The Philanthropic Society was the secondof two literary societies formed in 1795, the year the University of North Carolinaopened. Throughout the nineteenth century, nearly all students were members of oneof these societies. Students from the eastern portion of the state tended to belongto the Philanthropic Society and those from the western portion to the DialecticSociety. The societies provided literary and oratorical training, and exercised manyof the functions of student government. They also acquired books and developedextensive libraries. In 1886, the societies merged their libraries into theuniversity library. Records of the Philanthropic Society include minutes,inaugural addresses of society presidents, commencement addresses, debates, billsand resolutions, correspondence, committee records, treasurers' records, membershiprecords, the constitution and bylaws, library catalogs and circulation records, andpublicity records. Correspondence concerns requests for portraits, library bookorders, invitations to deliver addresses, and financial matters. Committee recordsinclude reports of the alumni, arrangements, constitutional, education, executive,finance, housing, librarian, membership, properties, ways and means, and specialcommittees. Treasurers' records include members' accounts, accounts of income andexpenditures, records of fines, and receipts for payments of society debts.Membership records include membership lists and records of attendance at societymeetings. Library records include catalogs of holdings, 1835-1880s, and circulationrecords, 1817-1886.
