Philoclean Society

Before fraternities, publications, and other extracurricular activities became common, these groups—which generally bore Greek or Latin names—were the sole source of undergraduate social life.

The Philoclean Society of Rutgers College was founded December 8, 1825, under the auspices of William Craig Brownlee, a professor of Greek and Roman languages.

Thus, Philoclean's charter membership was of necessity drawn from the junior and sophomore classes which instituted a significant rivalry between the two societies, known as ‘’Philo’’ and ‘’Peitho’’ to students and alumni.

Honorary members leading historical, political, and literary figures of the nineteenth century, including most notably James Buchanan, Mark Twain, Fitz-Greene Halleck, Thomas Alva Edison, and Frederick T.

[2] However, In 1879, when American humorist and author Mark Twain was invited, and accepted honorary membership in the Philoclean Society, he did not render the customary monetary donation.

In the nineteenth century, Van Nest Hall housed the meeting rooms and libraries of the college's two rival literary and debating societies, Philoclean and Peithessophian.