Object ID	XXXX.055
Object Name	Records
Abstract	The Philomathic Debating Club Collection contains articles of association, clippings, constitution and by-laws, correspondence, financial statements, a ledger book, programs, pamphlets, speaker lists, and ephemera (club lapel pin). The collection also contains "The Philomathic Debating Club: 1898-1950", a history written by Ralph Raimi in 1991.
Admin/Biog History	The Philomathic Debating Club of 309 Englewood Avenue in Detroit was organized in September, 1898, and incorporated in 1919 for the purpose of developing in Jewish young men proficiency in the art of oratory and debate. It was organized by a few Jewish students of the Central High School who had been denied membership in the only debating organization existing in the school at that time. The membership was generally composed of high school and some college students. The charter members of the Philomathic Debating Club were Louis Wine, Louis Smilansky, Saul Hartz, Benjamin Salzstein, Meyer Cohen, Ira Frienenberg, Saul Meister, Spencer S. Fishbaine, Jacob Gordon, Morris Smilansky, and Nathan Levine. The Philomathic Debating Club was dissolved in 1950.
Creator	The Philomathic Debating Club and Ralph Raimi
Catalog date	11/15/2001
Collection	Philomathic Debating Club Collection
Container	2 MS, 1 OS boxes
Dates of Accumulation	unknown
Finding Aids	A finding aid is available.
Level of description	Fonds
People	Raimi, Ray/
Home location	Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives Stacks.
Search Terms	Philomathic Debating Club/ Central High School/
Title	The Philomathic Debating Club Collection

The Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives, 7400 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 (248) 851-1100, ext. 3137     franklinarchives@tbeonline.org
Last modified on: June 20, 2006