2015 LC SUMMER MAGAZINE

37 / 58

Each issue of the Dickinson Liberal included extensive campus social news of a
personal (and gossipy) nature. Unfortunately, without the context of being a member of
the student body, much of the “news” now means little to the reader. For example, this
particular issue posed this (now mysterious) question:
LITERARY MAGAZINE
AND NEWSPAPER
From 1848-1928, this institution was
known as the Williamsport Dickinson
Seminary. In 1877, the school’s literary
societies united to start a monthly
publication that would represent the
voice of the entire student body, the
Dickinson Liberal, an intriguing
combination of literary magazine, school
news, alumni happenings, and gossip
column. The editors stated in the first
issue that the publication would be
“dedicated to the interests of student life
and the promotion of literary culture.”
By combining their efforts, the literary
societies published an independent,
student-run newspaper, financed by
donations and subscriptions from
faculty, staff, students, and alumni,
with paid advertisements from local
businesses, and additional funding from
student-organized fundraisers.
The December 1892 issue of the
Dickinson Liberal was a typical one. It
began with an editorial that discussed
the meaning of Thanksgiving, and the
religious implications of opening the
Columbian Exposition on the Sabbath.
Next was a report on happenings on
campus, often including mention of
a lecture by a well-known orator or
a musical program. In this issue, the
students had just attended the Mozart
Sextette sponsored by the YMCA.
After updating the reader on alumni
activities, a literary section followed.
In the December 1892 issue, the poem
was entitled “Our Professors” and there
were two essays, one on “Habits,” and
the other on “Prejudice, A Perversion on
Truth.”
The following excerpt is from the poem “Our Professors” by S.S.C. ’95, which was
printed in the December 1892 issue:
Though newspaper titles changed, the format with an emphasis on the literary
tradition continued into the 20th century. Because a genuine commitment to student
creativity in the written word remained strong, separate publications eventually
emerged such as The Light, The Tributary, and The Lycoming Review.
The College Archives has digitized existing student publications, including the student
newspapers and literary magazines, making them readily available for
online searching and browsing. To view the collection of digitized Lycoming College
newspapers (and to read the remainder of the above poem)
visit
To read more about the history of literary societies, consult Dr. John F. Piper, Jr.’s
history of the institution, “Lycoming College, 1812-2012.” 
37
F E AT U R E S