Shortly after the readmission of women to the university in 1893, coeds formed the Barbara Blount Literary Society. In 1896 the society held a debate with the Philomathesian Literary Society—the first publicized contest ever held at the university between students of opposite sexes.
The colors of the Barbara Blount Literary Society were green and white; its flower was white clover; and its motto was Esse quam Videre. The society published its own paper, the Comet, and briefly also published its own journal, the Barbarian.
Sometime after 1907 the society splintered, which gave rise to an Elizabeth Barrett Browning Society and a Euchestrian Library Society and then to the Portia Literary Society in 1916.