The Philomathean Society is not only the oldest student group at Penn, but also the oldest continually existing literary society in America. The word “Philomathean” is a Greek compound word meaning “love of learning” and the society’s motto is sic itur ad astra—“thus we proceed for the stars.” Yet, the tactlessness of the flyer falls short of this lofty aspiration. The party is clearly based on the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre when Al Capone’s gang of henchmen famously gunned down their Northside rivals. This certainly seems like an odd premise for a Valentine’s Day gathering. Traditionally, it is a holiday that celebrates love and friendship, despite its modern-day Hallmark quality. Instead, the Philomathean Society’s flyer seeks to conjure up nostalgic images of unregulated gangsters and Prohibition-era violence. From afar, the flyer does not even seem as if it were intended for Valentine’s Day at all. Only when approached does the fine print between the “MAFIA” title and the gun graphic become visible: “Happy Valentine’s Day. Is that a Tommy gun…or are you just happy to see me?” Certainly, this is a clever pun from our nation’s oldest literary society.

The flyer, just as the party’s theme itself, is a tasteless ploy to lure people to a Valentine’s Day gathering. I imagine that the Philomathean Society, as a self-proclaimed societas litterae, could have found a better way to celebrate the holiday. Had they wished to celebrate Valentine’s Day alla italiana (as I personally believe to be the best way) there is a plethora of classic Italian love poetry or romantic opera from which to choose. I might suggest Cavalcanti. His poetry deals with the destructive power of love. One look from the poet’s beloved leaves his soul trembling. I would love to throw a Cavalcanti party, but then again, I’m not in a literary society.