History

The Quill is Bowdoin College’s oldest and only literary magazine. We publish creative writing written by Bowdoin students.

The Quill was the successor to The Escritoir, which was published only during the 1826-27 school year. According to the founders of The Quill, “while there was no lack of verses in The Escritoir, there was a lack of poetry.” So, a group of students headed by Percival Proctor Baxter set out to revive Bowdoin’s literary life and, in January 1897, the first issue of The Quill was published. It was originally published on the fifteenth of each month. In 1929, it was published four times a year; in 1932, three times a year; and in 1956, two times each year. From 1993 to 2010 The Quill was published once a year, but beginning in the 2010-2011 school-year, publication rose again to once a semester. Notably, several of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert P.T. Coffin‘s poems were published in the magazine while he was a student in the early 1900s.

But with the onset of COVID, the Quill hit some rocky waters. Publication ceased. The magazine was all but forgotten, nothing but a distant memory in the minds of alumni long settled in their post-grad literary/consulting careers….

…until now. We’re bringing it back. The upcoming Fall 2023 issue will be the magazine’s 150th volume.

To help history actively remake itself, send us your creative writing [email protected]