (or the odeon) on the floor below.
The Societies suffered a steady decline membership after the University ended the requirement that all undergraduate students be a member of one of the two societies. In addition, in 1904, the University established an independent student government, thus taking away a large amount of the power wielded by the Societies. By 1946, the last vestige of general student governmental power had been given over to the new Student Congress. By 1959, the Societies had joined together as a Joint Senate for the purposes of preserving their membership rolls.
The Societies still meet together as the Joint Senate with the members of the Phi Society sitting on the north side of the former Di chamber and members of the Di sitting on the south side of the chamber. Each society is responsible for putting forward a slate of candidates for Joint Senate officers. These officers include the President of the Joint Senate, President Pro-Tempore, Critic, Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Historian.
Determining Society The society a student petitions is determined by their county of origin. If the student is from North Carolina
, to the east of Orange County
, they will petition the Philanthropic Society. If they are from North Carolina, to the west of Orange County, they will petition the Dialectic Society. If the student comes from Orange County, or is from another state or country entirely, they may choose their society.
Eligibility To become eligible, a student must attend three meetings and must speak at least twice.
Sponsorship At this time, they may ask any senator in the society they intend to join to act as their sponsor. A sponsor takes on the duty of teaching the petitioner about the history and function of the societies.
Petitioning Speech The petitioner must then deliver a petitioning speech on a topic of their choosing, and field questions from the joint senate. Questions may challenge the petitioner to defend claims they have made in their speech. They also test the petitioner's knowledge of Di-Phi history and constitution, as well as trivia. They may also be humorous and challenge the petitioner to think on their feet. After the speech is completed, the petitioner leaves the room. All visitors are also asked to leave, and the chambers are sealed. Thus, the decision process is known only to active senators. The candidate is informed of the joint senate's decision within a week of the petition, through a letter delivered in person by the clerk of the joint senate with the sponsor at a place of historical importance to the Societies.
Induction The induction takes place at a later time. This is done during meetings, following the evening's program. Again, visitors are asked to leave, and the chambers are sealed while the secret ritual is carried out.
In addition, the Societies hold a number of pieces of mid-19th Century furniture in both chambers, some of which are pieces known to have been made by the famed free black furniture-maker Thomas Day
. The remainder of the pieces are likely the work of a similar furniture-maker.
and adhere to a modified Robert's Rules of Order
. Resolutions are drafted in advance. For each debate, four members are scheduled as speakers: a primary affirmative and primary negative, who are both given seven minutes to deliver a speech, and a secondary affirmative and secondary negative, who are both given five minutes to speak. After delivering a speech, speakers must field queries from fellow senators and guests.
After the four scheduled speakers have finished, the President recognizes speakers from the floor. Speakers from the floor may be members or guests. When time has elapsed for debate, the Societies hold two votes. The first is open to anyone in the chamber while the second is open only to active senators. Anyone may abstain from voting, although this is lightheartedly frowned upon and is usually met with hisses and jeers. The result of the vote is entered into the Societies' archives.
Business of the Societies follows the program, Old and then New. Reports of Officers are made at this time.
The most popular part of the meeting is known as PPMA: Papers, Petitions, Memorials, and Addresses. Historically, they are assigned by class, with freshman presenting Papers, sophomore Petitions, and so forth; however, anyone is free to speak on any topic. Since this portion of the evening often has the most speakers, time limits are generally kept at five minutes; decorum suggests the speaker requests an extension before beginning to speak. There are no time limits for Memorials.
The Report of the Critic concludes the meeting; members and interested guests then adjourn to the top floor of New East for light refreshment and to foster the "bonds of amity."
Literary society
A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of literature or a specific writer. Modern literary societies typically promote research about their chosen author or genre, publish newsletters, and hold...
of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
History
The Dialectic Society (originally known as the Debating Society) was established in 1795, making Di-Phi the oldest student organization at the University of North Carolina. They adopted the motto "Virtus et Scientia." The members stated as their goals: "...to promote useful Knowledge..." and "...to cultivate a lasting Friendship with each other..." It is significant that the first order of business for the Debating Society was an order for the purchase of books. Indeed, as the University had no library, the Debating Society's collection became the primary resource for the University, later becoming the core of the school's library.One month after the founding of the Debating Society, the Philanthropic Society (originally known as the Concord Society) split off due to strict rules and political disagreements. It took a new motto, "Virtus, Libertas, et Scientia", with the addition of the word Libertas lending some insight into the reasons for splitting. In 1796 the two societies adopted the Greek equivalents of their names, becoming the Dialectic Society and the Philanthropic Society , known as the Di and the Phi for short. Due to the common use of the shortened form, "Philanthropic" is properly pronounced with a long "i" in the first syllable.
In the early days of the University, students were required to join one of the two societies, and the rivalry between the two was extremely bitter. Society members would ride out on horses to greet incoming students, attempting to recruit them and dissuade them from joining the other society. According to legend, this rivalry eventually led to dueling. The university administration eventually intervened and changed the societies' official rules, making membership based upon geography with the Phi members coming from the eastern part of the state and the Di members from the western part (see below for a detailed description of this arrangement). Now together in a Joint Senate, the societies still maintain the rivalry in a much more congenial way.
Shortly after the societies split, they each took a color. The Dialectic Society took a light blue, today known as Carolina blue
Carolina blue
Carolina blue is the shade of blue used as one of the official school colors of the University of North Carolina. The name is derived from the popular usage of "Carolina" to refer to the university...
, while members of the Philanthropic Society took white. Following a football game against the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, in which UVA students displayed orange and blue pennants, the Societies' colors were adopted as the University's official colors.
Throughout the 19th century, the two societies engaged in an intense rivalry with each other for campus supremacy. The Societies trained students in speaking. And, in the thirty years before the Civil War, they also invited distinguished speakers (often alumni) to address the school at graduation. The addresses, which were multi-day graduation exercises, brought politicians, lawyers, physicians, and others to campus. One of the most important graduation speeches came from North Carolina Supreme Court Justice William Gaston
William Gaston
William J. Gaston was a jurist and United States Representative from North Carolina. Gaston was born in New Bern, North Carolina, the son of Dr. Alexander Gaston and Margaret Gaston. He entered Georgetown College in Washington, D.C., at the age of thirteen, becoming its first student...
in 1832, in which he urged the end of slavery.
It became the tradition of the societies to handle the funeral expenses of members who died while attending the University, and several members are now buried in the Societies' adjoining plots in the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery
Old Chapel Hill Cemetery
Old Chapel Hill Cemetery is a graveyard located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.-History:...
.
The Dialectic Society Chamber is located on the 3rd floor of New West Hall and the Philanthropic Society Chamber is located on the 4th floor of New East Hall. At one time, each Society's library was located on these floors with their meeting room (or the odeon) on the floor below.
The Societies suffered a steady decline membership after the University ended the requirement that all undergraduate students be a member of one of the two societies. In addition, in 1904, the University established an independent student government, thus taking away a large amount of the power wielded by the Societies. By 1946, the last vestige of general student governmental power had been given over to the new Student Congress. By 1959, the Societies had joined together as a Joint Senate for the purposes of preserving their membership rolls.
The Societies still meet together as the Joint Senate with the members of the Phi Society sitting on the north side of the former Di chamber and members of the Di sitting on the south side of the chamber. Each society is responsible for putting forward a slate of candidates for Joint Senate officers. These officers include the President of the Joint Senate, President Pro-Tempore, Critic, Clerk, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Historian.
Membership
Membership in the societies is open to all UNC students. Students become senators by petitioning either the Dialectic or Philanthropic Society.Determining Society The society a student petitions is determined by their county of origin. If the student is from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, to the east of Orange County
Orange County, North Carolina
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,801. Its county seat is Hillsborough...
, they will petition the Philanthropic Society. If they are from North Carolina, to the west of Orange County, they will petition the Dialectic Society. If the student comes from Orange County, or is from another state or country entirely, they may choose their society.
Eligibility To become eligible, a student must attend three meetings and must speak at least twice.
Sponsorship At this time, they may ask any senator in the society they intend to join to act as their sponsor. A sponsor takes on the duty of teaching the petitioner about the history and function of the societies.
Petitioning Speech The petitioner must then deliver a petitioning speech on a topic of their choosing, and field questions from the joint senate. Questions may challenge the petitioner to defend claims they have made in their speech. They also test the petitioner's knowledge of Di-Phi history and constitution, as well as trivia. They may also be humorous and challenge the petitioner to think on their feet. After the speech is completed, the petitioner leaves the room. All visitors are also asked to leave, and the chambers are sealed. Thus, the decision process is known only to active senators. The candidate is informed of the joint senate's decision within a week of the petition, through a letter delivered in person by the clerk of the joint senate with the sponsor at a place of historical importance to the Societies.
Induction The induction takes place at a later time. This is done during meetings, following the evening's program. Again, visitors are asked to leave, and the chambers are sealed while the secret ritual is carried out.
Portraiture & Furniture
The Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies Foundation holds one of the largest privately-held portrait collections in the United States, composed mainly of 19th- and early 20th-Century portraits of prominent former members, many of whom held positions of power in the State of North Carolina. It is believed that the Foundation has either the largest or second largest collection of William Garl Browne portraits in the world.In addition, the Societies hold a number of pieces of mid-19th Century furniture in both chambers, some of which are pieces known to have been made by the famed free black furniture-maker Thomas Day
Thomas Day (North Carolina)
Thomas Day was a free black American furniture designer and cabinetmaker in Caswell County, North Carolina. Day's furniture-making business became one of the largest of its kind in North Carolina, employing at one point up to twelve workers, and distributing furniture to wealthier customers...
. The remainder of the pieces are likely the work of a similar furniture-maker.
Programs
The Societies meet every Monday night at 7:30 on the top floor of New West while classes are in session. Meetings are held in the Dialectic Society Chamber, on the 3rd floor of New West, an academic building near the center of campus. Debates are held under the guidelines of parliamentary procedureParliamentary procedure
Parliamentary procedure is the body of rules, ethics, and customs governing meetings and other operations of clubs, organizations, legislative bodies, and other deliberative assemblies...
and adhere to a modified Robert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order
Robert's Rules of Order is the short title of a book containing rules of order intended to be adopted as a parliamentary authority for use by a deliberative assembly written by Brig. Gen...
. Resolutions are drafted in advance. For each debate, four members are scheduled as speakers: a primary affirmative and primary negative, who are both given seven minutes to deliver a speech, and a secondary affirmative and secondary negative, who are both given five minutes to speak. After delivering a speech, speakers must field queries from fellow senators and guests.
After the four scheduled speakers have finished, the President recognizes speakers from the floor. Speakers from the floor may be members or guests. When time has elapsed for debate, the Societies hold two votes. The first is open to anyone in the chamber while the second is open only to active senators. Anyone may abstain from voting, although this is lightheartedly frowned upon and is usually met with hisses and jeers. The result of the vote is entered into the Societies' archives.
Business of the Societies follows the program, Old and then New. Reports of Officers are made at this time.
The most popular part of the meeting is known as PPMA: Papers, Petitions, Memorials, and Addresses. Historically, they are assigned by class, with freshman presenting Papers, sophomore Petitions, and so forth; however, anyone is free to speak on any topic. Since this portion of the evening often has the most speakers, time limits are generally kept at five minutes; decorum suggests the speaker requests an extension before beginning to speak. There are no time limits for Memorials.
The Report of the Critic concludes the meeting; members and interested guests then adjourn to the top floor of New East for light refreshment and to foster the "bonds of amity."
Dialectic Society
- James K. PolkJames K. PolkJames Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
, President of the United States - Thomas WolfeThomas WolfeThomas Clayton Wolfe was a major American novelist of the early 20th century.Wolfe wrote four lengthy novels, plus many short stories, dramatic works and novellas. He is known for mixing highly original, poetic, rhapsodic, and impressionistic prose with autobiographical writing...
, Novelist - Sam ErvinSam ErvinSamuel James "Sam" Ervin Jr. was a Democratic Senator from North Carolina from 1954 until 1974. A native of Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina, he liked to call himself a "country lawyer", and often told humorous stories in his Southern drawl...
, U.S. Senator - Marion ButlerMarion ButlerMarion Butler was a Populist U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina between 1895 and 1901.-Early life:Butler was born in rural Sampson County, North Carolina during the American Civil War. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina, where he was a member of the Philanthropic...
, U.S. Senator - William Alexander GrahamWilliam Alexander GrahamWilliam Alexander Graham was a United States Senator from North Carolina from 1840 to 1843, the 30th Governor of North Carolina from 1845 to 1849 and United States Secretary of the Navy from 1850 to 1852. He was also a candidate for the vice-presidency in 1852.-Education:Graham was born near...
, U.S. Senator, Governor of North Carolina, Secretary of the Navy - Zebulon Vance, U.S. Senator, Governor of North Carolina
- John Motley MoreheadJohn Motley MoreheadJohn Motley Morehead was the 29th Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1841 to 1845. He is known as "the Father of Modern North Carolina."...
, Governor of North Carolina - Tod Robinson CaldwellTod Robinson CaldwellTod Robinson Caldwell was a lawyer and the 41st Governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1871 to 1874.He was born in Morganton, North Carolina...
, Governor of North Carolina - O. Max Gardner, Governor of North Carolina
- Henry T. Clark, Governor of North Carolina
- John Sanders, Author of Current North Carolina Constitution
- Wayne GoodwinWayne GoodwinGeorge Wayne Goodwin was elected North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance in the 2008 election. Goodwin previously served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's sixty-eighth House district, including constituents in Richmond and Stanly counties...
, Commissioner of Insurance for State of North Carolina and former legislator
Philanthropic Society
- William R. KingWilliam R. KingWilliam Rufus DeVane King was the 13th Vice President of the United States for about six weeks , and earlier a U.S. Representative from North Carolina, Minister to France, and a Senator from Alabama...
, Vice President of the United States, U.S. Senator (Alabama) - Thomas Hart Benton, U.S. Senator (Missouri)
- John C.B. EhringhausJohn C.B. EhringhausJohn Christoph Blucher Ehringhaus was the Governor of North Carolina from 1933 to 1937.-Biography:He was born on February 5, 1882....
, Governor of North Carolina - William B. UmsteadWilliam B. UmsteadWilliam Bradley Umstead was an American Senator and the 63rd Governor of the state of North Carolina from 1953 to 1954.-Biography:Umstead was born in the northern Durham County town of Bahama in 1895...
, Governor of North Carolina, U.S. Senator - Charles B. Aycock, Governor of North Carolina
- Johnston BlakeleyJohnston BlakeleyJohnston Blakeley also spelled Johnston Blakely was an officer in the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. He is considered to be the most successful American naval officer of that period....
, Naval Hero of the War of 1812 - James C. DobbinJames C. DobbinJames Cochran Dobbin was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer who served as United States Secretary of the Navy from 1853 to 1857....
, Secretary of the Navy - John Y. MasonJohn Y. MasonJohn Young Mason was an American politician, diplomat, and United States federal judge.-Early life, education, and career:...
, Secretary of the Navy - Paul Green, Pulitzer Prize winning Playwright
- J. Johnston PettigrewJ. Johnston PettigrewJames Johnston Pettigrew was an author, lawyer, linguist, diplomat, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...
, Confederate General - Elisha MitchellElisha MitchellElisha Mitchell was born in Washington, Connecticut. As a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in 1835, he measured the height of Mt. Mitchell. Mt. Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. It is located in North Carolina and is 6,684 feet high...
, cartographer of Mt. Mitchell - Caleb BradhamCaleb BradhamCaleb Davis Bradham invented the soft drink Pepsi-Cola. He was a pharmacist, born in Chinquapin, Duplin County, North Carolina, May 27, 1867...
, Inventor of Pepsi Cola - David PriceDavid Price (American politician)David Eugene Price is a professor and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997 and previously from 1987 to 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, U.S. Congressman
Joint Senate Leadership
- Joint Senate President: Emma Pham, Philanthropic Society
- President Pro Tempore: Leo Lopez, Dialectic Society
- Critic: Alex Blomme, Dialectic Society
- Clerk: Chester Bissell, Dialectic Society
- Treasurer: Christopher Phillips, Philanthropic Society
- Sergeant-at-Arms: Hannah Chacon, Dialectic Society
- Historian: Stephanie Tolar, Philanthropic Society
Individual Societies
- Dialectic Society President: Steve Burges
- Philanthropic Society President: Tim Longest
Other Historic Societies
- The Philolexian SocietyPhilolexian SocietyThe Philolexian Society of Columbia University is one of the oldest college literary societies in the United States, and the oldest student group at Columbia...
of Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the... - The Philomathean SocietyPhilomathean SocietyThe Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania is a collegiate literary society, the oldest student group at the university, and a claimant to the title of the oldest continuously-existing literary society in the United States.This claim is disputed between the Philomathean Society and...
of the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution... - The American Whig-Cliosophic SocietyAmerican 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...
of Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution.... - The Philodemic SocietyPhilodemic SocietyThe Philodemic Society is a student debating organization at Georgetown University. It was founded in 1830 by Father James Ryder, S.J., 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 is the oldest...
of Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States... - The Jefferson Literary and Debating SocietyJefferson 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....
of the University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson... - The Union-Philanthropic (Literary) Society of Hampden-Sydney CollegeHampden-Sydney CollegeHampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
- The Demosthenian Literary SocietyDemosthenian Literary SocietyThe Demosthenian Literary Society is a debating society at The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. It was founded in 1803 by the first graduating class of the University's Franklin College. The society was founded on February 19, 1803 and the anniversary is celebrated now with the Society's...
of the University of GeorgiaUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in AthensAthens, GeorgiaAthens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...