[2] The Punch Bowl was founded in 1899 by members of Mask and Wig[3] and the Philomathean Society,[4] making it one of the oldest college humor magazines in the United States.

[8] During this time, the Punch Bowl was distributed in local high schools and leading hotels in Philadelphia and in about a dozen other cities on the East Coast.

'"[12] As a satire magazine pushing the envelope of what is deemed fit for publishing, the Punch Bowl has found itself at the center of some controversies.

As Charles A. Wright, a member of the editorial staff in the early 1920s, noted: “Part of our planning for an issue was to pick a title that, combined with the cover drawing, would create a ‘racy’ effect.

... Our jokes dealt mostly with campus subjects, such as freshmen, football, absent-minded professors, and coeds; and current events, including the beginning of Prohibition, the wearing of knickers, and the popularity of a dance called ‘The Toddle.’” [9] In 1939, ten Punch Bowl editors were suspended for the printing of ribald humor, causing small riots near 37th and Spruce Streets.