The Sophomore Band's publication The Onion mocks the Harman Literary Society's publication in 1908. According to the Sophomore Band, the Salmagundi is becoming a rival of The Onion. The writer goes on and congratulates the Harman Literary Society on mock articles he claims were in their paper.
Cornelia B. White (Class of 1907), writes a limerick for The Salmagundi, a literary publication by the Harman Literary Society. The limerick is of, but what else, the Harman Literary Society. She praises how the society is "composed of some twenty maids charmin'...their knowledge was something alarmin'."
The Harman Literary Society was first conceptualized on October 21, 1896 by the ladies of Dickinson College. The female students first met in Denny Hall for the purpose of organizing a literary society and were allowed to make a temporary one. The society is named after Dr. Henry Harman, a professor of Greek and Hebrew who was also a member of the Class of 1848. Dr. Harman was known as a staunch opponent of coeducation, but the Professor did give his approval for use of his name. On November 11, 1896 the committee was formed and their constitution formally adopted.