The Enosinian Society is a debate and literary society founded in 1822 during the first semester of the

Columbian College The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a private federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress and is the first un ...

. Its full name is The George Washington University Debate & Literary Society. It is the oldest student society at the university and its members remain dedicated to the society's founding purpose of "improving ourselves in knowledge, eloquence, and every accomplishment by which we may be the better prepared for any station in life."

History

The Enosinian Society was formed on March 6, 1822, during the first semester of the

. Its fifteen charter members created the group as a debating society. A constitution was drafted and the society adopted the name of the Enosinian. The original society met at Enosinian Hall, located on the fourth floor of the Columbian College's main building at College Hill, D.C. The society's first formal event was the celebration of Independence Day on July 4, 1822. In the fall of 1822, the Enosinian Society established its library and reading room within the college's main library. The emblem of the society was adopted in 1824, and a banner was gifted to the society by the ladies of Washington, which remained in the society's hall until the sale of the College Hill campus in the 1870s. The

Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

visited Columbian College on December 13, 1824, and was greeted by the members of the Enosinian Society, who tended to Lafayette throughout his visit to the college. In return, Lafayette and his son agreed to be inducted as the first honorary members of the Enosinian Society. A bust was placed in the original Enosinian Hall in his honor and a debate tradition known as the "Lafayette Debates" was established. In 1827, The Columbian College suspended operations due to financial issues, and consequently, the society suspended its operations. With the reopening of the college in 1829, students gathered to reorganize the society; however, regular meetings and debates did not resume until 1833. In 1838, the society established the ''Enosinian Bee'', a weekly newspaper publishing the work of society members. It also published essays and pamphlets. By 1856, the society's library included some 2,000 volumes, mostly about history and philosophy. The society has suspended operations several times throughout its history. Operations were disbanded during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

due to low enrollment in the College after many students left to fight in the conflict. By its 80th anniversary in 1902, the society was coeducational. However, by 1915, the society had again been inactive for several years.

George Washington University

After the Columbian College changed its name to The George Washington University, the Enosinian Society reformed, eventually becoming the George Washington University Debate Team. The society celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1922. Later, it changed its name to The George Washington University Debate & Literary Society, to be more easily recognizable at public events and intercollegiate debate tournaments. Its mission is "improving ourselves in knowledge, eloquence and every accomplishment by which we may be the better prepared for any station in life." In addition to the GWU Debate & Literary Society carrying on the society's intellectual traditions, and the Enosinian Society being retained as the name of the GWU Debate & Literary Society alumni group and newsletter, the Enosinian name has been adopted by several student organizations that have emerged and died out since 2000 as well as the GWU Enosinian Scholars Program.

Symbols

The society's name comes from the Greek word meaning "to shake" or "to contend". Its ribbon is blue and its badge is gold. The GWU Debate & Literary Society currently publishes an annual newsletter entitled, the ''Enosinian Bee''.

Activities

In 2013, the GWU Debate & Literary Society revived the Lafayette Debates tradition in partnership with the Embassy of France to the United States to create one of the most prestigious international civic debating competitions hosted in the United States.

Notable members

* Walker Brooke (Class of 1831),

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

from Mississippi *

Christopher Pearse Cranch Christopher Pearse Cranch (March 8, 1813 – January 20, 1892) was an American writer and artist often associated with Transcendentalism and the Hudson River School. Biography Cranch was born March 8, 1813, in Alexandria, Virginia.Richardson, To ...

, writer and artist *

William Carey Crane William Carey Crane (March 17, 1816 – February 27, 1885) was an American Baptist minister, an educator, and the president of Baylor University from 1864 to 1885.Samuel Boykin, ''History of the Baptist Denomination in Georgia - Vol. 2 of 2'', The ...

(Class of 1836), former president of

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Elliott Coues Elliott Ladd Coues (; September 9, 1842 – December 25, 1899) was an American army surgeon, historian, ornithologist, and author. He led surveys of the Arizona Territory, and later as secretary of the United States Geological and Geographi ...

(Class of 1859), noted surgeon, historian,

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, and author *

Thomas D. Eliot Thomas Dawes Eliot (March 20, 1808 – June 14, 1870) was an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. He was a member of the prominent Eliot family. Life and career Eliot was born ...

(Class of 1825),

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from Massachusetts *

William Greenleaf Eliot William Greenleaf Eliot (August 5, 1811 – January 23, 1887) was an American educator, Unitarian minister, and civic leader in Missouri. He is most notable for founding Washington University in St. Louis, and also contributed to the foundin ...

(Class of 1829), founder of

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* Howard Lincoln Hodgkins (Class of 1881), dean and ad interim

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of George Washington University * John D. Kerfoot (Class of 185x ?), mayor of

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

* Henry May (Class of 1832), former

from Maryland *

William D. Porter William David Porter (10 March 1808 – 1 May 1864) was a flag officer of the United States Navy. He was the son of Commodore David Porter (1780–1843) and brother of Admiral David Dixon Porter (1813–1891) as well as foster brother of Ad ...

(Class of 1825), Commodore, U.S Navy *

Syngman Rhee Syngman Rhee (; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965), also known by his art name Unam (), was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960. Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisiona ...

(Class of 1907), President of South Korea from 1948 to 1960 * Baron Stow (Class of 1825), writer, editor, and influential

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

reverend *

Richard Wallach Richard Wallach (April 3, 1816 – March 4, 1881) was an American politician who served as the nineteenth and first Republican Mayor of Washington, D.C. History Wallach was born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1816, when it was still part of the D ...

(Class of 1829), first Republican mayor of

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Honorary members

John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was the sixth president of the United States, serving from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States secretary of state from 1817 to 1825. During his long diploma ...

, President of the United States *

William Cullen Bryant William Cullen Bryant (November 3, 1794 – June 12, 1878) was an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the '' New York Evening Post''. Born in Massachusetts, he started his career as a lawyer but showed an interest in poe ...

, poet, author of "

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" *

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, and

from South Carolina *

Henry Clay Henry Clay (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...

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, and

from Kentucky *

Edward Everett Hale Edward Everett Hale (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian, and Unitarian minister, best known for his writings such as " The Man Without a Country", published in ''Atlantic Monthly'', in support of the Union ...

, historian and Unitarian minister * Robert Y. Hane,

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, and as

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Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy ...

, author of "

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" and "

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" * George Washington Lafayette, son of

, Revolutionary War hero and friend of

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, President of the United States *

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and

from Massachusetts *

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, author

References

External links

* {{Authority control Organizations established in 1822 George Washington University College literary societies in the United States 1822 establishments in the United States Student organizations established in 1822