The Student’s Voice: Literary Societies at Vanderbilt

During this decade, student literary societies flourished. The Philosophic and Dialectic Literary Societies hosted debates about pertinent social and political issues to increase campus awareness of the world. These societies had similar characteristics to other social organizations: members paid dues, had access to unique spaces, and faced demerits for unsatisfactory behavior. As the decade progressed, a tension emerged – faculty wanted the societies to focus on academic matters while students wished to highlight social engagement. In 1906, students founded the Calumet Club out of a belief the literary societies had forgotten their true purpose of preparing educated men. Later in the decade, students founded other social clubs, such as the Wizacre Club, the Owls, and the Gas and Electric Club.