Euphemian Literary Society

The Euphemian Literary Society, founded in 1839, is the oldest student organization in South Carolina still operating under its original charter. Euphemian Hall is located in Due West, SC on the Erskine College campus. The Euphies (Euphemian Literary Society) are one of four literary societies at Erskine College. The Euphies are chartered by the State of South Carolina. Euphemian Hall is a contributing property in the Erskine College-Due West Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 19, 1982. The building was constructed in a Neoclassical design.

In 1839, the Clark and Erskine Seminary became a four-year institution with a preparatory department. Prior to 1839, John S. Pressly was the sole instructor of the Seminary. In October of that year, Pressly resigned his position as Principal of the Literary Department. Ebenezer Erskine Pressly, pastor of the Due West Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, was chosen to succeed J. S. Pressly as head of the school. E. E. Pressly had been elected Professor of Divinity at the Erskine Theological Seminary in 1837.

E. E. Pressly was a native of Cedar Springs, South Carolina. He entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio in 1824, at the age of sixteen and graduated two years later. While at Miami, Pressly was a member of the Erodelphian Literary Society. This society, along with the Miami Union Literary Society, published the first collegiate publication west of the Appalachians in 1827. Literary societies were quite popular at this time. Most colleges had at least one literary society. As early as 1789, a literary society was at Hampden-Sydney College. The Euphradian and Clariosophic Societies were founded at South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) in 1806, and in 1837 the Eumenean and Philanthropic Societies were founded at Davidson College. Therefore, it was natural for the Erskine faculty and students to desire to have a literary society.