125 Years of Miscellany: A History of Whittier Reprinted from the December 2020 issue of The Whittier Miscellany by Livingston Zug ’22 Community Editor
2020 was the quasquicentennial, or the 125th anniver-
sary of the first printing of the Whittier Miscellany. The paper, from its origins as a literary magazine in the late nineteenth century to its present state, has a rich history. Originally a literary magazine, the Whittier Miscellany was first printed in April 1895. In the first publications, the magazine consisted of short stories and poetry with the occasional editorial and interpolation, such as the one requesting that readers pay attention to the advertisements at the beginning and end of the magazine. The Whittier also informed its readers about the start and end dates of the current school year, scores and rosters from the sports teams (narrated in a thrilling style), and other details. Alumni notes were included as well. Nearly a hundred editors, thousands of articles, and scores of issues have passed through since the publication was first conceived. Its history made for a fascinating discovery. Advertisements were a common feature of the first editions of the Whittier; all types of businesses, from candy stores to Swarthmore College, were mentioned. Swarthmore was founded as a Quaker school thirty years prior to the first publication of the Whittier, and perhaps as a favor to a similar school, the society ran ads for it (at least twice). The society also advertised Friends itself with full page, a drawing of the school building and a description of its services. Perhaps inventing a prototype of a school bus, the school announced that “in order to provide transportation for the children of the lower primary and secondary grades, a carriage has been built and placed in charge of a trustworthy man who will convey the children to and from their homes.” If only students were transported by carriages these days. For the first members of the society, the name of the paper was a matter of grave significance to many of the members of the society, reported Christopher Ward ’(18)86. “The record again shows the circumspection and deliberation with which the young society approached its problems—a committee of three...was appointed to select a suitable name.” Multiple names were weighed and discarded, until, exhausted from the melee, the question was put to rest by the adoption of the name “The Whittier Miscellany.” Names such as “The School Index'' and “The Monthly Visitor” were hotly debated. Ultimately, it was named for John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), a Quaker poet and abolitionist, whose work the students evidently admired. Whittier was inducted into the society at the second meeting as an honorary member in recognition of his work. The society met, it seems, for informal purposes, debating issues of importance to the school and generally having a good time. The earliest meetings of the society also reflected many of the matters paramount to the essential functioning of the school.
Chauncery Holcomb, portrayed by Ward ’86 as “dauntless” and a “Patrick Henry,'' helped move the society to demand that the school “abolish calisthenics during recess and substitute rollerskating.” The idea was further amended to request that the school supply the skates itself. The school authorities, perhaps not surprisingly, did not acquiesce to the demands; in response, Ward ’86 labeled the administration’s actions as the “tyranny of our oppressors.” Similar calls were made, such as the plea to make February 22 a school holiday—although, as Ward ’86 pointed out, it was already February 27th, and so the idea was not long for the world. The first issue itself contained a section describing the fates of the recently-graduated. A Friends alum at Harvard was to take part in the Elizabethan play, and the women of Smith College were soon to festively celebrate George Washington’s birthday. A special advertisement appeared beneath the alumni notes; Mr. Cookman, a teacher in the upper school, was “endeavoring to form a bicycle club for the purpose of taking Saturday spins to visit points of interest in the surrounding country.” The author of the written advertisement claimed that the project was very worthy of approval from everyone in the school and that students would surely benefit from a trip to Valley Forge, where they might understand the rigors of the American Revolution. The first issue announced that correspondence was being both regularly sent and received by students from other students in France and Germany as part of “The International Correspondence Bureau.” The Whittier also did not hesitate from reporting on the athletics, listing with enthusiasm the line up for every football game and analyzing the tactics displayed. The Whittier has been in print for one hundred and twenty-five years, making it one of the oldest high school newspapers in the country. One hopes that there will be much more to come in the future, and that it will continue to print, so that its spirit will continue to be a part of the school community. The Whittier Miscellany would like to thank the Archivist, Mr. Maguire, for his help in researching this article. Winter 2021 • QuakerMatters 25
