Dartmouth College. United Fraternity
Biography
Social fraternities at Dartmouth College grew out of a tradition of student literary societies that began in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The first such society at Dartmouth, the Social Friends, was formed in 1783. A rival organization, called the United Fraternity, was founded in 1786. These organizations were, in large part, the only social life available to students at the college. The organizations hosted debates on a variety of topics not encountered in the curriculum of the day, and amassed large libraries of titles not found in the official College library. Both the Social Friends and the United Fraternity created libraries in Dartmouth Hall, and met in a room called Society Hall inside Dartmouth Hall. In 1815, the college decided to intervene in the hotly contested recruitment battle between the Social Friends and the United Fraternity by restricting each society to recruit only from separate halves of the new student class. In 1825, the college began simply assigning new students to one society or the other. Interest in the literary societies declined in the 1830s and 1840s.
Found in 14 Collections and/or Records:
Benjamin Hale letter
In English.
Dartmouth College United Fraternity letter
In English.
Dartmouth College. United Fraternity Library list
In English.
Dartmouth College. United Fraternity Library list of books
In English.
Dartmouth College. United Fraternity list
In English.
Dartmouth College United Fraternity membership certificate
In English.
Dartmouth College, United Fraternity records
The collection contains records of the United Fraternity including meeting minutes, financial records, corrrespondence, constitution and membership lists, book catalogues, as well as orations and other writings related to the orgainization's activities.
New Hampshire Legislation act
In English.
Social Friend and United Fraternity report
Report of the Committee regarding membership.
Social Friends and United Fraternities amendment
In English.
United Fraternity and Social Friends vote
Vote to fit up lecture room (Society Hall) as a meeting place for the two fraternities.
United Fraternity report
Three-page report of a committee which, with a committee from the Social Friends has secured Daniel R. Goodwin and Charles G. Eastman for Commencement speakers.
United Fraternity & Social Friends letter
Letter from United Fraternity and Social Friends with a rushing agreement of United Confederacy.