Phi Alpha Literary Society founded at Jacksonville, Illinois

Background. Illinois College, located in Jacksonville, Illinois, was founded in 1829 and became the first college in the state to grant a degree in 1835. The campus, centered around Beecher Hall, the oldest college building in Illinois, served as the institutional context for the literary society. Jacksonville, culturally continuous with early New England, provided the setting for this academic organization.

Founding Circumstances. On Thursday evening, September 25, 1845, seven students from Illinois College gathered in a small room on the third floor of the old dormitory and made a momentous decision. The founders met in the room of Greenbury Ridgely Henry, in the northeast corner of the third floor. Henry was chosen temporary chairman, while Baldwin, Jayne, and Wright were appointed a committee to prepare a constitution, which was adopted five days later. One account instead places the society's founding in Henry's dorm room on September 30, 1845.

Early Purpose. The constitution adopted five days after the initial gathering served as the birth certificate of the society. Its stated purpose was the attainment of truth, literary improvement of members, and the furthering of democratic heritage. The society also aimed to develop social, communication, and leadership skills. It conducts business meetings and literary productions in Beecher Hall.