1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THESCROLL.At the beginning of the American Revolution, William and Marywas reputed to be the richest college in this country. It was locatedat Williamsburg, the capital of Virginia. For seventy years previousto the Revolution, it had an average of about sixty students; at theoutbreak of hostilities there were seventy, and thirty-seven of themand three professors left the college and joined the Continental Army.4> B K was founded by five students on December 5, 1776. Therecord of its first meeting follows:On Thursday, the Sth of December, in the year of our Lord God, onethousand seven hundred and seventy-six, and the first of the Commonwealth,a happy spirit and resolution of attaining the important ends of Society enteringthe minds of John Heath, Thomas Smith, Richard Booker, ArmstedSmith and John Jones, and afterwards seconded by others, prevailed, and wasaccordingly ratified.And for the better establishment and sanctitude of our unanimity, a squaresilver medal was agreed and instituted, engraved on the one side with S. P.,the initials of the Latin S P , and on the other agreeable to the former,with Greek initials 4" B Kand an index imparting a philosophical design, extended to the three stars,a part of tjie planetary orb, distinguished.10pi]^ ^ ^ObverseReverseANCIENT PHI BETA KAPPA SILVER MEDALFrom the William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, April, 1896MODERN PHI BETA KAPPA GOLD WATCHKEYFrom the IVilliam and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, April, 1896