Page 149 - YB1902

philomathean Literary Society. ,.,.,. HIS year witnesses the twentieth year of the existence of the Philo- matbcan Society, its birth dating from January 12, 1882, when thirteen young ladies. who bad been members of the Browning Society, decided to found a new society. The name Philoma thean which they agreed to give to it is seen to have been well applied, for Philo's members are indeed enthusiastic and ardent in their pursuits of learning, and they are unusually discriminating in singling out and selecting for their attention and conaidersttion the choicest bits from the choice. The motto is "Vestigia nulla retrorsum." Tt were, indeed, a lack of wisdom to retrace footsteps leading to sublime heights such as Philo's attainments have reached. The Philomathean is the youngest society in college, yet her attain. meuts are certainly equal to those of societies of earlier births, if not sur- passing them. Every year many new students obtain admission to mem- 'bership, This year twenty-four of the new girls joined. Every meeting is attended by literary exercises which have received careful preparation. One of the most intensely interesting features of these exercises is a debate generally of some worthy question of the day. Our library consists of a collection of standard books. To increase our knowl- edge of popular topics 'INC subscribe to many of the best magazines of the clay. \Ve appear in public twice every year, at the occasion of our armi- versary entertainment, ancl at the oratorical contest held between the young ladies' societies during commencement weck for the trophy presented by Professor Newell in 1888, Nine times out of fourteen the Pluloma thean contestants have stepped off the rostrum victorious. Among the numerous influences which have conspired to make our society great is the earnestness of our members. May success always in the future as in the past crown her worthy efforts. 127