Delphian Society

The Delphian Society was a national organization that promoted the education of women in the United States. This organization was founded around 1910 in Chicago.[1]

History

The Delphian Society takes its name from the historical Oracle of Delphi of Phocis, Greece. "Here in remote times Apollo was believed to reveal his wishes to men through the medium of a priestess, speaking under the influence of vaporous breath which rose from a yawning fissure. Her utterances were not always coherent and were interpreted to those seeking guidance by Apollo's priests."[2]

In 1913, the Delphian Society wrote, "We know full well today that no priestess upon a tripod can reveal to us the secrets of the future. A thorough understanding of the past must be the safest guide for coming years. No vapor can inspire sudden revelations--the result only of faithful effort and earnest thought. Yet the story of the ancient oracle charms us still and when a name was sought for a national organization, that had for its avowed purposed the promotion of educational interests in a continent, none was deemed more suitable than that which for so many years cast its gracious spell from one sea to another."[3]

The Delphian Society was inspired by influential Harvard President, Charles William Eliot's belief that education serves the purpose of inspiring lifelong learning and those who do not receive it "seem to live in a mental vacuum."[4] However, "Fifteen minutes a day of good reading would have given any one of this multitude a really human life."[5] In response to his call for lifelong learning, the Delphian Society wrote, "To meet this condition, which prevails through the length and breadth of our land, to stimulate a deeper interest, quicken a latent appreciation and facilitate the use of brief periods of freedom for self-improvement, the Delphian Society was organized and the Delphian Course of Reading made possible."[5]

In 1913, the Delphian Society published the Delphian Course of Reading: "A systematic plan of education, embracing the world's progress and development of the liberal arts."[6] This ten volume course covers "history, literature, philosophy, poetry, fiction, drama, art, ethics, music," however, "Mathematics, being in its higher forms essential to few, has been omitted; languages, requiring the aid of a teacher, and such sciences as make laboratories necessary, are not included.".[5] It also published The World's Progress[7]

In 1928, the Delphian Society published several volumes of books containing an outline of human knowledge for the use of conversation.[8]

More educational volumes were published by the society in the following decades, such as The Delphian Text, The Delphian Course, Orientation for Modern Times, and Patterns for Modern Living.

There are continuing chapters of the society, such as the Houston Assembly of Delphian Chapters.[9]

The Delphian Course of Reading Volumes

VolumePart 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 5Part 6
1EgyptBabylonia and AssyriaThe Hebrews and Their Neighbors
2The Hebrews and Their Neighbors cont’dHebrew LiteratureGreek MythologyThe Story of GreeceSocial Life in GreeceGreek Literature
3Greek Literature cont’dPhilosophyThe Story of Rome
4The Roman PrincipateSocial Life in RomeLatin LiteratureThe Middle Ages
5The Middle Ages cont’dMediaeval StoriesThe History of MusicThe Conduct of Life
6The RenaissanceLiterature of the RenaissanceDescriptions of ItalyEducationArt of ConversationModern Italy
7The DramaModern European DramaNature Study
8Résumé of English HistoryEnglish PoetryWestern EuropeRésumé of French HistoryGermany
9History of ArtArt Galleries and MuseumsModern FictionNineteenth Century FictionRecent Novelists and StorywritersFrench Fiction
10United States HistoryFamous Historical AddressesExpositions and ProgressAmerican PaintingAmerican LiteratureAmerican Poetry

Notable Members

See also

References

  1. "Guide to Delphian Study Club Records". San Jose University. San Jose State University Special Collections and Archives. 2010.
  2. The Delphian Society (1913). The Delphian Course. Vol. 1 (Print) |format= requires |url= (help). Hammond: W. B. Conkey Company. p. viii. ISBN 9781149959961.
  3. The Delphian Society (1913). The Delphian Course. Vol. 1 (Print) |format= requires |url= (help). Hammond: W. B. Conkey Company. p. ix. ISBN 9781149959961.
  4. The Delphian Society (1913). The Delphian Course. Vol. 1 (Print) |format= requires |url= (help). Hammond: W. B. Conkey Company. p. x. ISBN 9781149959961.
  5. The Delphian Society (1913). The Delphian Course. Vol. 1 (Print) |format= requires |url= (help). Hammond: W. B. Conkey Company. p. xi. ISBN 9781149959961.
  6. The Delphian Society (1913). The Delphian Course. 10 vols (Print) |format= requires |url= (help). Hammond: W. B. Conkey Company. ISBN 9781149959961.
  7. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42224/42224-h/42224-h.htm
  8. The Delphian Society: Topical Outlines. The Delphian Society, 1928, Chicago. A copy can be found on Google books,
  9. http://www.houstondelphians.org/
  10. Binheim, Max; Elvin, Charles A (1928). Women of the West; a series of biographical sketches of living eminent women in the eleven western states of the United States of America. Retrieved 8 August 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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