Alumnae News

UA Archive: Spotlight on Ursuline Publications

For more than a century, Ursuline Academy students have embraced their passion for storytelling and creative expression. From early literary magazines to award-winning yearbooks and student newspapers, Ursuline's rich tradition of student publishing reflects a vibrant history of innovation and dedication to the written word. Here's a closer look at the evolution of Ursuline's publications, each marking a chapter in an enduring commitment to journalism, literature, and creativity.

  • As early as 1907, students published multiple issues of St. Ursula's Echo annually, featuring student writing.
  • The first yearbook, The Annual, was published in 1915 and 1916. In 1917, The Ursulina debuted, with the last known issue appearing in 1927.
  • Yearbooks resumed with the first issue of Acres, featuring the Class of 1946. Acres has been published annually since.
  • The earliest record of a student newspaper dates back to 1930 with The Mustard Seed, which evolved into Ursuline Television (1938–1942), then Blue Shadow (1948–1951), followed by U All (1951–1952).
  • During the 1960s, the publications The Spectacle and The Spectrum emerged. Starting in 1970, titles such as Essence, Insight, and News Review were tried before settling on The Bear Facts.
  • The UA Archives contains the earliest issue of The Bear Facts from December 1977 (Volume 1, Issue 2). Today, up to six issues are published annually.
  • The literary magazine Esse first appeared in the 1960s, sometimes as a standalone publication and other times as part of the Acres yearbook.
  • Over the next two decades, students experimented with titles such as Creative Corner, Literary Corner, and Horizon before returning to Esse in 1985. The award-winning Esse is now published annually, showcasing student artwork and writing.

Descriptions of the literary magazines can be found as a digital exhibit in the UA Archive: Ursuline Literary Magazines