"County Clubs"

In the early days of the 20th Century, the Guilford College area was a pastoral burg on the western perimeter of Greensboro; the cocoon-like "bubble" of the campus even more pronounced. Having only a few hundred students at the time made the atmosphere quite intimate. Each undergrad knew or knew of one another. Like today, they lived, ate and sweated classes together, but in those days the vast majority were from North Carolina. Although most were N.C. natives, it's a large state with a hundred counties. Students formed "clubs" with folks from their home counties, the cliques being called, "County Clubs." Sharing a place of origin gave them something in common - an affinity group for the gregarious and homesick alike.




The largest County Clubs, with dozens of "members" were usually Guilford County, and a few neighboring counties such as Alamance, Stokes and Randolph. Smaller groups represented North Carolina's coastal and mountain counties, those being somewhat distant from the school's central Piedmont setting.

Some clubs represented several counties or regions. Inevitably, the fewest in number was the "Out of State Club," students from other states or countries - occasionally large in number, although there wouldn't be a significant number of out-of-state and international students until the 1930s.

Similar to the literary societies of the day, the County Clubs were important social outlets on campus, hosting informal parties and mixers, picnics and gatherings. However, a rotating seating arrangement in chapel and
during mealtimes in Founders kept students circulating, and clubs from becoming too exclusive. And like the literary clubs, the County Clubs largely petered out by the early 1930s as other student interests took hold, such as YMCA, YWCA, Debate Clubs, Glee Clubs, and the like.

Tar Heel Land

I'd rather be born in the home of a Tar Heel

With just a Tar Heel's fame

Than to be a prince in Europe

With a title to my name.

'Cause I love the song that the bluebirds sing

When the drone of a bee announces Spring.

We have no scrapping in in Tar Heel Land - 

When everything goes right.

We have no fear of aeroplanes

To keep us up at night.

If one should stray away down home

A smile to the leader would surely come.

And he'd want to fly down to take a hand

With the good old folks in Tar Heel Land.

There are visions down home in a setting sun,

But not any music in a big siege gun.

We know how to handle them, that's all true,

But it's just one task that we hate to do -

So please excuse us and we'll hoe our corn,

While we whistle a tune in the early morn.

(*Poem by "I.T.V." in The Quaker, 1917. Photos also courtesy of The Quaker.)

Literary Societies

Some of the first organized clubs at Guilford, and numerous other colleges and universities during the late Victorian Age were Literary Societies. 

Starting at Guilford around 1888, there were two societies for men: 

Henry Clay (or "The Clays," with the colors purple & white) 

...and Websterian (or "The Webs," with the colors silver & sky blue).

For the women there was: Philomathean (or "The Phils," with colors brown & white)

...and Zatasian (or "The Zays," with colors blue & gold).

 

These “Societies” were the official organizations on campus and nearly every student was a member of one of the clubs.  

As Guilford has never allowed Greek letter fraternities or sororities, these literary societies may have functioned as such, sharing with them esoteric features like secret mottoes, handshakes, and initiation ceremonies. Meetings were held on Friday night of every week in each group's “Society Hall,” - usually a corner of the library or a classroom. Each society had it’s own member’s pin or badge, flags, banners and secret traditions, and held meetings under parliamentary procedure - all resembling a Greek system. The primary function of the societies was to train young men and women in oratory and public affairs. For many years at Guilford they were centers of student activity, intellectual and otherwise. Most, if not all, campus leaders were members of one of the societies. 

Society meetings were a time for training in debate, oratory, vocal and instrumental music, and essay writing. Yearly debate contests between clubs were common, competitive and fiercely attended. “Hosting Banquets” were held, similar to modern mixers, with the 1929 Zatasian girls hosting Websterian boys for a three act play in Memorial (now Duke Hall) followed by a buffet in Founders (then a women's dorm).

“...the menu consisted of creamed chicken and timbals, olive and date nut sandwiches, coffee, ice cream, and cake, and mints.” 
(The Quaker, 1929, pg. 46).

The Societies' lasting legacy at the school was publishing the Guilford Collegian, in 1888. Chiefly a literary magazine (resembling today's Greenleaf Review), having little campus, local or world news, The Guilford Collegian would evolve into campus weekly paper, The Guilfordian, by 1914.

"The Lits" began to wane in popularity by the early 1930s. It appears that the women's societies outlasted by a few years the men's - which suffered a decline in membership - until they were all pretty much extinct by 1933. A yearbook entry from that year states:

"...Early in the year, the Zatasian and Philomathean literary societies were duly buried with proper respects because of their voted uselessness..."

(* All pics from The Quaker)