propagandum meaning (archaic): definition

propagandum

noun

Etymology From Latin prōpāgandum, neuter of prōpāgandus (“which is to be propagated”). Reinterpretation of the form propaganda as a plural, by analogy with e.g. memorandum.

Archaic An idea or topic spread with the goal of convincing or influencing large numbers of people, regardless of its actual validity.

From this point of view, as a propagandum of political freedom, Freemasonry is worthy of a profound study, and also entitled to the gratitude and reverence of all good and benevolent men. It has contributed largely to the social improvement of our race, and to the establishment of civil liberty.1864 June 24, Aug[ustus] C. L. Arnold, “The Festival of St. John the Baptist, and its Significance”, in Robert McMurdy, editor, The National Freemason, volume II, number 3, Washington, D.C., published August 1864, page 39, column 3:
The two per cent theory as to interest, to be effected by an interconvertible bond, which has been taken up and made a propagandum by the Farmers’ Alliance and a platform by the Populists, was originated by one Kellogg, the author of a book entitled “A New Economic System,” which appeared probably as early as 1858.1894 June, “Coxeyism and the Interest Question”, in George Gunton, editor, The Social Economist, volume VI, number 6, New York, N.Y.: […], page 346:

4 more examples

In State schools religion is permitted and sometimes welcomed, but not as a propagandum. It is a guest on good behavior. It must be polite, careful, conservative. Cæsar dictates how aggressive it may be.1898, The Christian Advocate, volume 73, page 10, column 2:
The Vigor of democratic polity is in democratic religion. So long as the American people would make their citizenship a privilege as against the rest of the world, they will be ridden over roughshod by domestic monopolies. For American citizenship is not a privilege; it is a propagandum.1901, Charles Ferguson, “The Axioms of the Affirmative Intellect”, in The Affirmative Intellect: An Account of the Origin and Mission of the American Spirit, New York, N.Y.; London: Funk & Wagnalls Company, page 134:
In two directions then, material and money, the product of the wood lot is of high importance to the farmer. But in the majority of cases this part of the farm is far less useful than it might easily be made. This is true because the farmer does not study its productive capacity as he does that of his fields and pastures, and hence does not make it yield as freely as he might, with little or no additional labor, if he went about it in the right way. But the farmer has been told this before when forestry here was a propagandum. […] It was easy enough to tell the lumberman that this system was wrong, but the American lumberman is influenced by proof rather than propaganda.1902, Geo[rge] B[ishop] Sudworth, “The Origin and Development of Forest Work in U. S.”, in Michigan State Farmers’ Institutes, Winter of 1901-1902 (Institute Bulletin No. 8), Agricultural College, Michigan, page 50:
Undoubtedly the primitive state of the psychology of abnormal mental states at the time of the miraculous discovery and transcription of the ‘golden plates’ of the book of Mormon had something to do with the ease with which such a propagandum was disseminated.1903 January, J. J., “Psychological Literature”, in J[ames] Mark Baldwin, J[ames] McKeen Cattell, editors, The Psychological Review, volume X, number 1, Lancaster, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, […], page 70:

Archaic A campaign to spread such an idea or topic.

Furthermore, groups of people with common interests, schools of thought, societies for promoting reform and other organizations have deepened the loyalty of their members and carried on a propagandum by means of summer gatherings. So, too, individual teachers with their assistants have gone to the country to teach languages, music and art.1904, George E[dgar] Vincent, “The Origin of Summer Schools”, in Summer Schools and University Extension (Nicholas Murray Butler, editor, Monographs on Education in the United States; 16), […] the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, page 823:
Concluding, I shall venture to point out that, if our profession should fail to attain and to keep up a reasonable interest in this ultra-important matter, it will be made inevitably a reproach to it. Thus far, fortunately, it has not been made a subject either for a propagandum or for quackery; but the subject has great potentialities for zealots as well as for charlatans.1907, Mississippi Valley Medical Monthly, volume 27, page 143:

4 more examples

The revival movement of forty years ago marks the point in history where Friends, for the second time, became a proselyting body, using the term only in its original and worthy sense, for the evangelistic motive among Friends has never been merely a propagandum for the increase of membership.1908, Minutes and Proceedings of the Five Years Meeting of the Friends in America, page 406:
In the very nature of the case a college can not be sectarian. When it is founded in a community it excludes other colleges because of insufficient patronage for more than one college, therefore its doors must be open from all sides and it must offer its privileges to all persons, Catholic and Protestant, Jew and Gentile alike, and as a Christian obligation it must abstain from interfering with the conscience and religious rights of those seeking learning within its walls. It is not a propagandum. It must leave all of that work to the churches.1908 March 14, The Christian Advocate, quotee, “The Religious World: Misapprehended Sectarianism”, in The Literary Digest, volume XXXVI, number 11 (whole 934), New York, N.Y.: Funk & Wagnalls Company, […], page 370, columns 1–2:
Dr. Hyslop’s wielding of the old-time charge of materialism seems futile. We differ as essentially as to what is implied in that term as in the meaning of such conceptions as the spiritualistic phase of life. But centrally as to the logic of evidence, the significance of science, the mission and interests of psychology, I can not but regard Dr. Hyslop’s argument as evasive and confusing; and I am quite content to leave this difference to the judgment of trained and interested judges. The entire attitude (or may I say physiognomy?) of such books as Dr. Hyslop’s seems to me unrelated to the procedure by which science expands, and seems affiliated to what is often termed a propagandum.1908 March 20, Joseph Jastrow, “Notes and News”, in Frederick J[ames] E[ugene] Woodbridge, Wendell T. Bush, editors, The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods, volume V, number 9, published 23 April 1908, page 251:
Now, these same interests in New England are instigating a propagandum to the effect that the Democratic cotton bill will shut down the mills of the United States, throw the working people out of employment in some cases, and reduce wages in all.1911 August 1, Mr. Harrison, quotee, Congressional Record: Containing the Proceedings and Debates of the Sixty-Second Congress, First Session, volume XLVII, Washington, D.C., page 3451, column 1: