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“Read student writers, for then you are reading closest to yourselves.”
These were the words of “The Lion Rampant” contributor David L. Rockwood ’67, speaking to the importance of reading collegiate student writing, a motivation that fueled both the original publication and its recent revival by a trio of Winthrop house seniors.
“The Lion Rampant” was originally founded in 1961 by a group of blockmates in Winthrop House who were looking for a venue to publish some of their own work while also reviewing and editing the other local art of the ’60s. Now, another collection of roommates — Katherine M. Burstein ’25, Julia A. Mansfield ’25, and Eleanor M. Powell ’25 — has decided it’s time for a revival of this historical Harvard publication.
In an interview with The Crimson, Burstein and Mansfield shared the story of the magazine’s historical conception and recent revival.
“It's just sort of a beautiful way of understanding that 50 years ago, there were also students who were trying to make a ramshackle magazine out of the common room,” Burstein said.
The three Winthropians were first introduced to the ’60s publication from a collection of original covers of “The Lion Rampant” which had coincidentally been placed right by Winthrop’s trash room. When one of the house tutors proposed ideas for getting students engaged in writing and the arts in the house, it quickly became clear to the roommates that they had found their future passion project.
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Mansfield, Powell, and Burstein used email to discover talented arts students from within Winthrop who would be willing to share their work, with their first edition — published last year — composed only of artists and writers from Winthrop. Since then, this revival of “The Lion Rampant” has changed scope after learning more about the original publication.
“We sort of thought it was like an internal Winthrop-Comstock publication,” Mansfield said, referencing Winthrop’s historical affiliation with the hall at Radcliffe University.
“But most of the writers and contributors were actually from beyond Winthrop and from within the broader Harvard community and even Cambridge communities,” Mansfield said.
The original magazine included works from alums, graduate students, prospective writers from local areas, and more, an idea that inspired the seniors to expand their call to represent a more even cross section of the university in their publication.
Along with broadening the demographics in this modern interpretation of “The Lion Rampant,” the publication is also attempting to diversify the art mediums and styles included as much as possible.
“In the early editions, I mean through the ’60s, you see the advent of new types of printing media and new types of art making, so the original editions were purely literary magazines,” Burstein said.
These early transitions toward media diversification reflect their current goals of accepting “more different types of art.”
“By the second go around, they’re introducing photography. They’re introducing copies of photos, and that’s a very fun thing, that even in the history of its existence, in the early days, you actually get to see the advent of new technology,” Burstein said.
Similar to their diverse publication, each of the three contributors bring their own set of talents and interests to the table: English concentrator Powell edits and writes pieces, specifically short satirical works; Mansfield works with film and photography; and Burstein’s eye for aesthetics takes care of the photography as well as the design of the publication.
“Having something that’s sort of internal for us to celebrate all of the different art that we are so lucky to live with — our peers, that they make — was sort of the idea, just something to celebrate all that Winthrop House has to offer,” Burstein said.
With two editions this year left to be released, one in December and one in the spring, the types of works submitted continue to diversify in their content and style, according to Mansfield. As the graduation of these three seniors approaches in May, their hope is that this celebration of the Winthrop community and art as a whole will continue to grow.
“This is a part of our history, and we spent a little bit of time putting it together, but bringing life and color to Winthrop house is definitely one of the goals of the project,” Mansfield said.
While the seniors’ time as Harvard undergraduates will come to a close in May, their impact on Winthrop’s artistic and literary community is undeniable.
