Tower Light owes existence to Collegian editor

Originally a newspaper supplement, literary publication now reflects changing perceptions of culture, beauty

By: Marieke van der Vaart

Posted: 4/23/09

In the fall of 1954, Rich Hill '56, managing editor of The Collegian, stumbled into the wrong room at the annual Associated Collegiate Press conference in Washington D.C.

The session, intended for editors of daily newspapers instead of the weeklies like the Collegian, made the case for literary supplements to newspapers. Hill was hooked, and in the spring of 1955, the Collegian published its first supplement as "The Tower Light".

Today's Tower Light has little in common with its first counterpart. The original supplement featured oratory and factual information.

"Included in this first issue are two book reviews, a short story in monologue, facts about Iran, adventures in the British Isles, a science story about electronic eyes, a story on contemporary music and one dealing with internationalism," the newspaper announced.

The tradition of literary magazines at Hillsdale is nothing new. Before fraternities and sororities arrived on campus, literary houses and societies dominated the campus scene, said Public Service Librarian Linda Moore.

"Because fraternities weren't allowed on campus at first, literary societies were their only social outlets," Moore said. "They had meetings several times a week."

In fact, our literary tradition today stems from the culture of the pre-entertainment era, Associate Provost David Whalen said.

"Literary societies were part of the 'extra curriculum' - what you and I would recognize as 'recreation,'" Whalen said. "People would get together and read novels and deliver papers. This is the era before radio, before modern media. Amusement was self-produced rather than mass-produced and marketed."

Most of these organizations published their own magazines but the Tower Light had a special relationship with The Collegian which allowed it to outlast its literary society counterparts. Now it presides over campus as the biannual publication of student work on campus.

Whalen said its role is vital to the culture and tone of the college.

"It elevates the literary and cultural tone of the campus community," he said. "Literary art asks people to enter into beauty and thought through language."

And while book reviews and facts about Iran might not epitomize beauty for us, Whalen says the Tower Light of yore highlights how our perceptions have changed.

"Our sensibilities are a little shallower and narrower now," he said. "We want to be bludgeoned by beauty."