page_title: Philomathean Society
section_title: Membership
hierarchical_section_title: Philomathean Society / Membership
caption_attribution_description: English: Self dubbed the William Henry Harrison Presidential Library, the Philomathean Library features books donated by its members.
context_page_description: The 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. Founded in 1813, its goal is "to promote the learning of its members and to increase the academic prestige of the University." Philomathean is derived from the Greek philomath, which means "a lover of learning." The motto of the Philomathean Society is Sic itur ad astra.
context_section_description: Membership in the Society is by application; all currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania are eligible for membership except in their final semester of study. Applications consist of three parts: an interview with four to five members of the Society, a presentation on a topic of the applicant's choice to a General Meeting of the Society, and a submission of creative or critical value. Members are elected once each academic semester by the Society at large.
  The society is governed by a Cabinet of nine officers: the Moderator, First Censor, Second Censor, Scriba, Recorder, Treasurer, Librarian, Archivist, and Annual Oration Director. The first four, often termed "the Bench" in reference to their position during meetings, are attired in full academic gown at all society meetings, held eight times per semester on the top floor of College Hall, on Friday evenings.  The position of Annual Oration Director was added in the early 2010s to provide additional support for the increased role of the Annual Oration, and the position of Art Gallery Director was added in 2019.
caption: known to some members as the William Henry Harrison Presidential Library, all members are given access to the Philomathean Library.
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