The College’s original literary journal, The Lesbian Herald, was first published in 1896. Long before Hood had a newspaper or magazine, The Herald was the only College-produced publication. As such, it covered campus and alumnae news in addition to providing a place for student and alumnae authors to share their short stories, poems and editorials. The journal was published monthly while school was in session and was managed by the student members of the Lesbian Literary Society, one of three such societies to exist in Hood’s early days. The name was changed in 1922 to The Hood College Herald. With the development of both a student newspaper and an alumnae magazine in the 1920s, it was no longer necessary to include news items in The Herald, allowing the journal to focus solely on student literary content. Distribution was limited to four times a year beginning the mid-1930s. In 1999 the publication was retitled Wisteria, named for the iconic flowering plant that covers the College’s pergola. The current version of Wisteria is printed annually and features a variety of original student artwork, photographs and creative writing selected for inclusion by a student editorial board responsible for production of the magazine.
