Commencement 2004

History and Meaning of Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Initiation Ceremonies
May 22, 2004

Ann Pauley, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Congratulations to our newest members of Phi Beta Kappa; please join me in giving them a round of applause.

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 beer, 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.

If they were to gather in a pub today, what would those men be discussing? Well, first, I hope there would be some women among them, and perhaps a few students who are a bit older and wiser than the 15 and 18 year olds who gathered in the tavern, and a bit of diversity would be good. Today, perhaps in a Starbucks, over a double shot, skim, no whip latte, they would debate whether there were any moral or legal paradigm in which this administration would be justified in ignoring the Geneva Convention. Perhaps they would discuss the social impact and legal legacy of Brown vs. Board of Education. And they might argue over the statistical probability of Smarty Jones winning the Triple Crown or for baseball to make a return to D.C.

That original group of debaters at William and Mary approved additional chapters at Yale in 1780 and Harvard in 1781. 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.

Today, even with the thousands of institutions of higher education in the United States, there are only 270 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. Sr. Margaret Claydon 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 34th year, Epsilon Chapter continues to honor these visionary women. I am especially pleased that four years ago, the Epislon Chapter elected to membership Sr. Margaret Claydon, who was so instrumental in successfully securing Trinity's Phi Beta Kappa Chapter when she was president.

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, a rite 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 "Philosophia Biou Kubernetes" 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 (and perhaps a future president)--are counted among the membership.

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?"

We've all seen the references to Phi Beta Kappa in obituaries and wedding announcement. 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."

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.

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.

I believe that to be a member of Phi Beta Kappa 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 continue 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. Congratulations!