innell literary Magazines

Ix Have Tried And Died Here

by Ann Cassel

ince 1896 a literary magazine has tradir
nnally been part (it the Grinnell experience;
ior to that time, creative writing was my
ii‘porated into the college newspaper. The
ws Letter, established in 1373, was the
ly college newspaper until in February,
.39, a new independent newspaper appeared
campus. The stall oi the newpaper, Pulse,
d apparently become disillusioned with the
aterial printed in the News Letter, The
rst Pulse editorial said. “All interested
e seeking to make a paper worthy oi the
out rank in college journalism - a true
ponent of Iowa College. We meanto makelt
ve, interesting and up to the times,"
-pparently they believed that the current
wspaper was not living up to these stane
. ds. Immediately after the first issue oi
ulse, the News Letter began publishing an
.sue every three weeks, instead or their
-evious monthly publication. In the first
.sue on this new schedule, the editors re-
lied to the editors OI Pulse, HThe News
etter is and always has been the only recog-
zed oiiicial organ of the college, At times,

in all other enterprises, the interest DI
e college has slumbered. Perhaps also at
mes it has not been what it should be as an

ponent or college liie. The present board

5-415 for as Grinnell studentx are concerned,

the poeti: muse seems to have been forsaken

for the cinemogogmpla and the automobile.’

NO TRACKS

o traces of you. ‘
e look everywhere that you could be (I think),

ut all I iound were empty spaces and dust
at just in the corners either).
our footprints!

, still fresh, but they end at the water,
id you walk on it (or did it part [or you)?
No. stepped on it. Stepped all over it."

en what?

t leit.”
here did it go?

HOW would I know!”

died, you know.

Why? when?”

our heel squashed its heart.
0h. 0w! I’m so Sorry."

oi editors beg leave to say, that no pains on

their part will be spared to make the News

Letter as able a sheet as any in the state.”
The Magazine Appears

In 1896, the two papers merged into the
Scarlet and Black and Grinnell’s first literary
magazine, Unit was begun. It contained only
creative writing, while the Scarlet and Black
handled campus news. Unit published poems,
essays, and short stories contributed by stu-
dents. The editors oithis first literary maga-
zine said they believed that in starting the
magazine, they were marking “the beginning
or a new era in the history ot literary work
in Grinnell," But in May 1912,aiter16 years
of publication, Unit folded.

The Grinnell Magazine, not to be confused
with the present Grinnell Magazine, began
its short lite in 1916 and ended it in 1918.
A bitter essay in the last issue oithe Grinnell
Magazine says, “,,,as tar as Grinnell slur
dents are concerned the poetic muse seemsto
have been forsaken {or the cinemagograph
and the automobile." The essay goes on to
state that the “average student Iinds that
mediocrity is accepted, Why be original if
the ordinary and trite are accepted without
criticism? At iirst he may have the campuch
tion to think iur himsell, but when he realizes
he does not have to think why bother with that
uncomfortable process?"

Light or darkness,

In 153le a magazine with the appropriate
title, Verse and Fiction, began publishing. It
contained the same type or material that pre-
vious literary magazines had contained and
was prelaced with a listoi 12 books suggested
by faculty that Students Should read The name
was changed to Junto in 1924 and it was pub»
lished for another year.

Most Proiessionnl

Tanager took over as the campus literary
magazine in 1925. it was put out birmonthly
(or 23 years. Having the longest iile oi any
literary magazine, it was also one of the most
proiessional, technically,

Arena appeared in 1950, two years alterthe
close or the publication or Tanager. Arena
was immediately {allowed by Maverick (1954—
1959) and the Grinneli Review (1959-1966).
The technical standard set by the Tanager
gradually declined during these years,

Professional Again

Grinnell’s most recent literary magazine,
Nous, which began in 1966 raised the technis
cal standard to a professional level again.
In addition to writing by students, it pre-
sented photographs, and reproductions of art
work done on campus. Willi its discontinuation
in 1969, the tradition or a literary magazine
on the Grinnell College campus apparently
collapsed.

li a literary magazine does appear again at
Grinnell in future years, it will revive a tra-
dition which deserves revival.

POEM FOR TWO VIOLINS, VIOLA AND CELLO

The artist pulls his gentle bow across the inert strings of life
And with his care and skill, helps them sing of

0oze of pain or flow of jubilance,

Fill the world with warmth and substance.

He renders works 01 hearts unseen, yet unstopped
(Death is just a doorway to Heaven),

Brings yesterday to brunt on tomorrow,

Shows us that time doesn’t exist,

Even in the mind.

en 1 lound your tracks again, so i lollowed them along,

round and Around,
they didn’t go anywhere,

‘ y stretched on in an infinite red spiral of demented grief and

on’t run away!
ou’re not accountable on any charge.

Many lker

Marty lker

THE FINAL CINDER
I turned to see the iinal cinder
Fall upon the rushing waters behind
And sputter cold.
Our house no longer stands.

We must build anew.
' Marty lker

 

