In 1875, shortly after the organization of the Missouri State Normal School—Third District, students began forming literary societies. The first ones were the Union Literary, the Humboldt Natural History, and the Arion Musical societies. The faculty established them but the students themselves conducted most of the business. The early societies were open to men and women. In 1876, students disbanded the three original societies and organized two new ones, the Adelphi and the Zenonian. In 1879 students organized the Philomathean; in 1888, they formed the Van Guard.

In 1891, the organizational approach of literary societies began to change. Students of the class of 1893 (with the assistance of then-president of the school, Richard C. Norton) decided that the societies would “prosper” more if the men and women organized their own separate societies. As a result, students formed new organizations that limited membership to either men or women. Several men organized the Webster, the first new men’s society; a short time later that year a group of women started the Sorosis, the first of the women’s’ societies. The following year, another group of men formed the Benton and several members of the Sorosis left their organization and formed the Clios. At this point that the school began to hold inter-society contests.

The Webster Society, named after Daniel Webster, was organized for men only and its purpose was to further the literary and social development of the student body. Literary society membership was a requirement for scholars in the early days of the school and, since the societies were the only social outlet, they were very influential in the development of the student.