Boar's Head Society Explained

The Boar's Head Society (1910^{[1] [2]} – 1970s) was a student conversazione society devoted to poetry at Columbia University. It was an "adjunct to Columbia College's Philolexian Society... The purpose of their new society was entirely creative: reading and commenting on each other's works."^[3]

History

John Erskine, English professor, formed the society. This connected the society through him to Columbia's student literary magazine, The Morningside Review (founded first as the Literary Monthly in 1815, renamed by Erskine in 1898, and renamed the Columbia Review in 1932).^[4] In 1931, it claimed to be the only organization on campus "devoted exclusively to poetry."^[5]

The society seems to have started during the 1909–1910 academic schoolyear, as in November 1909 it sponsored theatrical productions of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors and Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband.^[6]

Competitions

The society also held annual literary competitions and then published winners in the magazine. Competition judges included William Carlos Williams (and Lionel Trilling^[7]). Winners included John Berryman, Terrence McNally, John Hollander, and Allen Ginsberg.

At some point, the magazine took over the competition from the society.^[8]

Members

Student members included:

• 1910s: Lewis Mumford (president),^[9] Kenneth Burke^[10] Alfred A. Knopf, Sr.,^[11] Randolph Bourne, Irwin Edman, Lloyd R. Morris, Mark Van Doren
• 1920s: Whittaker Chambers,^[12] Louis Zukofsky,^[13] Samuel Theodore Hecht, Lionel Trilling, Eleanor Bell (first woman member)^[14]
• 1930s: John Berryman,^[15] Ralph de Toledano,^[16] Barry Ulanov^[17]
• 1940s: Daniel Hoffman,^[18] John Hollander, Allen Ginsberg
• 1950s: Terrence McNally

Mentions

Mention of the Boar's Head Society appears in the Columbia Daily Spectator. Archives record:

• "Boar's Head Well on Way" on May 12, 1910
• "New Literary Society on Campus" on October 8, 1910, for the term at University Hall
• "Boar's Head to Hold Last Meeting" on May 5, 1911, for the term at University Hall^[19]
• "Boar's Head to Hold Last Meeting" on May 8, 1911, for the term at University Hall^[20]
• "French Scholar to Address Boar's Head" on December 10, 1912^[21]
• "Dr. Van Doren to Address Boar's Head" on February 25, 1913^[22]
• "Boar's Head Meeting on Wednesday" on November 2, 1914, in Hamilton Hall^[23]
• "Boar's Head Meets Tonight" on August 10, 1915, in^[24]
• "Meeting" on September 28, 1920, in Erskine's office in Hamilton Hall^[25]
• "Boar's Head to Meet" on March 17, 1921^[26]
• "Boar's Head to Meet" on February 9, 1923^[27]
• "Boar's Head Will Meet" on December 8, 1926, with Professor Erskine^[28]
• "Anniversary Program" on April 30, 1931, with Philosophy Professor and literary critic Houston Peterson as guest of honor
• "26th Annual Poetry Reading" on April 30, 1936, presided by Professor Mark Van Doren, guest of honor R.P. Blackmur, and winner John Berryman
• "W. C. Williams To Read Poems Here Tonight" on May 6, 1937^[29]
• "Set Poetry Deadline" on April 16, 1952, for the annual competition^[30]
• "Review Produced Literary Notables" on October 14, 1959
• "Columbia Review: Mixing Metaphors" on April 25, 1961^[31]
• "Review to Publish Volumes Featuring Individual Authors" on September 25, 1964^[32]

Impact

The April 1935 issue of the Columbia Review, Lionel Trilling wrote "Boar's Heart: 25 Years" and Mark Van Doren wrote a "Note on Poetry".

In 2006, Hoffman reminisced, "When I returned to Columbia after the Second World War, I joined the Boar's Head Society, which was a little group of poets. In those days, colleges didn't like poets to do anything, so we ponied up the hundred bucks and invited him" (W. H. Auden).

See also

• Columbia University
• John Erskine
• Mark Van Doren

Notes and References

1. Web site: New Literary Society on Campus. Columbia Daily Spectator . 8 October 1910 . 5 March 2016.
2. Web site: The Columbia Review (advertisement). Columbia Daily Spectator . 30 April 1935 . 5 March 2016.
3. Book: MacGregor , Michael N. . Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax . Fordham University Press . 33. 2015 . 5 March 2016.
4. Web site: History. Columbia Review. 5 March 2016.
5. Web site: Boar's Head Society Will Present Anniversary Program . Columbia Daily Spectator . 21 April 1931 . 5 March 2016.
6. Web site: With the Universities. Columbia Daily Spectator . 10 November 1909 . 5 March 2016.
7. Web site: Boar's Head Poetry Contest Ends Friday. Columbia Daily Spectator . 5 May 1941 . 5 March 2016.
8. Web site: Zvi . Gitelman . Review Produced Literary Notables: Barzun, Dewey, Van Doren Once Participated in King's Crown Literary Quarterly's Activity . Columbia Daily Spectator . 14 October 1959 . 5 March 2016.
9. Book: Hughes , Thomas Parke . Agatha C. . Hughes . Lewis Mumford: Public Intellectual . Oxford University Press . 378 . 1999 . 5 March 2016.
10. Book: Wolin , Ross . The Rhetorical Imagination of Kenneth Burke . University of South Carolina Press . 2001 . 6 March 2016.
11. Book: Chaddock , K . The Multi-Talented Mr.Erskine: Shaping Mass Culture through Great Books and Fine Music . Springer . 2012 . 6 March 2016.
12. Book: Ahearn , Barry . Zukofsky's "A": An Introduction . University of California Press . Berkeley, CA . 12. 1983 . 5 March 2016.
13. Book: Scroggins , Mark . The Poem of a Life: A Biography of Louis Zukofsky . Counterpoint Press . 29. 2007 . 5 March 2016.
14. Book: Anchora of Delta Gamma Fraternity . Delta Gamma Fraternity . 449 . 5 March 2016.
15. Web site: 26th Annual Poetry Reading Held by Boar's Head Society . Columbia Daily Spectator . 1 May 1936 . 5 March 2016.
16. Book: Moritz , Charles . Current Biography Yearbook . H. W. Wilson Co. . 424 . 1963 . 5 March 2016.
17. Web site: Ulanov Chosen Editor of Review: Rosenstein Is Named As Associate . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1938 . 5 March 2016.
18. News: David . Yezzi . The Poet of Cape Rosier . New York Sun . 27 September 2006 . 5 March 2016.
19. Web site: Boar's Head to Hold Last Meeting . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1911 . 5 March 2016.
20. Web site: Boar's Head to Hold Last Meeting . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1911 . 5 March 2016.
21. Web site: French Scholar to Address Boar's Head . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1911 . 5 March 2016.
22. Web site: Dr. Van Doren to Address Boar's Head . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1911 . 5 March 2016.
23. Web site: Boar's Head Meeting on Wednesday . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1911 . 5 March 2016.
24. Web site: Boar's Head Meets Tonight . Columbia Daily Spectator . 11 May 1911 . 5 March 2016.
25. Web site: Meeting . Columbia Daily Spectator . 28 September 1920 . 5 March 2016.
26. Web site: Boar's Head to Meet . Columbia Daily Spectator . 17 March 1921 . 5 March 2016.
27. Web site: Boar's Head to Meet . Columbia Daily Spectator . 17 March 1921 . 5 March 2016.
28. Web site: Boar's Head Will Meet . Columbia Daily Spectator . 8 December 1926 . 5 March 2016.
29. Web site: W. C. Williams To Read Poems Here Tonight . Columbia Daily Spectator . 6 May 1937 . 5 March 2016.
30. Web site: Set Poetry Deadline . Columbia Daily Spectator . 16 April 1952 . 5 March 2016.
31. Web site: H. Mitchell . Hall . Columbia Review: Mixing Metaphors . Columbia Daily Spectator . 25 April 1961 . 5 March 2016.
32. Web site: Chris . Friedrichs . Review to Publish Volumes Featuring Individual Authors . Columbia Daily Spectator . 25 September 1964 . 5 March 2016.