The Aelioian literary society, founded in 1877 by Miss M. M. Hammond, a Baker University professor, is a local chapter of an all-female literary society. The society existed for forty years, and at one point held enough members to warrant having a junior Aelioian society. Among the literary societies found at Baker University, there were four: Aelioian, Athenian, Clionian, and Biblical. Of the remaining three societies, the Aelioian society was most close with the Athenian society. Towards the end of 1918, the Athenian society proposed that the Aelioian society merge together, which signified the speculative end of the Aelioian society. Aside from meeting notes from February 23, 1918, no information is known about the societal merge. The focus of the Aelioian literary society was to publish copies of their newspaper, 'The Morning Dawn'. Prices for 'The Morning Dawn' vary depending on the semester and year of publication. Each copy of 'The Morning Dawn' is unique and handwritten. The contents of 'The Morning Dawn' typically contain: essays, short stories, editorials, poems, and local news notes. It is unknown how the society distributed their materials, or how successful the distribution was. However, several copies of 'The Morning Dawn' have been preserved within this collection. The literary society took extensive notes during societal meetings, and also kept a log concerning the society's monetary activity. At the end of each secretarial record book, a copy of the society's by-laws and constitution is included. It is unknown how students joined the society, but membership fees remained consistently at $.25. At the end of each spring term the Aelioian society held a variety show banquet, where members performed exerpts from plays and read poems. At the end of each fall term the Aelioian society celebrated the society's anniversary. The Aelioian society frequently collaborated with the Athenian society for banquets and dinners.

Note written by Anna M. Gordon