Founded in 1830, the Philodemic Society of Georgetown College was the first debate society formed on campus and is the oldest student group in existence at Georgetown University. The Society, whose objective is described as cultivating eloquence devoted to Liberty, holds weekly debates on a wide range of topics. The University Archives houses the records of the Philodemic Society dating back to its founding and includes their constitution and by-laws, minute books, and debate announcements and summaries among other documents. A small selection of this material has been digitized and is available below. For more information on the Philodemic Society records please contact the University Archives.

The Library thanks an anonymous Georgetown alumnus whose donation made possible the conservation and digitization of the Philodemic Society's two earliest "amanuensis books," thus preserving the earliest proceedings of the society and making them readily accessible online.