Previous publications of The Oracle all crafted by the Literary Society. Photo by Toby Pitan.
Malden High School reveals the hidden literary talents of its students through its yearly publication of The Oracle, the second-longest running high school literary magazine in the country.
The Oracle is published by the Literary Society, a club overflowing with artistry in its celebration of student literature and creativity. The Literary Society meets every Tuesday after school in room J287 and is welcome to writers, readers, and visual artists alike.
English teacher and Literary Society advisor Yahaira Marquez explained the endeavors of the student-run club in which members “celebrate, practice, [and] enjoy literature in its different forms.” Students with an affinity toward literature hone their writing skills during each meeting through a myriad of creative writing activities. These activities extend from freewriting to writing poetry, short stories, and other original compositions. Members can converse about reading and writing that pique their interests and simultaneously acquire new skills to benefit them in their future writing exploits. Generally, the students have the majority of autonomy over the club as Marquez leaves it to them to decide what to accomplish during any given meeting.
Visual artists in particular are greatly appreciated in the Literary Society. Their original works pose as inspiration for the students’ writing as well as enhance The Oracle. Marquez explains that throughout the years, the club has been utilizing the talents of these artists by including more of their artwork in the publication.
The magazine is a collection of student submitted poems, short stories, personal essays. After the first semester, the club makes its transition into preparing for its publication. The Literary Society takes original submissions from any Malden High School student and is usually published during the second half of the school year.
Because the magazine is self-funded, members of the Literary Society are tasked with initiating various literary-based fundraisers in order to fund it. One such fundraising event that upcoming is a school-wide book sale that will be held before the winter holiday break.
The Literary Society is looking for a variety of donated books that would be of “interest to high school students,” Marquez explained. The club intends to attract the attention of mainly the students, but Marquez says that faculty and staff are welcome to stop by and purchase books as well.
The sale will include hardcover and paperback books each ranging from $1-$2 and is open to all students of Malden High School. The book can be wrapped up as well to better prepare for the gift-giving season for a price as well. The date of the sale has yet to be announced. For more information on the upcoming event, contact at ymarquez@maldenps.org.
