Eucleian Society

The Eucleian Society was a student literary society begun at New York University in 1832. According to New York University records, it ceased to exist around the 1940s.

The society was dedicated to furthering the literary arts. Members held hour-long debates, preceded by readings of essays, orations, and poems. The Eucleian Society published orations and poems delivered by guest speakers at annual or anniversary meetings. In the 20th century, the Eucleians published three literary magazines: The Knickerbocker, The Medley, and The Geyser.

In 1832 sixteen students began the Eucleian Society at New York University, originally under the name "Adelphic Society". After debate the name Eucleian was chosen in honor of Eukleia- εὔκλεια, the Goddess of Repute, Glory and War, associated with Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and protector of women and children. The society had as a rival, the Philomathean Society at New York University. While both societies forbade membership in their rival society, early records show that members were sometimes punished when discovered to be holding mutual membership and a few resigned to join the rival society.

During the period of its founding, student societies such as Eucleian Society collected their own libraries and augmented their instruction by employing the noted minds of their day. Literary and debate societies offered a departure from the learn-by-rote instruction that prevailed in much of university instruction. Benefiting from a trust formed by A. Ogden Butler and family, the organization had a stable source of funding. The Eucleian Society provided its membership at NYU with a library and augmented student instruction. The University gave the society its own rooms at the Main University Building. The Eucleian Meeting Parlor was said to be "fitted up in a style of taste and elegance highly creditable to the young gentlemen members."

On occasion Eucleians hosted open forums for important topics of the day, inviting lecturers of great popularity and fame. Edgar Allan Poe, who lived in New York City, was a guest reciter at at least one Eucleian and Philomathean society joint meeting. Politics, current affairs, literature (especially the Gothic and Romantic popular in the era), and university events seems to have been the most popular topics for internal essays, orations and discussions. Until the turn of the 20th century, officers of the Eucleians also gave public speeches at commencement, apparently occupying a central position in those functions.

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