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Phi Beta Kappa History
Phi Beta Kappa Initiation
Cermonies
Ann Pauley, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
May
18, 2002
First, I want to congratulate our newest members of
Phi Beta Kappa (please join me in giving them a round
of applause). Second, I'd like to invite our new members
to stand, and thank the faculty, staff, family, and
friends who supported you along the way, and helped
you and challenged you to earn this great academic honor.
I am honored to be asked by the Chapter to share with
you with the history of Phi Beta Kappa. I am not sure
if I was asked because I was a history major in college,
or, because I am finishing my 13th academic year at
Trinity, I am becoming a bit of a historical artifact
myself!
So, what is the history of Phi Beta Kappa? How did
we all come to be here at this moment?
Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest honor society,
and for more than 200 years, it continues to recognize
students who have met the highest standards for excellence
in the study of the liberal arts.
The Society's story begins on December 5, 1776, when
a group of young men, students at the College of William
and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, met in the Apollo
Room of the Raleigh Tavern. Sharing ideas and, quite
possibly, some good brew, they decided to form a debating
society, Phi Beta Kappa, which they dedicated to high
purposes with 18th century eloquence. Among the subjects
of their first debates, they considered the comparative
dangers of French politics and of rum, the merits of
polygamy and whether William the Conqueror had any right
at all to invade England. The original group at William
and Mary approved additional chapters at Yale in 1780
and Harvard in 1781. This ensured the continuation of
the Society when the parent chapter at William and Mary
became inactive. During the following 50 years, the
Society grew slowly, with four more chapters founded
at the Colleges of Dartmouth, Union, Bowdoin and Brown
in 1830. An important milestone was achieved in 1875
when the first two women members were elected by the
Alpha Chapter at the University of Vermont. At about
this time, Phi Beta Kappa also elected the first African-American
members of Phi Beta Kappa, including Booker T. Washington
and W.E. B. DuBois.
In 1883, the National Council of the United Chapters
of Phi Beta Kappa was created to prepare the Society
for greater vitality and growth. Today, even with the
thousands of institutions of higher education in the
United States, there are only 262 colleges and universities
which have passed through the rigorous process of being
granted a chapter. It is an honor for Trinity to be
among these colleges.
Epsilon Chapter in the District of Columbia, our chapter
here at Trinity College, was established in 1971 as
the 188th chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Years of preparatory
work had been undertaken by successive presidents of
this college, notably Sr. Raphael of the Sacred Heart
in the 1920's, Sr. Catherine Dorothea, and Sr. Margaret
Claydon. Sr. Margaret had made it one goal of her presidency
to bring to this college a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa,
a goal achieved in February of 1971, when the founding
members accepted the charter. During our 32nd year,
Epsilon Chapter continues to honor these visionary women.
I am especially pleased that two years ago, the Epsilon
Chapter elected to membership Sr. Margaret Claydon,
who was so instrumental in successfully securing Trinity's
Phi Beta Kappa Chapter when she was president. We also
are proud to be one of only two Catholic women's colleges
with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Phi Beta Kappa was the first Society in the United
States to adopt Greek letters for a name. It also introduced
features that have characterized such organizations
ever since, including an oath of secrecy (long since
discarded!), mottoes in Latin and Greek, an all-too-
elaborate form of initiation and a special handclasp
- the famous ancient grip, known only to its members,
and soon to be revealed to our new initiates.
One of the most tangible signs of Phi Beta Kappa is
the gold key, which appears on your program (and which
the Phi Beta Kappa Headquarters happily invites you
to purchase!) The medal bears the Greek letters, Phi
Beta Kappa, representing the initial letters of the
Greek motto B Philosophia Biou Kubernetes B meaning
"the love of learning is the guide to life. A hand
engraved on the key points to three stars symbolizing
the aims of the Society: Friendship, Morality, and Learning.
On the reverse, the letters SP stand for Societas Philosophiae,
the Latin designation for Phi Beta Kappa.. Below the
stars is engraved the historic date of December 5, 1776
Phi Beta Kappa members have always had an influence
that far outweighed their numbers.
Among the first 50 members of the Society were leaders
in the American Revolution, delegates to the Constitutional
Convention in 1788, and members of the Continental Congress
and the United States Congress. Two of the founders
became U.S. Senators and two became members of the Supreme
Court. Sixteen U.S. Presidents -- and two first ladies,
Eleanor Roosevelt and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton--are
counted among the membership. The roster of membership
today represents all areas of American public life and
endeavors. Today, there are more than 500,000 members
of Phi Beta Kappa (so you see, it is a very small and
elite group!). Clearly, to be honored for high achievement
in the study of the liberal arts and sciences is much
valued. Still, many ask, What does it mean to be a member
of Phi Beta Kappa?
Phi Beta Kappa honors not only what you have already
accomplished but also the evident promise that the love
of learning will always be central in your lives. It
insists that intelligence, honesty, tolerance and a
commitment to excellence in the pursuit of knowledge
are qualities that give life meaning. It asks you to
be a public intellectual, dedicated to honoring the
most liberating and just uses of the mind, supporting
excellence in education for all, and inviting others
to join you in life-long learning. The Society, through
its chapters and associations, is a powerful advocate
in our culture for the vitality and worth of the study
of the liberal arts and sciences.
But what does all that mean?
Well, first there are some important milestones when
your Phi Beta Kappa membership will be noted:
* Today and at Commencement tomorrow.
* On your resume (be sure to include it, trust me, it
makes a difference!).
* In your wedding announcement (you've all read these
items - the bride graduated magna cum laude from Trinity
College and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.) There are
also some tongue-in-cheek references to Phi Beta Kappa.
Each week, in the Sunday New York Times, they profile
a couple who recently married. In one such story, Pam
and Judd had met through MTV's Real World. The story
goes that Judd was falling in love with Pam, but, as
the NY Times dryly noted, Despite her Harvard magna
cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa credentials, she missed all
the cues that he had romantic feelings for her.
* The fourth time that this honor will be noted is,
sadly, in your obituary: For example, "Sally Reston,
a journalist and photographer, was a member of Phi Beta
Kappa" There is even opportunity for a bit of PBK
humor in an obituary - again in the NY Times, Sally's
husband recalled that they met at the University of
Illinois: "She was Phi Beta Kappa and I was a C-minus
student." The marriage seemed to have worked -
they were married for more than 65 years!
But again, what does it mean to be a member of Phi
Beta Kappa?
Does it mean that you are smarter than others? Not by
a longshot.
You certainly deserve this honor and it was earned
primarily through your academic achievements, but trust
me, you will meet many people who are not members of
Phi Beta Kappa who are far brighter and wiser than you
- they may be colleagues, they may be people who work
for you, they may be family members, and they may be
your boss.
You will have much to learn from these people - and
being a member of Phi Beta Kappa means being open to
their wisdom.
So if these three words are effective to add to your
resume, but don't really mean you are smarter than everyone
else, than what does it mean?
I believe it means that you have a keen intellect, a
curious mind, and a desire to be a lifelong learner
- and a lifelong teacher. On behalf of my fellow members
of Phi Beta Kappa, I encourage you to always be curious,
and to always share your enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge
with others. Whether you become a teacher, a college
professor, a manager, a parent, a researcher, or an
active community volunteer, remember that you are a
member of Phi Beta Kappa, and with that comes a special
responsibility - it is incumbent upon you to contine
to be a lifelong learner, and to share your enthusiasm
for learning with others. You are now a part of the
history of Phi Beta Kappa, and your contributions will
sustain this chapter and the Society itself. We are
happy and proud to welcome you.
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