This organization was founded in 1836 as one of two rival literary (debating) societies, the other being Chi Delta. The two rival societies replaced the 1835 Dialectic Adelphick Society and the 1827 Republican Dialectical Adelphic Society, which came to East Tennessee College with its new president, Rev. Charles Coffin. The name Philomathesian was a variant of the Greek word philomathean—lover of learning.
Members of Philomathesian wore blue and white badges. Originally, both Philomathesian and Chi Delta met in the attic of Old College, lighting the room with candles. After 1840 Philomathesian met in West College and Chi Delta met in East College. Both meeting rooms were moved to South College after its erection in 1872 and moved to Ayres Hall’s fourth floor when that building was completed. In 1844 the society was incorporated by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly.
Some of Chi Delta’s papers and all of Philomathesian’s records were destroyed during the Civil War, when the institution was closed. Philomathesian was reorganized in 1866 and joined with Chi Delta in the publication of a literary journal, the University Monthly, from 1875 to 1878. A few years later, Philomathesian began its own journal (the Philo Star) and Chi Delta published the Chi Delta Crescent. Both publications ceased in 1887. In 1898 the society adopted a new constitution that inaugurated the custom of grading speakers on a debate with a view toward the awarding of medals. The original motto of the society was Virtuti cedunt omnia (“All things yield to virtue”). After the Civil War, the society changed its motto to Nulla Vestigia Retrorsum (No Steps Backward). The color of Philomathesian was blue. The society was last active in 1927, although the university catalog continued to list (and praise) it through 1932.