Colonnades Literary Journal: Writing at Elon
Julia Mueller
September 20, 2013
1st issue of Colonnades, May 1937
The first issue of the Elon Colonnades was released in May 1937. Elon College owned a printing press making the publication of the annual literary journal possible. Students exclusively contributed to the content, which included poems, fiction, non-fiction, and art. In 1951, the title was formally changed to Colonnades. There were several years in the 1950s when the journal was not printed, but in 1962, Professor Franke J. Butler and Mrs. Nancy Butler restored the tradition. From the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, Colonnades also published planners and calendars displaying art and photography. In 2002, the first issue with a theme was published. The theme was “Snapshots of Life.”
Today, Colonnades is an award-winning journal and continues to be entirely operated by students. The goal of the journal is to promote creative expression among students. Students develop a theme in the fall for the upcoming issue and students from all majors may submit literature or art. The 2013 theme was “The Quiet Divide.” The editors choose which texts are most suitable for the issue and in the spring, the new issue is presented. Featured students read selections and art pieces are displayed during the unveiling celebration. Copies are free to the public.
The first poem in Vol. 1 No. 1 of the 1937 issue was written by Margaret Earp, a member of the editorial staff. It reads,
“Emotion”
O to write and give wing to this pent-up emotion;
To tell with a pen what no tongue can recite;
To yield up my feelings, hear no words of wisdom;
Have no reproach, but only to write!
Leave a Reply